MOT failures by make

Citroen MOT faults: which failures are more common than on similar cars

Across 2,048,777 MOT tests of Citroen cars in 2023–2024, 7 of the make's most common failure items stand out against cars of the same age, mileage and fuel, led by “Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt” at 3.08× the comparable rate. Overall Citroens passed 63.0% of tests and failed 1.26× as often as comparable cars.

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Data to 2024-12-30 · Page updated 2026-09-28 · Publisher: 73 Auto

Citroen MOT tests: 2,048,777; 1,070,117 cars, 2023–2024
Initial pass rate: 63.0%; DVSA results, retests excluded
Faults that stand out: 7; passed the make × item gate

Failures more common on Citroens than on similar cars

Each links to the model-by-model and age breakdown for Citroen.

Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt · 3.08× · 4.61% of tests
Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps · 2.41× · 2.75% of tests
Stop lamp: not working · 1.95× · 3.96% of tests
Headlamp: not working on dipped beam · 1.89× · 2.87% of tests
Washers: not working · 1.82× · 1.55% of tests
Position lamp: not working · 1.74× · 4.61% of tests
Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play · 1.59× · 1.86% of tests

Citroen’s most common MOT failure items

Ranked by how many Citroen tests failed on each item. The last column compares with cars of the same age, mileage and fuel (1.00 = the same rate).

Citroen: most common MOT failure items with observed ÷ expected
Defect item	Rank	Tests failing	Share	vs similar cars
Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt	#1	94,517	4.61%	3.08×
Position lamp: not working	#2	94,364	4.61%	1.74×
Stop lamp: not working	#3	81,079	3.96%	1.95×
Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm	#4	65,753	3.21%	1.30×
Coil spring: fractured or broken	#5	64,051	3.13%	1.21×
Headlamp: not working on dipped beam	#6	58,867	2.87%	1.89×
Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps	#7	56,315	2.75%	2.41×
Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively	#8	51,883	2.53%	1.22×
Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick	#9	44,814	2.19%	1.11×
Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect	#10	40,846	1.99%	1.54×
Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid	#11	39,721	1.94%	1.31×
Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn	#12	39,054	1.91%	1.27×
Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play	#13	38,190	1.86%	1.59×
Headlamp aim: too low	#14	32,107	1.57%	1.30×
Washers: not working	#15	31,684	1.55%	1.82×

Only the 150 most common national MOT failure items are compared; a rank counts every failure item recorded on the make.

How to use this

The list shows what a Citroen is more likely than other cars to fail on, which is where to look on a pre-MOT check or a used-car inspection. The model pages break the same data down further — see Citroen MOT pass rates by model.

Limitations

Official data: DVSA anonymised MOT results (2023–2024). 73 Auto analysis: expected failures apply the national rate of each item for the test's age, mileage band and fuel. MOT results reflect maintenance and use as well as design; they do not rank makes by reliability.

Check a Citroen’s MOT history before you buy

Enter a registration to see which of these faults that particular car has failed or been advised on, and what it costs to run. Your first check is free and shows the vehicle summary and its headline ownership cost. The category-by-category breakdown is part of a paid check.

UK number plate or 17-character VIN

Where these figures come from

Anonymised MOT tests and results (2023 and 2024) — Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). Open Government Licence v3.0.

Figures labelled as 73 Auto estimates are our own analysis of these sources, set out in the methodology and data sources. To report a factual error, see corrections.