2021 Citroen Relay 35 L3H2 Eprise Bhdi — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 489 MOT tests, the 2021 Citroen Relay 35 L3H2 Eprise Bhdi recorded an 84.3% pass rate. All cars of a similar age fail 8.7% of the time, so this is 7.1pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (8.0%) and brakes (5.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, wipers and brake pads — headlamp aim alone was recorded 33 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 27.0% versus 10.0%.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 11.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.0% | 39 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.7% | 28 |
| 3 | Visibility | 4.9% | 24 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 2.9% | 14 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.5% | 12 |
| 6 | Tyres | 1.8% | 9 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 33 |
| 2 | Wipers | 17 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 13 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 12 |
| 5 | Washers | 11 |
| 6 | Side repeaters | 10 |
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 | 11.9% | 58 |
| 2 | Tyres | 10.4% | 51 |
| 3 | Suspension | 7.6% | 37 |
| 4 | Visibility | 5.7% | 28 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 4.7% | 23 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 4.1% | 20 |
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 | 211 | 10.0% |
| 30-60k | 134 | 19.4% |
| 60-90k | 97 | 17.5% |
| 90-120k | 37 | 27.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 231 | 13.0% |
| 2025 | 253 | 18.6% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Relay 35 L3H2 Eprise Bhdi
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 8.0% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (8.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- 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.
- Visibility (4.9% 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.
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 Relay 35 L3H2 Eprise Bhdis pass their MOT?
84.3% of the 489 2021 Citroen Relay 35 L3H2 Eprise Bhdi MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Citroen Relay 35 L3H2 Eprise Bhdi?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.0% of tests, followed by brakes (5.7%).
Does the 2021 Relay 35 L3H2 Eprise Bhdi get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.0% in the 0-30k band to 27.0% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 489 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.