Citroen C3 MOT failure rate and common faults
183,814 Citroen C3 cars aged 3 to 20 took their MOT in 2025, and 34.5% failed at the first attempt. An average car of the same age failed 29.0% of the time, which makes the Citroen C3 19% more likely to fail than the typical car on the road. Here is what fails, and which years to look for.
34.5%
failed first time
183,814 MOT tests in 2025
+19%
vs same age average
average car of this age mix: 29.0%
180 of 208
age adjusted rank
among cars; 1 fails least
102.3
dangerous defects per 1,000
same age average: 107.1
What fails on a Citroen C3 MOT
Failure items recorded per 1,000 tests, by part of the car, set against an average car with exactly the same spread of ages. A figure well above average is a weak spot worth checking before you buy.
The most common Citroen C3 MOT failures
The individual failure items testers recorded most often, per 1,000 tests.
| Failure item | Area | Per 1,000 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Position lamp: not working | Lights and electrics | 47.6 |
| Stop lamp: not working | Lights and electrics | 47.6 |
| Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | Body, chassis, exhaust and drive shafts | 42.4 |
| Coil spring: fractured or broken | Suspension | 37.7 |
| Ball joint excessively worn | Suspension | 32.7 |
| Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 30.7 |
| Headlamp: not working on dipped beam | Lights and electrics | 30.4 |
| Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play | Steering | 28.0 |
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | Lights and electrics | 25.6 |
| Individual direction indicators: incorrect colour | Lights and electrics | 23.0 |
Citroen C3 MOT failure rate by year
Every car fails more often as it ages, so each registration year is compared with the average for all cars of the same age. Years with fewer than 500 tests are left out.
| First registered | Tests | Failed | Same age average | Average mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 7,278 | 8.2% | 11.4% | 21,700 |
| 2021 | 8,287 | 10.8% | 12.8% | 29,000 |
| 2020 | 7,848 | 13.3% | 14.1% | 34,000 |
| 2019 | 13,557 | 18.8% | 16.5% | 40,200 |
| 2018 | 15,401 | 23.8% | 19.1% | 47,500 |
| 2017 | 15,610 | 28.4% | 21.8% | 53,100 |
| 2016 | 8,785 | 32.9% | 25.1% | 53,200 |
| 2015 | 12,034 | 34.7% | 28.1% | 60,500 |
| 2014 | 13,621 | 38.5% | 31.4% | 66,300 |
| 2013 | 13,095 | 41.7% | 34.3% | 74,900 |
| 2012 | 14,154 | 44.5% | 36.6% | 80,700 |
| 2011 | 14,317 | 46.5% | 38.8% | 88,400 |
| 2010 | 16,578 | 48.5% | 40.7% | 93,400 |
| 2009 | 8,189 | 50.0% | 41.8% | 90,300 |
| 2008 | 4,048 | 48.9% | 42.9% | 80,800 |
| 2007 | 4,263 | 48.8% | 42.7% | 81,200 |
| 2006 | 3,662 | 47.4% | 43.0% | 80,200 |
| 2005 | 3,087 | 49.5% | 42.4% | 82,200 |
Advisories to look for in a Citroen C3's MOT history
An advisory is a tester's warning that something is wearing but has not failed yet. These are the ones written most often on the Citroen C3, per 1,000 tests. If the car you are looking at has one of these, ask whether it has been fixed since.
- Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge267.8
- Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened198.1
- Tyres: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing183.6
- Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement117.8
- Exhaust system: mounting defective78.7
- Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive71.2
Checking a used Citroen C3 before you buy
Against cars of the same age, the Citroen C3 fails more often than average on lights and electrics, body, chassis, exhaust and drive shafts and engine, emissions and leaks. Start there.
Lights and electrics
Walk round the car with every light on: headlights on dip and main beam, indicators, brake lights, fog lights and the number plate lamp. A pattern of electrical faults costs more than a bulb.
Body, chassis, exhaust and drive shafts
Turn the steering to full lock and look behind each front wheel: the rubber boots on the drive shafts should be whole, with no grease sprayed around. Then get down with a torch and check the exhaust hangers, sills, floor and subframes for rust.
Engine, emissions and leaks
Start the car from cold and watch the exhaust for smoke, look underneath for oil or fuel leaks, and make sure the engine warning light comes on with the ignition and goes out once the engine runs.
Averages only take you so far. The specific car's MOT history shows whether it has already failed on any of these, how often advisories were ignored, and whether the mileage climbs steadily from test to test. Read our guide to reading a car's MOT history before you go to view it.
Fuel mix of the Citroen C3 cars tested: Petrol 66%, Diesel 34%. Average age at test 10.6 years, average recorded mileage 64,000.
Citroen C3 MOT questions
What is the Citroen C3 MOT failure rate?
34.5% of Citroen C3 cars failed their first MOT test of 2025, from 183,814 tests on vehicles aged 3 to 20. An average car with the same age mix failed 29.0% of the time, so the Citroen C3 was 19% more likely to fail.
What fails most often on a Citroen C3 MOT?
Lights and electrics caused the most failure items, at 276 per 1,000 tests. The single most common failure item was "Position lamp: not working", recorded 47.6 times per 1,000 tests.
Which Citroen C3 year has the best MOT record?
Measured against cars of the same age, 2022 registrations did best: 8.2% failed against an average of 11.4% for cars that age. Older cars always fail more often, so compare a year with its age group rather than with newer cars.
Does this tell me whether a particular Citroen C3 will pass?
No. These are averages across every Citroen C3 tested in 2025. The car in front of you has its own record: its full MOT history shows every pass, failure and advisory it has had, and it is free to view by registration.
Other Citroen models
- Citroen Berlingo40.6% failed
- Citroen C131.1% failed
- Citroen C439.6% failed
- Citroen DS348.2% failed
- Citroen Dispatch39.6% failed
- Citroen C3 Aircross15.4% failed
Ranked close to the Citroen C3
- Volkswagen Foxrank 177
- Ford Grand C-Maxrank 178
- Ford Ecosportrank 179
- Nissan Qashqairank 181
How these figures are calculated
Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 release. We count first tests of cars and small vans (class 4) aged 3 to 20, so a car that fails and is retested is counted once. A failure includes faults fixed and passed within the same visit. The same age average weights the national failure rate for each age by how many Citroen C3 cars of that age were tested, so a model is never penalised for having an older fleet. Make and model are as recorded at the test; trim levels are combined. Full method and rankings.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.