Mercedes GLC Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Mercedes GLC 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 139,021 MOT tests across 8 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
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91%
Mercedes GLC pass rate
87%
Mercedes average
82%
All-model average
The Mercedes GLC has an average MOT pass rate of 91%, which is 4 points above the Mercedes average and 9 points above the average across all models in our data. Newer Mercedes GLCs pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 4 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Mercedes GLC Fails Its MOT On
Of the 9,732 MOT tests on the Mercedes GLC 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.
Tyres
35%Cars and vans the same age: 30% · Typical repair £50-£300
Suspension
30%Cars and vans the same age: 21% (the GLC fails on this more often) · Typical repair £150-£600
Brakes
13%Cars and vans the same age: 19% (the GLC fails on this less often) · Typical repair £80-£450
Exhaust, emissions and leaks
12%Cars and vans the same age: 8.5% (the GLC fails on this more often) · Typical repair £80-£800
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
10%Cars and vans the same age: 17% (the GLC fails on this less often) · Typical repair £10-£350
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (22% of failed tests, suspension)
- Tyre tread depth below the 1.6mm limit (12% of failed tests, tyres)
- Tyre has a cut deep enough to reach the ply or cords (11% 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 GLC 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 GLC 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
No year passed 3 or more points less 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 GLC 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 GLC Running Costs
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Mercedes GLC FAQ
What are the most common Mercedes GLC problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Mercedes GLC that failed at the first attempt most often failed on tyres (35% of the 9,732 failed tests), suspension (30%) and brakes (13%). The single most common fault was "Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn" (22%). Across 139,021 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 91% ended in a pass.
Is the Mercedes GLC reliable?
The Mercedes GLC has an average MOT pass rate of 91%, from 139,021 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 GLC years should I avoid?
No Mercedes GLC year with 1,000+ tests passed 3 or more points less often than all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). The years that passed most often for their age were the 2015 (89% of 3,031 tests passed, against 84% for all 2015 cars), the 2017 (90% of 28,866 tests passed, against 87% for all 2017 cars) and the 2016 (89% of 19,967 tests passed, against 86% for all 2016 cars). 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 GLC faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Mercedes GLC 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