Mercedes CLC Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Mercedes CLC fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 17,600 MOT tests across 4 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: premium | Fuel: Diesel, Petrol
73%
Mercedes CLC pass rate
87%
Mercedes average
82%
All-model average
The Mercedes CLC has an average MOT pass rate of 73%, which is 14 points below the Mercedes average and 9 points below the average across all models in our data. The Mercedes CLC has maintained consistent MOT pass rates across model years, varying by only 1 percentage point.
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What the Mercedes CLC Fails Its MOT On
Of the 3,496 MOT tests on the Mercedes CLC that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Suspension
57%Cars and vans the same age: 41% (the CLC fails on this more often) · Typical repair £150-£600
Lights and electrics
40%Cars and vans the same age: 47% · Typical repair £15-£200
Brakes
26%Cars and vans the same age: 25% · Typical repair £80-£450
Tyres
22%Cars and vans the same age: 18% · Typical repair £50-£300
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
18%Cars and vans the same age: 15% · Typical repair £10-£350
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (25% of failed tests, suspension)
- Coil spring: fractured or broken (18% of failed tests, suspension)
- Tyre tread depth below the 1.6mm limit (9.6% of failed tests, tyres)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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Mercedes CLC Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each CLC year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
- 2011: 73% passed, against 77% for all 2011 cars (4 points lower, 1,041 tests)
Passed more often than cars their age
No year passed 3 or more points more often than other cars of the same age.
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
Mercedes CLC Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
Mercedes CLC Running Costs
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Mercedes CLC FAQ
What are the most common Mercedes CLC problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Mercedes CLC that failed at the first attempt most often failed on suspension (57% of the 3,496 failed tests), lights and electrics (40%) and brakes (26%). The single most common fault was "Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn" (25%). Across 17,600 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 73% ended in a pass.
Is the Mercedes CLC reliable?
The Mercedes CLC has an average MOT pass rate of 73%, from 17,600 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed within 2 points of other cars of the same age, so about average for its age.
Which Mercedes CLC years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2011 (73% of 1,041 tests passed, against 77% for all 2011 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common Mercedes CLC faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Mercedes CLC typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
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Other Mercedes Models
Common problems pages for other Mercedes models