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Mercedes-benz A-CLASS - 2004

392.4 faults per 100 tests
Year average for all cars of 2004 is 384.6 faults per 100 tests
Dataset: MOT tests in Great Britain (period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-09-10) for Mercedes-benz A-CLASS, model year 2004. Sample size: 1,186 cars, 2,430 tests and 9,536 recorded faults.
0%
More faults compared to the average car of same model year

Quick summary

Total: 1,186 cars

The 2004 Mercedes-Benz A-Class has an overall defect rate of 392 per 100 vehicles, which is slightly higher than the average for its year at 382 per 100. Notably, this model performs significantly better than average in terms of body and structure defects, with only 38 cases per 100 compared to 62 for the average car. However, it shows a concerning trend with brake defects, where it has a defect rate of 231 per 100, markedly worse than the average of 167. Mileage data reveals that defects increase with higher mileage, particularly in the 124,000+ miles category, where the A-Class has a notably high defect rate of 617 per 100, indicating potential reliability issues in older models.

Cars by mileage segment

Total: 1,186 cars

More model years for Mercedes-benz A-CLASS

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Other models from Mercedes-benz

Mercedes-benz 190 E Mercedes-benz 300 Mercedes-benz A Mercedes-benz A 180 AMG LINE Mercedes-benz A 180 SPORT Mercedes-benz A 200 Mercedes-benz A 250 AMG LINE Mercedes-benz A-CLASS Mercedes-benz B Mercedes-benz B-CLASS Mercedes-benz C Mercedes-benz CITAN Mercedes-benz CL Mercedes-benz CL 500 Mercedes-benz CLA Mercedes-benz CLC Mercedes-benz CLK Mercedes-benz CLS Mercedes-benz E Mercedes-benz E 220 AMG Mercedes-benz EQA 250 AMG LINE Mercedes-benz EQC 400 AMG LINE Mercedes-benz ESPRINTER Mercedes-benz EVITO Mercedes-benz G Mercedes-benz G-CLASS Mercedes-benz GL Mercedes-benz GLA Mercedes-benz GLA 180 AMG LINE Mercedes-benz GLA 200 AMG LINE Mercedes-benz GLA 250 AMG LINE Mercedes-benz GLA 250 EXCLUSIVE Mercedes-benz GLB 200 AMG LINE Mercedes-benz GLB 220 AMG LINE Mercedes-benz GLC Mercedes-benz GLC 300 AMG Mercedes-benz GLC 300 AMG LINE Mercedes-benz GLE Mercedes-benz GLS Mercedes-benz GT Mercedes-benz ML Mercedes-benz R-Class Mercedes-benz S-Class Mercedes-benz SL Mercedes-benz SLC Mercedes-benz SLK Mercedes-benz SPRINTER Mercedes-benz V Mercedes-benz VIANO Mercedes-benz VITO Mercedes-benz X

Categories

Brakes
▼ 40.9% worse
231.4 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 164.2 / 100 tests
  • Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
  • Flexible brake hose: excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched
  • Brake disc or drum: insecure, fractured or otherwise likely to fail
Steering
▲ 0.8% better
24.7 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 24.9 / 100 tests
Visibility
▼ 10.6% worse
32.4 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 29.3 / 100 tests
Lights & Electrics
▼ 13.5% worse
124.7 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 109.9 / 100 tests
  • A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative: when rear registration plate has 2 or more lamps or light sources
Wheels & Suspension
▲ 2.3% better
305.7 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 312.9 / 100 tests
  • A tyre: with a lump, bulge or tear … or with cords exposed or damaged
  • A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
  • Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
  • A shock absorber damaged … or showing signs of severe leakage
  • A suspension component: excessively damaged or corroded
Body/Structure
▲ 40.4% better
37.9 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 63.6 / 100 tests
Equipment
▲ 11.6% better
12.2 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 13.8 / 100 tests
Other
▲ 68.7% better
15.8 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 50.5 / 100 tests

Fault rate by mileage segment

Model    Year average
0 617 0–31,000 mi 31,000–62,000 62,000–93,000 93,000–124,000 124,000+
* Metric: faults per 100 tests.

Most common faults (Top 10)

Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 1,314
A tyre: with a lump, bulge or tear … or with cords exposed or damaged
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 592
A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 528
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 517
A shock absorber damaged … or showing signs of severe leakage
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 409
Flexible brake hose: excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 385
A suspension component: excessively damaged or corroded
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 334
Brake disc or drum: insecure, fractured or otherwise likely to fail
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 306
A spring: or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 284
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative: when rear registration plate has 2 or more lamps or light sources
MINOR
Occurrences: 192

Serious faults (Top 10)

Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
FAIL
Occurrences: 132
A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
FAIL
Occurrences: 128
A spring: or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
FAIL
Occurrences: 115
Beam image obviously incorrect
FAIL
Occurrences: 110
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
FAIL
Occurrences: 98
Stop lamp(s): all missing or inoperative
FAIL
Occurrences: 78
A shock absorber damaged … or showing signs of severe leakage
FAIL
Occurrences: 78
A tyre: with a lump, bulge or tear … or with cords exposed or damaged
FAIL
Occurrences: 76
Engine MIL inoperative or indicating a malfunction
FAIL
Occurrences: 68
Lamp: missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than a half not functioning
FAIL
Occurrences: 67