What are the most common problems with a Mercedes-Benz SLC?

At MOT, wheel bearings and wheels are flagged more often than on other cars the same age.

What should I ask the seller before buying a used Mercedes-Benz SLC?

Any recent work on the wheel bearings? (Flagged at MOT 12.5× as often on the Mercedes-Benz SLC as on other cars the same age.) Any recent work on the wheels? (Flagged at MOT 2.6× as often on the Mercedes-Benz SLC as on other cars the same age.) Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Used car guide · 2016–2021

Mercedes-Benz SLC common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Mercedes-Benz SLC, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 26,435 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

26,435MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model

8,230on the UK register

2016best year at its MOT

Pick the year

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

What usually goes wrong with a Mercedes-Benz SLC?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Mercedes-Benz SLC in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Common Mercedes-Benz SLC MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, for each fuel on its own. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

Petrol

Wheel bearings
up to 5.2× usual

Stands out on cars registered in 2016 and 2017.

Rough price £120–£300 (one bearing) ClickMechanic

At the viewing: Listen for a hum or growl that changes as you steer at speed.
Wheels
up to 2.5× usual

Stands out on cars registered in 2016 and 2018.

Rough price £70–£150 our estimate

At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

Diesel

Wheel bearings
up to 5.7× usual

Stands out on cars registered in 2016 and 2017.

Rough price £120–£300 (one bearing) ClickMechanic

At the viewing: Listen for a hum or growl that changes as you steer at speed.
Wheels
up to 2.6× usual

Stands out on cars registered in 2016 and 2017.

Rough price £70–£150 our estimate

At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

Mercedes-Benz SLC MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2016 Mercedes-Benz SLC did best (84% passed first time, 7 points above all 2016 cars) and the 2020 did worst (91%, 4 points above all 2020 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

Year	Pass first time	All cars that year	MOT tests
2021	91%	87% +4	386 (small sample)
2020	91%	87% +4	1,766
2019	91%	85% +6	2,936
2018	89%	83% +6	4,423
2017	84%	80% +4	10,226
2016	84%	77% +7	6,698

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Mercedes-Benz SLC

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

Any recent work on the wheel bearings? (Flagged at MOT 12.5× as often on the Mercedes-Benz SLC as on other cars the same age.)
Any recent work on the wheels? (Flagged at MOT 2.6× as often on the Mercedes-Benz SLC as on other cars the same age.)
Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Mercedes-Benz SLC?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score