2018 Citroen Berlingo — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 86,405 MOT tests, the 2018 Citroen Berlingo recorded an 81.6% pass rate. Against vans of a similar age (16.1% fail rate), the 2018 Berlingo comes out 2.2pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 19.4% of all tests — 13.7 points clear of visibility, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, stop lamp and registration plate lamp(s) — position lamp alone was recorded 7,777 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 22.4% versus 11.7%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 7.3pp more often than petrol ones (18.7% vs 11.4%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 23.6% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 15.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 19.4% | 16,789 |
| 2 | Visibility | 5.7% | 4,915 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.9% | 4,232 |
| 4 | Brakes | 4.7% | 4,095 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.4% | 2,938 |
| 6 | Suspension | 2.6% | 2,248 |
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 | 7,777 |
| 2 | Stop lamp | 5,409 |
| 3 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 4,629 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 4,397 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 4,128 |
| 6 | Washers | 3,252 |
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 | 23.6% | 20,383 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.4% | 14,138 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 10.9% | 9,383 |
| 4 | Suspension | 6.4% | 5,564 |
| 5 | Other defects | 6.2% | 5,382 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.2% | 5,340 |
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 | 17,393 | 11.7% |
| 30-60k | 29,665 | 17.9% |
| 60-90k | 21,917 | 20.6% |
| 90-120k | 11,198 | 22.7% |
| 120-150k | 4,023 | 24.1% |
| 150k+ | 2,202 | 22.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 81,974 | 18.7% |
| Petrol | 4,029 | 11.4% |
| Electric | 402 | 18.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 17,653 | 15.8% |
| 2022 | 17,306 | 16.2% |
| 2023 | 17,479 | 18.5% |
| 2024 | 17,072 | 20.1% |
| 2025 | 16,895 | 21.4% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Berlingo
On a 2018 Berlingo, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 19.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (19.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (5.7% 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.
- Tyres (4.9% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
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 2018 Citroen Berlingos pass their MOT?
81.6% of the 86,405 2018 Citroen Berlingo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Citroen Berlingo?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 19.4% of tests, followed by visibility (5.7%).
Does the 2018 Berlingo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.7% in the 0-30k band to 22.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 86,405 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.