Citroen Synergie MOT pass rate & common failures
The Citroen Synergie appears in 1,405 MOT tests spanning model years 1995–2005, and 68.0% of them passed. That is 5.4 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 26.6%. Its most common failure areas are suspension, lighting & signalling and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (18.1%) and lighting & signalling (15.7%) 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, joints and position lamp — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 290 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 38.9% in the 0-30k band and 31.5% in the 150k+ band, a 7.4-point spread.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 42.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every Synergie model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 36 | 72.2% | 27.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1996 | 93 | 69.9% | 30.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1997 | 46 | 76.1% | 23.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 149 | 69.8% | 30.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 135 | 68.9% | 31.1% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2000 | 277 | 67.2% | 32.9% | Suspension |
| 2001 | 483 | 66.5% | 33.5% | Suspension |
| 2002 | 185 | 67.0% | 33.0% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 18.1% | 254 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 15.7% | 220 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 13.6% | 191 |
| 4 | Brakes | 9.3% | 130 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.9% | 69 |
| 6 | Steering | 4.8% | 67 |
| 7 | Tyres | 4.6% | 65 |
| 8 | Emissions & environmental | 4.3% | 60 |
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 | 290 |
| 2 | Joints | 89 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 78 |
| 4 | Ball joint | 69 |
| 5 | Exhaust system | 67 |
| 6 | Prescribed areas | 57 |
| 7 | Stop lamp | 57 |
| 8 | Integral vehicle structure condition | 56 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 42.1% | 591 |
| 2 | Brakes | 37.3% | 524 |
| 3 | Tyres | 30.4% | 427 |
| 4 | Other defects | 25.6% | 359 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 24.3% | 342 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 19.8% | 278 |
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 | 113 | 38.9% |
| 30-60k | 34 | 35.3% |
| 60-90k | 95 | 20.0% |
| 90-120k | 111 | 29.7% |
| 120-150k | 255 | 32.9% |
| 150k+ | 476 | 31.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 1,184 | 31.8% |
| Petrol | 221 | 33.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 441 | 30.4% |
| 2022 | 372 | 34.1% |
| 2023 | 260 | 31.9% |
| 2024 | 186 | 32.8% |
| 2025 | 146 | 30.8% |
What to check before buying a Citroen Synergie
- Suspension (18.1% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (15.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (13.6% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Citroen Synergie?
68.0% of the 1,405 Citroen Synergie MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 32.0% fail rate, across model years 1995–2005.
What does the Citroen Synergie most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 18.1% of tests, then lighting & signalling (15.7%).
How much does mileage affect Synergie MOT results?
Fail rates run at 38.9% for cars in the 0-30k band and 31.5% for 150k+, a 7.4-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,405 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.