Citroen C3 MOT pass rate & common failures
The Citroen C3 appears in 1,262,865 MOT tests spanning model years 2001–2024, and 78.3% of them passed. Against superminis of a similar age (20.4% fail rate), the C3 comes out 1.3pp worse. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and body, structure & corrosion.
Best and worst C3 years
Ranked across C3 years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Build year matters more than the headline suggests: 2022 cars pass 94.3% of the time while 2003 cars manage 67.9%, a 26.3-point spread.
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.4% of tests against 8.4% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, stop lamp and headlamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 56,556 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.6% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 33.1% once past 150k — 3.9× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 19.7% fail against 25.0% for diesel, a 5.3-point gap across 1,262,851 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 27.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every C3 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 9,337 | 68.2% | 31.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 25,733 | 67.9% | 32.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 30,852 | 69.2% | 30.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 36,501 | 69.9% | 30.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 39,650 | 71.4% | 28.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 43,655 | 71.2% | 28.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 38,698 | 71.0% | 29.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 71,017 | 71.4% | 28.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 132,180 | 71.8% | 28.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 107,659 | 73.3% | 26.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 100,983 | 75.5% | 24.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 88,438 | 77.6% | 22.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 88,441 | 79.5% | 20.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 76,396 | 81.7% | 18.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 64,730 | 83.7% | 16.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2017 | 108,538 | 86.0% | 14.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2018 | 87,207 | 89.1% | 10.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2019 | 60,477 | 90.9% | 9.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2020 | 25,911 | 92.5% | 7.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 18,024 | 93.3% | 6.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2022 | 7,871 | 94.3% | 5.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2023 | 516 | 95.2% | 4.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2024 | 48 | 91.7% | 8.3% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.4% | 169,158 |
| 2 | Suspension | 8.4% | 105,909 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.0% | 75,339 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.3% | 67,004 |
| 5 | Brakes | 5.0% | 62,701 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.6% | 57,595 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 2.9% | 37,239 |
| 8 | Steering | 2.3% | 29,136 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 56,556 |
| 2 | Stop lamp | 50,763 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 46,106 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 42,516 |
| 5 | Joints | 42,453 |
| 6 | Coil spring | 40,491 |
| 7 | Tread depth | 38,269 |
| 8 | Ball joint | 35,416 |
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 | 27.5% | 347,549 |
| 2 | Brakes | 23.6% | 298,271 |
| 3 | Suspension | 16.6% | 210,038 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 12.0% | 151,322 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 11.3% | 142,055 |
| 6 | Other defects | 8.4% | 106,247 |
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 | 219,725 | 8.6% |
| 30-60k | 416,874 | 18.0% |
| 60-90k | 351,498 | 26.8% |
| 90-120k | 189,303 | 30.8% |
| 120-150k | 64,892 | 32.8% |
| 150k+ | 20,273 | 33.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 773,622 | 19.7% |
| Diesel | 489,229 | 25.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 254,965 | 21.5% |
| 2022 | 257,239 | 21.1% |
| 2023 | 255,807 | 21.8% |
| 2024 | 250,928 | 22.3% |
| 2025 | 243,926 | 22.0% |
What to check before buying a Citroen C3
- Lighting & signalling (13.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (8.4% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Body, structure & corrosion (6.0% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
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 C3?
78.3% of the 1,262,865 Citroen C3 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 21.7% fail rate, across model years 2001–2024.
What does the Citroen C3 most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.4% of tests, then suspension (8.4%).
Which C3 years are best and worst for MOT results?
2022 has the best pass rate at 94.3% and 2003 the weakest at 67.9%, from 7,871 and 25,733 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect C3 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 8.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 33.1% for 150k+, a 24.5-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel C3 more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 19.7% of the time against 25.0% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,262,865 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.