2007 Mercedes-Benz B-Class 2.0L Diesel · LM57 FTZ

Rear braking hardware is the recurring theme in this B-Class's test history, and it defines the mechanical picture a buyer should focus on. In August 2020 the car failed with a dangerous defect: rear brake pads worn below 1.5 mm thickness, alongside rear discs recorded as significantly worn, pitted and corroded. A same-day retest passed, indicating the work was rectified promptly, yet the rear discs resurfaced as an advisory in February 2023, noted as worn but not excessively on both sides, and that same test initially failed on an inoperative offside rear stop lamp before passing. Earlier, in 2019, both rear discs were already flagged as worn, pitted or scored, and both front road wheels were noted as slightly distorted. The 2018 test brought a failure for bulges in both rear tyres caused by structural separation, plus an insufficient windscreen washer supply, with a cut in the nearside rear tyre also recorded. The overall trend is one of recurring rear brake and tyre-related attention rather than a clean sheet, though the most recent recorded pass in February 2023 came with only the single disc advisory. At 121,833 miles over roughly 19 years, the car has averaged about 6,400 miles annually, which is typical for its age and suggests regular use rather than prolonged storage. The test record shows annual testing through 2018 to 2020, then a gap of around seventeen months between August 2020 and January 2022, and a further thirteen-month interval to February 2023. These longer intervals coincide with the period when the rear brake condition deteriorated to a dangerous failure, which is consistent with low annual mileage allowing corrosion and pitting to develop on disc surfaces between uses. With no test recorded since February 2023, a buyer should establish whether a current certificate exists and what mileage has accrued in the intervening period, as the record available here ends over three years ago. On a test drive, the priority is the rear braking system given its documented history. Listen for grinding or scraping from the rear under braking, feel for judder or pulsing through the pedal indicating uneven or corroded disc surfaces, and check that the car stops straight without pulling to one side, which could suggest a sticking rear caliper. With the engine off, visually inspect the rear discs through the wheel spokes for heavy rust ridges, deep scoring or pronounced lips at the disc edge, and ask for invoices showing whether the discs and pads flagged in 2020 and 2023 were replaced with quality components. Confirm all rear lamps, including both stop lamps, illuminate correctly given the 2023 failure. The tyre and wheel history also warrants attention. Both rear tyres suffered structural bulges in 2018, and both front wheels were noted as slightly distorted in 2019, so check the current tyres for matching brands across each axle, even tread wear, and no sidewall bulges or repairs, and inspect the wheel rims for buckling or kerb damage. On the road, any vibration through the steering wheel at motorway speeds or a rhythmic thump at lower speeds could point to a distorted wheel or degraded tyre. Finally, verify the windscreen washers deliver a strong spray to the screen, check the nearside mirror and indicator lens damage noted in earlier years has been rectified, and treat any asking price as needing to reflect the outstanding rear disc advisory and the absence of a recent test.