Mercedes Benz
ML
72,509 MOT tests analysed. lands in the middle of the pack — here's where MLs pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 1.0 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
78.5%
Pass-after-fix
4.6%
Fail
16.1%
Avg miles
109,987
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Some examples of this model are borderline — a small number of diesels were certified Euro 6 before September 2015. Check your registration on the government's ULEZ checker to be certain. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 · Bristol £9.00 .
Generations on file · 4
Mercedes Benz ML · UK market
1997–2004
2005–2011
2011–2019
2019–now
Photos: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA / CC BY / public domain.
The picture
Mercedes-Benz ML at 75.3%: below average for a large SUV at 100k miles
The Mercedes-Benz ML posts 75.3% first-time pass from 43,144 tests at an average presenting mileage of 103,281. Top failures are tyre tread, suspension pin and bush wear, and rear plate lamp faults. The ML350 BlueTEC and ML250 BlueTEC that dominate the UK fleet develop front lower arm bush wear at this mileage, and the air suspension option can lower the car on one axle if a strut fails — generating a secondary tyre failure from uneven contact. Brake pipe corrosion also features. At 75.3% and below average for its class at this mileage, the ML needs undercar inspection. Pre-test: front suspension bushes, air suspension level check and brake pipe inspection.
ABI Insurance Group
Group 32–44
A high-group car — insurance costs will be significantly above average. 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 →
32–44
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
Filter failures:
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- 01
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
2,783 occurrences · 3.8% of tests
- 02
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
2,227 occurrences · 3.1% of tests
- 03
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
1,879 occurrences · 2.6% of tests
- 04
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
1,380 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
- 05
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
1,196 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
- 06
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
1,074 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
- 07
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
1,017 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
- 08
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
912 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
- 09
A lamp with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning
851 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
- 10
A tyre cords visible or damaged
842 occurrences · 1.2% 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 3 failures
£98–£355
If every one of this ML'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 →
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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.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
H7 / W21W bulb pack
A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Headlight restoration kit
Yellowed lenses fail the light-output test. A restoration kit lifts the haze in an afternoon for £20.
Search Amazon UK
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
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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.
Owner reports · Honest John
What owners actually report.
Verbatim faults logged by owners on honestjohn.co.uk over recent years. We didn't summarise — these are the words people typed in.
What's good
The Mercedes-Benz ML350 and ML250 BlueTEC are large premium SUVs with genuine off-road capability. Efficient diesel engines, high equipment levels, comfortable long-distance cruiser.
Recall history
6 UK recalls on record.
The ML has 6 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.
Buying or keeping an ML?
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 an ML 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.