Model Reports 8 min read Updated 11 Sep 2026 DVSA open data · 5,099 tests analysed

Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2004: reliability & common MOT faults

2,151 first-attempt MOT failures were recorded on the 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class in 2025. Figures are among first-attempt failed MOT tests, not among all tests.

Ball joint (front) was the most common reason a 2004 C-Class failed its MOT — 20.2% of its failed first attempts.

First-attempt pass

57.8%

of 5,099 first tests (2025)

First tests

5,099

test year 2025

Failed first attempts

2,151

failed first-attempt tests

MOT pass rates

First-attempt and official-style rates among class 4 first tests of the year.

First-attempt pass

57.8%

of 5,099 first tests (2025)

Official-style pass

65.8%

incl. same-day PRS fixes

First tests

5,099

class 4 · first MOT of the year

Typical age 21.0 yrs · median mileage 111,150 mi

vs 2024: +1.3 pp first-attempt

Note:

  • Class 4 cars · first MOT of the year per vehicle · P/PRS/F outcomes (2025 data).
  • PRS (fixed at the station the same day) counts as a fail in the first-attempt rate.
  • Raw outcomes for this cohort — not adjusted for age, mileage, or peer mix.
  • MOT doesn't test engine or gearbox internals.

Common faults

Failure patterns that show up more often on this registration year than on similar cars.

These MOT failure patterns show up more often on this registration year than on similar cars of the same class, age, and mileage.

Shares below are measured across the 2,131 of 2,151 failed first attempts (99.1%) that recorded an odometer reading in 2025 — the subset the age-and-mileage comparison can be computed on.

Standout: Coil spring (front) — 11.1% of this year's failed first attempts

Recorded on 236 of those tests. It tops the table on elevation — about 3.6× more often than on similar cars of the same age and mileage. That is what makes it unusual for its class, which is a different question from what is most likely to fail; the buying checklist ranks by that. The full ranked list is in the table below.

No patterns met the strongest callout thresholds on this page; showing the highest-lift rows that still cleared the display floors.

Fault pattern Location Failures vs similar cars Share of fails Confidence
Coil spring (front)
Suspension > Springs > Coil springs > Coil spring
 Front 236 ×3.6 11.1% Likely
Ball joint (front)
Suspension > Suspension arms > Ball joint
 Front 430 ×3.5 20.2% Likely
Electronic stability control
Brakes > ABS / EBS / ESC > Electronic stability control
 Any 43 ×3.0 2.0% Possible
Individual direction indicators (rear)
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Direction indicators > Flashing type > Individual direction indicators
 Rear 84 ×2.2 3.9% Possible

Only patterns that clear minimum sample and elevation thresholds are shown (at least 20 failures and about 2.0× more often than similar cars).

Note: Rates and comparisons are among first-attempt failed tests, not all MOTs. Patterns come from MOT defect codes — not manufacturer service bulletins, recalls, or a diagnosis of any individual car. Failures and advisories are listed separately.

Wear patterns

Usage and mileage effects that often track road use rather than model design.

These patterns look like wear or usage effects rather than model-specific design faults. Tyres, brake friction material, and alignment-related defects often track mileage and road use.

Pattern Location Failures vs similar cars Share of fails Confidence
Tread depth (rear)
Tyres > Tread depth
 Rear 129 ×2.6 6.1% Wear
Note: These patterns are not treated as a model design fault in our common-faults ranking.

Advisories

Notes recorded at the test that appear more often than on similar cars.

Advisory notes recorded on failed first-attempt tests that appear more often than on similar cars.

Advisory pattern Location Notes vs similar cars Share Confidence
Linkage pins and bushes (rear)
Suspension > Anti-roll bars > Linkage pins and bushes
 Rear 54 ×7.1 2.5% Likely
Anti-roll bar (rear)
Suspension > Anti-roll bars > Anti-roll bar
 Rear 78 ×6.6 3.7% Elevated
Wheel bearings (front)
Suspension > Wheel bearings
 Front 215 ×5.3 10.1% Elevated
Pins and bushes (rear)
Suspension > Anti-roll bars > Pins and bushes
 Rear 63 ×5.0 3.0% Likely
Individual direction indicators (rear)
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Direction indicators > Flashing type > Individual direction indicators
 Rear 104 ×4.3 4.9% Possible
Sub-frame condition (rear)
Body, chassis, structure > Integral vehicle structure > Sub-frame > Sub-frame condition
 Rear 28 ×3.5 1.3% Elevated
Sub-frame (rear)
Suspension > Sub-frames > Sub-frame
 Rear 393 ×3.2 18.4% Elevated
Flexible brake hoses (rear)
Brakes > Flexible brake hoses
 Rear 185 ×2.7 8.7% Elevated
Note: Advisories are not a fail rate — they flag issues noted at the test, often before they become failures.

If you are buying one

What this year's MOT record means for the decision in front of you.

Nothing separates this year from the C-Class either side of it, so buy on the individual car. The checks below are the items that actually failed 2004 C-Class, commonest first.

Other C-Class years worth knowing about

Newer cars always pass more often, so a plain "best year" list would just rank by age. These are the years that beat or miss the trend their own neighbouring years set — the only age-adjusted signal this data supports.

Year vs the years either side First-attempt pass (rises with newer cars) First tests
2006 C-Class -2.0 pp worse 58.2% 8,303

What to check on a 2004 C-Class

The items that failed 2004 C-Class most often, as a share of the year's failed first attempts. This is what goes wrong, not what is unusual — the table further up the page covers that.

  • Ball joint (front) — recorded on 20.2% of failed first attempts
  • Malfunction indicator lamp — recorded on 11.9% of failed first attempts
  • Coil spring (front) — recorded on 11.1% of failed first attempts
  • Headlamp aim — recorded on 8.4% of failed first attempts
  • Track rod end (front) — recorded on 7.4% of failed first attempts

Every figure here is a first-attempt MOT rate from DVSA open data for this model line. MOTs do not test engine or gearbox internals, so this is a pre-purchase checklist, not a full reliability score.

FAQs

Short answers about how to read this model-year guide.

Ball joint (front) was the most common reason a 2004 C-Class failed its MOT — 20.2% of its failed first attempts. In 2025, 57.8% of 5,099 first MOTs on the 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class passed first time (PRS — items fixed at the station the same day — counted as a fail). The official-style rate including PRS is 65.8%. Among 2,151 failed first-attempt MOT tests (test year 2025), Coil spring (front) appears more often t…
Ranked by how often they were actually recorded, the items that failed 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Classs most often at the first attempt were Ball joint (front) (20.2%), Malfunction indicator lamp (11.9%) and Coil spring (front) (11.1%) — each as a share of the year's failed first attempts. That is what goes wrong on the car. It is a different question from which patterns are unusual for the class, which the common-faults…
Among failed first-attempt tests we highlight patterns that appear more often than on similar cars. Top example: Coil spring (front) (11.1% of those tests; 236 observed failures; about 3.6× more often than similar cars). These are statistical signals, not a diagnosis of any individual car.
Coil spring (front) shows up more often than on similar cars (11.1% of those tests; 236 observed failures; about 3.6× more often than similar cars). That does not prove a design fault — age, mileage, and how the car was used still matter. Treat it as a pre-purchase check point, not a manufacturer service bulletin.
Common MOT problem areas for the 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class include Coil spring (front), Ball joint (front), Electronic stability control. These patterns show up more often than on similar cars after we filter out sparse noise — not a full list of every possible fault on an individual car.
Advisories flag issues noted at the test and are not a fail rate. We show advisory patterns that appear more often than on similar cars among failed first-attempt tests, separate from common failure rows. Use them as early-warning checks, not as a pass/fail score.
This page highlights MOT failure patterns for the 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class (registration year) using UK DVSA open data for the selected test year. Patterns are compared with cars of a similar age and mileage. It is a buyer checklist from MOT defect statistics — not a full service history or manufacturer service-bulletin list.
No. MOT tests do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronic modules. Patterns here come from MOT defect statistics only and should not be read as engine or gearbox reliability scores.

About this data

How this page is built and what it can (and can't) say.

These figures come from UK MOT open data for this model year. We surface common failure patterns against similar cars — not a full reliability score, and not a pass/fail verdict on any individual vehicle.

2024 2025

What we include

UK Class 4 cars only. Normal MOT tests (not retests); first test per vehicle per calendar year; results pass, PRS, or fail.

Same-day repairs

PRS means the car failed items that were fixed at the test station and then passed the same day. We count PRS as a first-attempt fail in headline rates so same-day repairs do not hide problems.

How we compare

We compare this model year with other Class 4 cars of similar age and mileage in the same test year. This model family is left out of the peer group so the car is not measured against itself.

What this does not cover

  • MOTs do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronics — this is not a full reliability score.
  • Common faults come from MOT defect stats, not manufacturer TSBs or recalls.
  • Age and mileage matching reduces — but does not remove — differences in how cars were used and maintained.
  • We never invent pass rates, star scores, or ranks when those data marts are missing.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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