Used car guide · 2004–2015

Mercedes-Benz Viano common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Mercedes-Benz Viano, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 16,070 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

16,070MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model
5,142on the UK register
2008best 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).

201520142013201220112010200920082007200620052004

What usually goes wrong with a Mercedes-Benz Viano?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Mercedes-Benz Viano 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 Viano 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.

Diesel

  • Anti-roll bar bushes and joints

    up to 6.4× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

    Rough price £100–£280 (pair of drop links) Checkatrade

    At the viewing: Drive slowly over bumps and listen for a knock or rattle from the front. Worn anti-roll bar links are a cheap fix.

  • Anti-roll bar link bushes

    up to 9× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

    Rough price £100–£280 (pair of drop links) Checkatrade

    At the viewing: Drive slowly over bumps and listen for a knock or rattle from the front. Worn anti-roll bar links are a cheap fix.

  • Rigid brake pipes

    up to 2.4× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2011.

    Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

  • Side repeaters

    up to 5.4× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2005, 2010 and 2011.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Airbag warning light

    up to 5.2× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2007 and 2008.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

  • Body structure rust or damage

    up to 3.6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2005 and 2006.

    Rough price £150–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath and along the sills for flaky rust or fresh underseal hiding it.

Mercedes-Benz Viano MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2008 Mercedes-Benz Viano did best (64% passed first time, 7 points above all 2008 cars) and the 2014 did worst (70%, 0 points above all 2014 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
201571%74% -3408 (small sample)
201470%70% +01,947
201368%67% +11,959
201267%64% +31,700
201164%62% +21,449
201066%60% +61,318
200965%59% +61,337
200864%57% +71,467
200762%57% +51,370
200661%56% +51,140
200559%57% +21,161
200463%57% +6814

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

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

  1. Any recent work on the side repeaters? (Flagged at MOT 7.7× as often on the Mercedes-Benz Viano as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the anti-roll bar link bushes? (Flagged at MOT 10× as often on the Mercedes-Benz Viano as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the individual direction indicators? (Flagged at MOT 5.3× as often on the Mercedes-Benz Viano as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Mercedes-Benz Viano?

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