Mercedes Benz
Clk
61,943 MOT tests analysed. lands in the middle of the pack — here's where Clks pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 5.5 points below the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — buyers should expect more first-time fails than the typical UK car.
Pass
72.0%
Pass-after-fix
4.6%
Fail
22.6%
Avg miles
104,833
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
This model's production run straddles the January 2006 Euro 4 cutoff. Individual cars vary — check your registration plate on the government's ULEZ checker. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 .
Generations on file · 2
Mercedes Benz Clk · UK market
1997–2002
2002–2010
Photos: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA / CC BY / public domain.
The picture
Mercedes Benz CLK: challenging MOT record across 41,595 tests
The Mercedes Benz CLK is a petrol-powered car sold in the UK market across multiple generations, covering a broad date range in the test population.
MOT data from 41,595 tests puts this car on a 69.5% first-time pass rate, well below the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 104,763 miles. The most common fail item is fractured or weakened suspension spring, followed by worn suspension pin or bush.
The CLK's pass rate warrants caution in the used market. Factor in likely first-test remedial work on the common failure items and get a pre-purchase inspection that covers the specific items this car trips on most.
ABI Insurance Group
Group 28–42
Above average — worth comparing quotes before buying. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
28–42
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
Filter failures:
Hide categories
Tick a category to hide it from rankings sitewide. Saved in this browser only.
- 01
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
2,842 occurrences · 4.6% of tests
- 02
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
2,626 occurrences · 4.2% of tests
- 03
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
2,481 occurrences · 4.0% of tests
- 04
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
1,679 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
- 05
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
1,575 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
- 06
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
1,552 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
- 07
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
1,473 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 08
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
1,338 occurrences · 2.2% of tests
- 09
A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
935 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
- 10
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
914 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 4 failures
£180–£640
If every one of this Clk's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
Try the calculator
Build your own retest budget.
Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
My Motor World · affiliate
Parts & supplies for this fix
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Click Mechanic · affiliate
Book a mobile mechanic
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.
Recall history
3 UK recalls on record.
The Clk has 3 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.
Buying or keeping a Clk?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Clk and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.