2021 Citroen E-C4 Shine + — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2021 Citroen E-C4 Shine + passed 86.0% of its 2,561 recorded MOT tests. That is 5.3 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 8.6%. Failures cluster in visibility, suspension and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (6.8%) and suspension (6.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, linkage ball joint dust cover and washers — wipers alone was recorded 152 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 11.3% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 23.2% once past 60-90k — 2.0× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 25.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 10.3% of tests failed in 2023 against 15.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 6.8% | 175 |
| 2 | Suspension | 6.1% | 156 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.8% | 122 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.8% | 45 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 1.1% | 29 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.2% | 4 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 152 |
| 2 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 94 |
| 3 | Washers | 65 |
| 4 | Ball joint | 58 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 37 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 31 |
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 | 25.6% | 655 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.6% | 297 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.5% | 217 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.7% | 146 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.8% | 71 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.3% | 8 |
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 | 1,609 | 11.3% |
| 30-60k | 849 | 18.0% |
| 60-90k | 95 | 23.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 39 | 10.3% |
| 2024 | 1,219 | 12.1% |
| 2025 | 1,290 | 15.9% |
What to check before buying a 2021 E-C4 Shine +
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: visibility accounted for 6.8% of tests. Start there.
- Visibility (6.8% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Suspension (6.1% 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 (4.8% 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 2021 Citroen E-C4 Shine +s pass their MOT?
86.0% of the 2,561 2021 Citroen E-C4 Shine + MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Citroen E-C4 Shine +?
Visibility, recorded in 6.8% of tests, followed by suspension (6.1%).
Does the 2021 E-C4 Shine + get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.3% in the 0-30k band to 23.2% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,561 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.