2018 Citroen C4 Picasso — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2018 Citroen C4 Picasso passed 85.7% of its 25,446 recorded MOT tests. That is 2.1 percentage points worse than MPVs of a similar age, which fail at 12.2%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (7.1%) and tyres (5.6%) 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 tread depth — brake pads alone was recorded 1,092 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 21.9% versus 8.4%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 1.9pp more often than petrol ones (14.7% vs 12.8%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 27.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 9.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 18.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.1% | 1,799 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.6% | 1,435 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.6% | 1,171 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.8% | 723 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.1% | 541 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.7% | 435 |
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 | 1,092 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 1,008 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 658 |
| 4 | Washers | 637 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 629 |
| 6 | Joints | 349 |
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 | 27.9% | 7,101 |
| 2 | Brakes | 22.6% | 5,759 |
| 3 | Other defects | 11.1% | 2,813 |
| 4 | Suspension | 5.7% | 1,446 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 3.8% | 962 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.2% | 551 |
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 | 7,327 | 8.4% |
| 30-60k | 12,481 | 15.4% |
| 60-90k | 4,353 | 19.6% |
| 90-120k | 906 | 20.6% |
| 120-150k | 273 | 20.9% |
| 150k+ | 105 | 21.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 20,926 | 14.7% |
| Petrol | 4,520 | 12.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,951 | 9.5% |
| 2022 | 5,042 | 12.3% |
| 2023 | 5,089 | 14.4% |
| 2024 | 5,147 | 16.8% |
| 2025 | 5,217 | 18.5% |
What to check before buying a 2018 C4 Picasso
On a 2018 C4 Picasso, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 7.1% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (7.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.6% 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.
- Brakes (4.6% 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 2018 Citroen C4 Picassos pass their MOT?
85.7% of the 25,446 2018 Citroen C4 Picasso MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Citroen C4 Picasso?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.1% of tests, followed by tyres (5.6%).
Does the 2018 C4 Picasso get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.4% in the 0-30k band to 21.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 25,446 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.