Citroen Ax MOT pass rate & common failures
The Citroen Ax appears in 2,127 MOT tests spanning model years 1987–2019, and 74.0% of them passed. Against all cars of a similar age (23.6% fail rate), the Ax comes out 2.4pp worse. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 14.4% of all tests — 3.4 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, headlamp aim and component mounting prescribed areas — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 206 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 18.6% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 32.6% once past 150k.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 25.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 27.1% in 2021 to 24.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Ax model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 70 | 74.3% | 25.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1989 | 106 | 79.3% | 20.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1990 | 129 | 81.4% | 18.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1991 | 104 | 89.4% | 10.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1992 | 174 | 75.3% | 24.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1993 | 227 | 72.3% | 27.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1994 | 294 | 74.2% | 25.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1995 | 417 | 71.0% | 29.0% | Brakes |
| 1996 | 484 | 70.7% | 29.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1997 | 104 | 73.1% | 26.9% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 14.4% | 307 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.1% | 235 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 9.4% | 199 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.6% | 183 |
| 5 | Suspension | 8.1% | 172 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.1% | 108 |
| 7 | Tyres | 3.1% | 67 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 2.5% | 53 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 206 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 182 |
| 3 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 168 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 136 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 110 |
| 6 | Service brake imbalance | 105 |
| 7 | Position lamp | 97 |
| 8 | Rbt (sp) | 76 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 25.5% | 542 |
| 2 | Suspension | 23.8% | 506 |
| 3 | Tyres | 18.3% | 390 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 16.8% | 358 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 14.6% | 311 |
| 6 | Other defects | 10.1% | 215 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 129 | 18.6% |
| 30-60k | 662 | 23.4% |
| 60-90k | 709 | 28.3% |
| 90-120k | 404 | 26.5% |
| 120-150k | 127 | 28.3% |
| 150k+ | 92 | 32.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 1,866 | 25.9% |
| Diesel | 256 | 27.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 531 | 27.1% |
| 2022 | 498 | 26.1% |
| 2023 | 411 | 25.3% |
| 2024 | 351 | 26.8% |
| 2025 | 336 | 24.1% |
What to check before buying a Citroen Ax
- Lighting & signalling (14.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (11.1% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Emissions & environmental (9.4% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Citroen Ax?
74.0% of the 2,127 Citroen Ax MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 26.0% fail rate, across model years 1987–2019.
What does the Citroen Ax most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.4% of tests, then brakes (11.1%).
How much does mileage affect Ax MOT results?
Fail rates run at 18.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 32.6% for 150k+, a 14.0-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,127 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.