2006 Citroen Dispatch — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2006 Citroen Dispatch passed 67.7% of its 8,740 recorded MOT tests. That is 2.8 percentage points worse than vans of a similar age, which fail at 29.5%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (18.5%) and lighting & signalling (17.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, position lamp and ball joint — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 1,267 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2006 Dispatch fails 35.2% of the time in the 0-30k band and 32.5% at 150k+, a spread of only 2.7 points.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 31.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 18.5% | 1,613 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 17.9% | 1,567 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 14.8% | 1,296 |
| 4 | Brakes | 11.5% | 1,006 |
| 5 | Visibility | 7.0% | 612 |
| 6 | Tyres | 6.0% | 524 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 1,267 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 640 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 590 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 585 |
| 5 | Joints | 553 |
| 6 | Exhaust system | 506 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 31.8% | 2,778 |
| 2 | Suspension | 30.5% | 2,665 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 29.5% | 2,581 |
| 4 | Tyres | 29.2% | 2,554 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 24.4% | 2,131 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 17.9% | 1,562 |
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 | 674 | 35.2% |
| 30-60k | 288 | 24.0% |
| 60-90k | 925 | 27.0% |
| 90-120k | 1,626 | 30.6% |
| 120-150k | 1,698 | 32.8% |
| 150k+ | 2,078 | 32.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,596 | 32.3% |
| 2022 | 2,146 | 32.3% |
| 2023 | 1,703 | 31.3% |
| 2024 | 1,291 | 32.5% |
| 2025 | 1,004 | 33.6% |
What to check before buying a 2006 Dispatch
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 18.5% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (18.5% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (17.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (14.8% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
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 2006 Citroen Dispatchs pass their MOT?
67.7% of the 8,740 2006 Citroen Dispatch MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 32.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2006 Citroen Dispatch?
Suspension, recorded in 18.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (17.9%).
Does the 2006 Dispatch get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 35.2% in the 0-30k band to 32.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 8,740 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.