Part of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class W213 (2016–2023) guide: best and worst years compared.
2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class diesel: common problems and MOT failures
What MOT testers find on the diesel Mercedes-Benz E-Class first registered in 2021 (diesel cars only): we looked at the 10,785 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.
What goes wrong more than usual on a 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class diesel?
Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class diesel than on all cars registered in 2021.
- Wheels6.6× usualMercedes-Benz E-Class3.3% All 2021 cars0.5%
Failed outright at MOT: 2.6%, against 0.2% of all 2021 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.
Rough price £70–£150 our estimateAt the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.
Common 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class diesel MOT failures and advisories
The share of 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class diesel MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.
- Tyres22% of testsRough price £70–£150
At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.
- Brakes7% of testsRough price £150–£350
At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.
- Wipers, windscreen and mirrors3% of testsRough price £15–£250
At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.
- Lights and electrics3% of testsRough price £10–£80
At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.
- Suspension2% of testsRough price £120–£400
At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.
- Seats and seatbelts1% of testsRough price £80–£250
At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.
Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class diesel
Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.
- Any recent work on the wheels? (Flagged at MOT 6.6× as often on the 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class diesel as on other cars the same age.)
- Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?
Looking at a Mercedes-Benz E-Class?
Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.
Other years
Every year of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class compared
| Year | MOT tests | Most flagged |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | – | Too new for MOT data |
| 2025 | – | Too new for MOT data |
| 2024 | – | Too new for MOT data |
| 2023 | 310 | Tyres 11% |
| 2022 | 3,605 | Tyres 20% |
| 2020 | 31,740 | Tyres 24% |
| 2019 | 63,370 | Tyres 25% |
| 2018 | 63,522 | Tyres 26% |
| 2017 | 67,285 | Tyres 26% |
| 2016 | 61,611 | Tyres 28% |
| 2015 | 63,946 | Tyres 31% |
| 2014 | 60,386 | Tyres 33% |
| 2013 | 55,931 | Brakes 36% |
| 2012 | 43,371 | Brakes 38% |
| 2011 | 40,106 | Brakes 38% |
| 2010 | 34,094 | Brakes 38% |
| 2009 | 20,325 | Brakes 39% |
| 2008 | 13,037 | Brakes 39% |
| 2007 | 16,415 | Brakes 40% |
| 2006 | 10,975 | Brakes 41% |
| 2005 | 12,409 | Brakes 42% |
| 2004 | 12,508 | Suspension 41% |
| 2003 | 9,177 | Suspension 43% |
| 2002 | 3,092 | Suspension 41% |
| 2001 | 2,186 | Suspension 36% |
| 2000 | 1,629 | Suspension 36% |
| 1999 | 1,467 | Suspension 39% |
| 1998 | 1,645 | Lights and electrics 34% |
| 1997 | 937 | Suspension 36% |
| 1996 | 1,509 | Brakes 30% |
| 1995 | 2,249 | Suspension 29% |
| 1994 | 1,998 | Suspension 29% |
| 1993 | 541 | Suspension 32% |
| 1992 | 128 | Brakes 29% |
| 1990 | 114 | Suspension 28% |
Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of Mercedes-Benz E-Class cars first registered in 2021. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score