Citroen C5 MOT pass rate & common failures
The Citroen C5 appears in 126,395 MOT tests spanning model years 2001–2025, and 81.1% of them passed. Large family cars of a similar age fail at 18.2%, so the C5 sits squarely on the average. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
Best and worst C5 years
Ranked across C5 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 92.5% of the time while 2005 cars manage 70.5%, a 22.0-point spread.
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.1% of tests against 6.2% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are joints, position lamp and headlamp aim — joints alone was recorded 6,084 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 30.1% versus 7.6%.
The hybrid cars hold up better: 9.3% fail against 22.5% for diesel, a 13.1-point gap across 87,513 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 26.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 26.9% in 2021 to 15.2% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every C5 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 845 | 70.3% | 29.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 2,294 | 70.6% | 29.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 2,998 | 71.8% | 28.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 3,351 | 70.8% | 29.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 2,817 | 70.5% | 29.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 3,843 | 72.1% | 27.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 3,621 | 70.8% | 29.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 9,977 | 71.6% | 28.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 14,633 | 71.1% | 28.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 9,012 | 73.1% | 26.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 4,090 | 76.1% | 23.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 2,432 | 78.5% | 21.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 2,253 | 79.1% | 20.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 1,419 | 82.0% | 18.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 1,120 | 84.3% | 15.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 596 | 85.9% | 14.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2018 | 133 | 89.5% | 10.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2019 | 29,720 | 89.2% | 10.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2020 | 17,616 | 89.6% | 10.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 8,643 | 91.3% | 8.7% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 4,447 | 92.5% | 7.5% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 505 | 93.5% | 6.5% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 11.1% | 13,969 |
| 2 | Suspension | 6.2% | 7,821 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.7% | 7,245 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.5% | 6,926 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.8% | 6,033 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.3% | 4,105 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 2.5% | 3,130 |
| 8 | Steering | 2.0% | 2,476 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joints | 6,084 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 4,949 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 4,869 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 4,027 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 3,702 |
| 6 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 3,691 |
| 7 | Stop lamp | 3,288 |
| 8 | Brake pads | 3,136 |
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 | 26.6% | 33,598 |
| 2 | Brakes | 23.1% | 29,138 |
| 3 | Suspension | 14.6% | 18,443 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 9.9% | 12,500 |
| 5 | Other defects | 9.0% | 11,380 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 8.1% | 10,202 |
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 | 32,350 | 7.6% |
| 30-60k | 31,150 | 13.5% |
| 60-90k | 16,745 | 22.3% |
| 90-120k | 19,374 | 27.8% |
| 120-150k | 15,178 | 30.1% |
| 150k+ | 11,573 | 30.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 83,806 | 22.5% |
| Petrol | 38,882 | 12.1% |
| Hybrid | 3,707 | 9.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 18,663 | 26.9% |
| 2022 | 23,161 | 21.3% |
| 2023 | 26,218 | 17.8% |
| 2024 | 27,846 | 16.6% |
| 2025 | 30,507 | 15.2% |
What to check before buying a Citroen C5
- Lighting & signalling (11.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (6.2% 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.
- Brakes (5.7% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Citroen C5?
81.1% of the 126,395 Citroen C5 MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 18.9% fail rate, across model years 2001–2025.
What does the Citroen C5 most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.1% of tests, then suspension (6.2%).
Which C5 years are best and worst for MOT results?
2022 has the best pass rate at 92.5% and 2005 the weakest at 70.5%, from 4,447 and 2,817 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect C5 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 7.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 30.1% for 150k+, a 22.5-point difference.
Is the hybrid or diesel C5 more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the hybrid fails 9.3% of the time against 22.5% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 126,395 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.