2017 Citroen Berlingo — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 86,191 MOT tests, the 2017 Citroen Berlingo recorded an 80.4% pass rate. Vans of a similar age fail 17.8% of the time, so this is 1.8pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 20.4% of tests against 5.2% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, stop lamp and registration plate lamp(s) — position lamp alone was recorded 9,345 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 11.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 23.8% once past 150k — 2.0× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 14.2% fail against 19.8% for diesel, a 5.6-point gap across 86,043 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 24.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 16.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 22.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 20.4% | 17,591 |
| 2 | Visibility | 5.2% | 4,512 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.9% | 4,244 |
| 4 | Tyres | 4.9% | 4,242 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.4% | 3,816 |
| 6 | Suspension | 3.7% | 3,212 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 9,345 |
| 2 | Stop lamp | 6,180 |
| 3 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 4,903 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 3,926 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 3,500 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 3,423 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 24.7% | 21,268 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.3% | 14,867 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 11.6% | 9,989 |
| 4 | Suspension | 8.1% | 6,951 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.9% | 6,786 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 6.6% | 5,677 |
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 | 11,303 | 11.8% |
| 30-60k | 25,924 | 17.8% |
| 60-90k | 24,643 | 21.4% |
| 90-120k | 15,123 | 22.9% |
| 120-150k | 6,048 | 23.7% |
| 150k+ | 3,140 | 23.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 83,645 | 19.8% |
| Petrol | 2,398 | 14.2% |
| Electric | 148 | 11.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 17,222 | 16.2% |
| 2022 | 17,192 | 17.4% |
| 2023 | 17,326 | 20.1% |
| 2024 | 17,325 | 21.5% |
| 2025 | 17,126 | 22.8% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Berlingo
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 20.4% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (20.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (5.2% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Brakes (4.9% 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.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2017 Citroen Berlingos pass their MOT?
80.4% of the 86,191 2017 Citroen Berlingo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Citroen Berlingo?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 20.4% of tests, followed by visibility (5.2%).
Does the 2017 Berlingo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.8% in the 0-30k band to 23.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 86,191 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.