Mercedes Benz
Viano
11,566 MOT tests analysed. lands in the middle of the pack — here's where Vianos pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 3.0 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
74.5%
Pass-after-fix
4.7%
Fail
20.1%
Avg miles
150,474
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 .
The picture
Viano: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass
Across 7,306 MOT tests, the Viano returns 70.8% first-time pass — below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is windscreen damage. A number-plate lamp out and a weak handbrake round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 147,196, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
ABI Insurance Group
Group 28–46
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 →
28–46
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
479 occurrences · 4.1% of tests
- 02
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
347 occurrences · 3.0% of tests
- 03
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
277 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 04
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
251 occurrences · 2.2% of tests
- 05
A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
212 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
- 06
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
208 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
- 07
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
194 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
- 08
An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction
176 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
- 09
Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value
168 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
- 10
A tyre cords visible or damaged
158 occurrences · 1.4% 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 2 failures
£18–£115
If every one of this Viano'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.
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Click Mechanic · affiliate
Book a mobile mechanic
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Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
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Recall history
6 UK recalls on record.
The Viano has 6 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.
Buying or keeping a Viano?
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 Viano 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.