2014 Citroen Ë-C4 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2014 Citroen Ë-C4 passed 76.0% of its 135,519 recorded MOT tests. That is 6.5 percentage points worse than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 17.5%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (10.9%) and suspension (9.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are joints, linkage ball joint dust cover and headlamp aim — joints alone was recorded 7,720 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 27.9% versus 12.7%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 20.9% fail against 24.2% for diesel, a 3.3-point gap across 135,512 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 30.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 19.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 27.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.9% | 14,737 |
| 2 | Suspension | 9.3% | 12,588 |
| 3 | Tyres | 6.7% | 9,114 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.7% | 7,698 |
| 5 | Brakes | 5.5% | 7,410 |
| 6 | Steering | 3.9% | 5,293 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joints | 7,720 |
| 2 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 6,033 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 5,827 |
| 4 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 5,689 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 5,605 |
| 6 | Track rod end | 5,570 |
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 | 30.0% | 40,707 |
| 2 | Brakes | 25.1% | 34,055 |
| 3 | Suspension | 15.5% | 20,976 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 10.7% | 14,535 |
| 5 | Other defects | 10.7% | 14,435 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.3% | 5,793 |
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 | 3,958 | 12.7% |
| 30-60k | 35,277 | 19.1% |
| 60-90k | 55,116 | 24.9% |
| 90-120k | 29,278 | 28.0% |
| 120-150k | 8,551 | 27.8% |
| 150k+ | 3,158 | 27.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 128,110 | 24.2% |
| Petrol | 7,402 | 20.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 26,659 | 19.1% |
| 2022 | 27,132 | 22.1% |
| 2023 | 27,660 | 24.6% |
| 2024 | 27,513 | 26.7% |
| 2025 | 26,555 | 27.4% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Ë-C4
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 10.9% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (10.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (9.3% 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.
- Tyres (6.7% 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 2014 Citroen Ë-C4s pass their MOT?
76.0% of the 135,519 2014 Citroen Ë-C4 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 24.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Citroen Ë-C4?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.9% of tests, followed by suspension (9.3%).
Does the 2014 Ë-C4 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.7% in the 0-30k band to 27.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 135,519 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.