2017 Citroen C4 Picasso — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 60,467 MOT tests, the 2017 Citroen C4 Picasso recorded an 82.5% pass rate. MPVs of a similar age fail 13.6% of the time, so this is 3.9pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (7.5%) and tyres (5.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, headlamp aim and linkage ball joints — brake pads alone was recorded 2,496 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 10.9% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 19.9% once past 150k.
The petrol cars hold up better: 14.8% fail against 17.9% for diesel, a 3.0-point gap across 60,467 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 28.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 12.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.5% | 4,564 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.8% | 3,495 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.3% | 3,229 |
| 4 | Brakes | 4.6% | 2,781 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.0% | 1,828 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.8% | 1,694 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 2,496 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 2,245 |
| 3 | Linkage ball joints | 1,837 |
| 4 | Joints | 1,662 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 1,623 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 1,565 |
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 | 28.4% | 17,186 |
| 2 | Brakes | 23.0% | 13,917 |
| 3 | Suspension | 12.8% | 7,743 |
| 4 | Other defects | 11.0% | 6,676 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 6.2% | 3,727 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.6% | 2,209 |
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 | 10,706 | 10.9% |
| 30-60k | 30,488 | 17.1% |
| 60-90k | 14,563 | 21.8% |
| 90-120k | 3,476 | 22.9% |
| 120-150k | 735 | 22.0% |
| 150k+ | 493 | 19.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 54,074 | 17.9% |
| Petrol | 6,393 | 14.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 11,514 | 12.8% |
| 2022 | 11,911 | 15.3% |
| 2023 | 12,151 | 17.8% |
| 2024 | 12,392 | 19.8% |
| 2025 | 12,499 | 21.6% |
What to check before buying a 2017 C4 Picasso
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 7.5% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (7.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.8% 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.
- Suspension (5.3% 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.
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 C4 Picassos pass their MOT?
82.5% of the 60,467 2017 Citroen C4 Picasso MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Citroen C4 Picasso?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.5% of tests, followed by tyres (5.8%).
Does the 2017 C4 Picasso get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.9% in the 0-30k band to 19.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 60,467 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.