2025 MOT results
Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class common problems
The most common reason a Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class fails its MOT is a broken coil spring, on 11.6% of its 15,265 failed tests in 2025. Against other cars of the same age, 3 faults stand out: a split joint boot at 8.0% of failures against 1.1% expected; the engine management light on at 10.0% of failures against 5.1% expected; a broken coil spring at 11.6% of failures against 7.0% expected.
- Tests in 2025 91,110 Cars aged three and over
- Failed first time 16.8% 15,265 tests
- Found a dangerous defect 4.8% Unsafe to drive away
- Ended with an advisory 40.2% A problem to watch, not a failure
What fails a Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class MOT
Each bar is the share of failed Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class tests with that defect. Where we can compare it with cars of the same registration years, the marker shows what an average car of those ages records (11 of the 12 items below).
Most common reasons for failure
A test can fail for more than one defect, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Defect | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Coil spring: fractured or broken Suspension | 11.6% |
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 11.5% |
| Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Body, chassis, structure | 11.3% |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks | 10.0% |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick Brakes | 9.2% |
| Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 8.7% |
| Linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Suspension | 8.0% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility | 5.8% |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Visibility | 5.7% |
| Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres | 4.0% |
| Anti-roll bars: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Suspension | 3.6% |
| Headlamp aim: too low Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 3.3% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
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Broken coil spring
11.6% of failures 7.0% expected 1.7 times as often
A broken suspension spring, which usually snaps in the bottom coil and often fails on both sides within a year.
Look at each corner for a sagging ride height, and listen for a knock over speed bumps.
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Tyre worn below the legal limit
11.5% of failures 10.0% expected somewhat more often
A tyre worn past the 1.6mm legal minimum across the middle three quarters of the tread.
A 20p coin in the main grooves: if the outer band of the coin is visible, the tyre is close to the limit.
-
Split joint boot
11.3% of failures 2.5% expected 4.5 times as often
A split rubber boot on a joint or driveshaft. The joint may still be sound, but dirt and water get in once the boot is open.
Turn the wheels to full lock and look behind them for greasy splits in the rubber concertina.
-
Engine management light on
10.0% of failures 5.1% expected 2 times as often
The engine management light is on, or has been disconnected. Either fails the test.
A cheap code reader on the diagnostic socket will say what the car has stored before you pay for a test.
-
Worn brake pads
9.2% of failures 9.0% expected about as expected
Friction material worn under 1.5mm, thinner than the point most manufacturers call the limit.
Look through the wheel spokes at the pad against the disc; wear indicators squeal before they get this far.
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Cut tyre
8.7% of failures 8.0% expected about as expected
A cut in the tyre deep or long enough to reach the structure underneath, usually from a kerb or debris.
Run a hand round the inner and outer walls of each tyre, which is where kerbing shows.
Which parts of the car fail
Tyres is the area that most often fails a Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class, on 30.6% of failed tests. The widest gap against cars of the same registration years is body, chassis, structure, on 12.8% against 5.3% expected.
Failure categories
DVSA's own sections of the test. The marker is what cars of the same registration years record.
| Defect category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Tyres | 30.6% |
| Suspension | 26.3% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 15.1% |
| Brakes | 14.9% |
| Visibility | 14.7% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 12.8% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 10.7% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 3.1% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What testers warn about
40.2% of Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class tests ended with at least one advisory: a fault the tester found that did not fail the test. On Mercedes-Benz GLA-Classes, these are the items to ask about on a car you are viewing, because they are what the last tester expected to go next.
Most common advisories
Share of all tests, passes included.
| Advisory | Share of tests |
|---|---|
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres | 16.7% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 9.7% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 8.8% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 6.4% |
| Brake discs: worn, but not excessively Brakes | 3.9% |
| Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt Non-component advisories | 2.8% |
| Nail in tyre Non-component advisories | 2.4% |
| Tyres: cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 1.6% |
| Suspension arms: ball joint has slight play Suspension | 1.4% |
| Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Identification of the vehicle | 1.2% |
| Individual direction indicators: slightly discoloured Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 0.9% |
| Coil spring: corroded Suspension | 0.8% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What changes as a Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class gets older
A 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class failed 8.6% of its MOT tests in 2025; a 2014 one failed 21.0%. What fails changes as much as how often, and these are the two years themselves rather than an average across them.
2022 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class 8.6% failed, from 4,572 tests
- Cut tyre 30.2%
- Tyre worn below the legal limit 12.2%
- Wiper blades that do not clear the screen 11.2%
- Tyre worn through to the cords 7.6%
- Faulty seat belt 5.6%
- Headlamp aim set too low 5.1%
2014 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class 21.0% failed, from 3,445 tests
- Broken coil spring 16.3%
- Split joint boot 15.1%
- Engine management light on 14.8%
- Tyre worn below the legal limit 12.6%
- Worn brake pads 6.4%
- Cut tyre 6.2%
Shares are of each year's failed tests. Every MOT a particular car has had, with the defects and advisories written at each test, is on GOV.UK's MOT history service from the registration, free.
Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class problems: common questions
What is the most common problem with a Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class?
Of the faults that fail an MOT, “Coil spring: fractured or broken” is the most common: it appears on 11.6% of failed Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class tests. Across categories, tyres is the area that most often fails one, on 30.6% of failed tests.
How often does a Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class fail its MOT?
16.8% of Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class tests in 2025 were not passed first time, from 91,110 tests of cars aged three and over. Allowing for the age and mileage of the cars tested, that gives it a UK Motoring Reliability Score of 57 out of 100, where 50 is as expected.
Does anything fail more often on a Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class than on other cars?
Yes. “Linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt” appears on 8.0% of its failures against 1.1% for cars of the same age, and “Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction” appears on 10.0% of its failures against 5.1% for cars of the same age. Where an item is missing from the national figures for a year, we use the smallest share those figures show, so the comparison never overstates the difference.
Are these the same as breakdowns or known faults?
No. These are the items a tester recorded at the MOT, which covers condition and safety: lamps, brakes, tyres, suspension, corrosion and emissions. A gearbox that is unpleasant, an infotainment screen that has died, or a car that will not start on a cold morning are not part of the test, so they are not in these figures.
Where do the figures come from?
Every normal MOT test of a Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class aged three and over in Great Britain in 2025, from DVSA's anonymised MOT results. Retests are excluded, and the same fault on more than one wheel counts once.
Data stories to read next
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOT defects and advisories | Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Derived statistics UK Motoring | 2025 | 91,110 MOT tests | 19 September 2026 |
- Shares for defects are of failed tests; shares for advisories are of all tests. A test can carry several defects, so shares add to more than 100%.
- The expected share is what an average car of the same registration years records, weighted by where this model’s failures fall. Where an item is outside the national figures for a year, the smallest share those figures show is used in its place, which is an upper bound, so the comparison never overstates a model’s problems. No expectation is published where less than 80% of the model’s failures can be compared.
- Great Britain only: DVSA does not run MOT testing in Northern Ireland. Cars under three years old are not tested.
- The descriptions of what each part does are general and the same on every model. Every figure comes from the MOT data.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.