MOT failure data · 2025

Mercedes-Benz CLA MOT problems

Across every Mercedes-Benz CLA that failed its 2025 MOT, the defect testers recorded most often was tread depth tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, on 9.59% of failure items. The broadest problem area was tyres at 36.35%. These are recorded defects across the model, not a diagnosis of any one car.

Most common Mercedes-Benz CLA MOT failures

#	Recorded defect	Area	Share
1	Tread depth tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm	Tyres	9.59%
2	Condition has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords	Tyres	8.95%
3	Condition has ply or cords exposed	Tyres	8.49%
4	Coil spring fractured or broken	Suspension	7.33%
5	Brake pads less than 1.5 mm thick	Brakes	6.12%
6	Linkage ball joint dust cover ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt	Suspension	4.56%
7	Malfunction indicator lamp inoperative or indicates a malfunction	Noise, emissions and leaks	4.51%
8	Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively	Visibility	3.05%
9	Condition has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure	Tyres	2.87%
10	Washers provides insufficient washer liquid	Visibility	2.85%

Shares are of all recorded failure items for this model, so they sum to less than 100% — a single failed test often records several defects, and the long tail below the top 10 is not shown.

What this means if you are buying one

Use it as a viewing checklist. If you are looking at a Mercedes-Benz CLA, these are the areas worth inspecting and worth asking about — and worth reading the car's own MOT history for, since a defect that keeps reappearing as an advisory is a better signal than any model-wide average.

The MOT record also has hard limits: it does not check the engine, clutch or gearbox, and it says nothing about outstanding finance, insurance write-off history, stolen markers or whether the mileage is genuine. Our used Mercedes-Benz CLA buying guide covers what to check beyond the MOT.

Checking a specific Mercedes-Benz CLA?

Enter its registration for finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history.

Other Mercedes-Benz models

Mercedes-Benz CLA MOT FAQs

What does a Mercedes-Benz CLA most commonly fail its MOT on?

The single most recorded defect on Mercedes-Benz CLA cars failing their 2025 MOT was "tread depth tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm", appearing on 9.59% of failure items.

Does this mean my Mercedes-Benz CLA will fail?

No. This is what testers recorded across every Mercedes-Benz CLA that failed in 2025. It shows where this model tends to need attention, not the condition of any individual car. The Mercedes-Benz CLA passed 83.53% of its initial tests.

How do I see a specific Mercedes-Benz CLA's MOT history?

Enter its registration on our free MOT history check to see that car's own test results, advisories and recorded mileages.

Defect counts from the DVSA MOT Anonymised test-item data for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, failure items only — advisories and minor defects excluded), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.