2018 Citroen Relay — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2018 Citroen Relay passed 84.8% of its 3,799 recorded MOT tests. That is 1.2 percentage points better than vans of a similar age, which fail at 16.5%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (7.9%) and brakes (5.9%) 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 rbt (sp) — headlamp aim alone was recorded 179 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.5% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 21.7% once past 150k — 2.5× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 12.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 10.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 18.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.9% | 301 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.9% | 226 |
| 3 | Visibility | 5.1% | 192 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 2.7% | 103 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.2% | 85 |
| 6 | Tyres | 2.2% | 83 |
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 | 179 |
| 2 | Wipers | 145 |
| 3 | Rbt (sp) | 113 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 106 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 79 |
| 6 | Washers | 65 |
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 | 12.8% | 487 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.6% | 439 |
| 3 | Visibility | 7.1% | 270 |
| 4 | Suspension | 5.9% | 223 |
| 5 | Other defects | 5.6% | 212 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 5.5% | 207 |
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 | 1,360 | 8.5% |
| 30-60k | 966 | 14.6% |
| 60-90k | 668 | 21.0% |
| 90-120k | 448 | 23.4% |
| 120-150k | 251 | 21.1% |
| 150k+ | 106 | 21.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 630 | 10.9% |
| 2022 | 695 | 14.2% |
| 2023 | 708 | 14.1% |
| 2024 | 867 | 16.2% |
| 2025 | 899 | 18.9% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Relay
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 7.9% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (7.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (5.9% 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 (5.1% 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 2018 Citroen Relays pass their MOT?
84.8% of the 3,799 2018 Citroen Relay MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Citroen Relay?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.9% of tests, followed by brakes (5.9%).
Does the 2018 Relay get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.5% in the 0-30k band to 21.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,799 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.