2009 Mercedes-Benz E 2.1L Diesel · KN09 LPU

This E-Class is currently unroadworthy. It failed its MOT on 3 June 2026 at 198,513 miles, and the maintenance trend over the past two years is clearly deteriorating. The most recent failure is dominated by a corroded rear coil spring on both sides, which is a structural suspension defect rather than a simple consumable wear item. The tester also flagged an SRS warning lamp, indicating an active fault in the airbag or seatbelt pretensioner system. A deteriorated front number plate has appeared as a minor advisory across multiple consecutive tests and should have been replaced long ago. The mileage progression tells a story of increasing use after a quieter period. Between April 2023 at 177,259 miles and April 2024 at 193,907 miles, the car covered roughly 16,600 miles in a single year, a significant jump from the 14,000 miles added in the prior twelve months. By the June 2026 test, only 1,556 miles had been covered in the preceding thirteen months, suggesting the car may have been largely stationary since the last pass. Long periods of standing accelerate corrosion on suspension components, brake discs, and exhaust mounts, which aligns with the pattern seen here. Buyers should treat the rear suspension as the primary concern. A corroded coil spring is a serious structural risk; it can fracture without warning under load, causing sudden ride-height loss and unpredictable handling. The SRS lamp demands a full diagnostic scan to determine whether the fault lies in a seat occupancy sensor, clockspring, or airbag module. These are not simple bulb faults and can be expensive to trace. The front brake discs were noted as worn and pitted in April 2024, and with minimal mileage since then, surface corrosion from standing may have worsened that condition considerably. The April 2024 failure also exposed neglected tyre maintenance. Exposed cords on the nearside rear, a structural lump on the offside rear, and mismatched tyres on the same axle all point to a period of very poor upkeep. Although the car passed in May 2025, the underlying pattern suggests tyres were simply swapped rather than a sustained maintenance standard adopted. Any inspection should include a close look at the inner sidewalls, the condition of all exhaust hangers given the repeated corrosion advisory, and a thorough underbody check for advancing rust on subframes and mounting points.