MOT failures by make
Citroen MOT failures for “Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps”
Citroen cars failed their MOT on “Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps” in 2.75% of 2,048,777 tests in 2023–2024 (56,315 tests) — 2.4 times as often as comparable cars of the same age, mileage and fuel, which would have failed on it in about 1.14% of tests. It is the number 7 most common failure item on Citroens.
Data to 2024-12-30 · Page updated 2026-09-28 · Publisher: 73 Auto
- Citroen tests failing on it
- 2.75%
- 56,315 of 2,048,777 tests, 2023–2024
- Comparable cars
- 1.14%
- national rate at the same age, mileage and fuel
- Observed ÷ expected
- 2.41×
- 73 Auto analysis · rank #7 for Citroen
How unusual this is for the make
Across all MOT failures, Citroens fail 1.26× as often as comparable cars. On this item the gap is 1.91× wider than that overall level, so it is a genuine Citroen pattern rather than a reflection of how often the make fails in general. It is a major defect in the lights, reflectors and electrical part of the test. Nationally it appears on 1.10% of MOT tests.
Citroen models and “Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps”
The Citroen DS4 is most affected (4.97× comparable cars); the Citroen C3 Aircross least (0.10×). Not every model follows the make: the pattern is concentrated in some models. Model rows compare with cars of the same age and fuel.
| Model | Tests | Failed on it | vs similar cars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citroen DS4 | 20,814 | 7.58% | 4.97× |
| Citroen Berlingo | 377,776 | 4.52% | 3.60× |
| Citroen Dispatch | 95,578 | 4.27% | 3.52× |
| Citroen C5 | 42,756 | 2.87% | 2.95× |
| Citroen C4 | 364,993 | 3.14% | 2.78× |
| Citroen DS3 | 146,860 | 2.79% | 2.00× |
| Citroen C3 | 404,896 | 2.06% | 1.78× |
| Citroen Relay | 29,324 | 2.55% | 1.77× |
| Citroen Nemo | 29,417 | 2.79% | 1.73× |
| Citroen Xsara | 61,243 | 2.27% | 1.19× |
| Citroen C2 | 24,689 | 2.04% | 1.08× |
| Citroen C1 | 337,344 | 1.06% | 0.95× |
| Citroen C3 Aircross | 54,618 | 0.02% | 0.10× |
By age at test
The difference is largest at 5-6 years old: 2.32% of Citroen tests against 0.47% for comparable cars.
| Age (years) | Citroen tests | Citroen | Comparable cars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-4 | 217,683 | 1.55% | 0.32% |
| 5-6 | 259,007 | 2.32% | 0.47% |
| 7-8 | 335,063 | 2.99% | 0.78% |
| 9-10 | 340,419 | 3.42% | 1.24% |
| 11-12 | 273,138 | 3.21% | 1.61% |
| 13-15 | 303,329 | 3.36% | 1.86% |
| 16+ | 252,282 | 2.30% | 1.75% |
Other Citroen MOT faults that stand out
- Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt · 3.08× comparable cars
- Stop lamp: not working · 1.95× comparable cars
- Position lamp: not working · 1.74× comparable cars
- Headlamp: not working on dipped beam · 1.89× comparable cars
- Washers: not working · 1.82× comparable cars
- Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play · 1.59× comparable cars
Limitations
Official data: DVSA's anonymised MOT results (2023–2024), class 4 initial tests, cars at least 2.5 years old. 73 Auto analysis: the comparison rate applies the national rate of this item for each test's own age, mileage band and fuel to the Citroen tests. An MOT result reflects maintenance, mileage and how a car is used as well as its design, so this is not a measure of which make is most reliable. The wording of the defect is DVSA's.
Has this Citroen failed on it before?
Enter a registration to see that car’s own MOT history, advisories and the running costs 73 Auto expects. 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.