2018 Citroen Ë-C4 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 15,929 MOT tests, the 2018 Citroen Ë-C4 recorded an 86.5% pass rate. That is 3.0 percentage points worse than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 10.4%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (6.5%) and tyres (5.1%) 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 headlamp — brake pads alone was recorded 681 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.9% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 12.9% once past 150k.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 12.7% of the time against 13.8% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 26.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 9.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 17.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.5% | 1,037 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.1% | 807 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.4% | 705 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.7% | 434 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.8% | 286 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.5% | 239 |
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 | 681 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 575 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 379 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 359 |
| 5 | Washers | 341 |
| 6 | Joints | 224 |
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 | 26.5% | 4,218 |
| 2 | Brakes | 21.2% | 3,373 |
| 3 | Other defects | 10.7% | 1,708 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 3.5% | 566 |
| 5 | Suspension | 3.2% | 514 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.3% | 362 |
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 | 5,658 | 8.9% |
| 30-60k | 7,279 | 15.5% |
| 60-90k | 2,243 | 17.6% |
| 90-120k | 465 | 18.1% |
| 120-150k | 159 | 13.8% |
| 150k+ | 124 | 12.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 11,227 | 13.8% |
| Petrol | 4,702 | 12.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,108 | 9.6% |
| 2022 | 3,143 | 11.5% |
| 2023 | 3,214 | 13.6% |
| 2024 | 3,212 | 15.1% |
| 2025 | 3,252 | 17.4% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Ë-C4
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 6.5% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (6.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.1% 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 (4.4% 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 Ë-C4s pass their MOT?
86.5% of the 15,929 2018 Citroen Ë-C4 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Citroen Ë-C4?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.5% of tests, followed by tyres (5.1%).
Does the 2018 Ë-C4 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.9% in the 0-30k band to 12.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 15,929 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.