1999 Citroen Xsara — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1999 Citroen Xsara passed 67.7% of its 674 recorded MOT tests. Small family cars of a similar age fail 27.4% of the time, so this is 4.9pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in emissions & environmental, brakes and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — emissions & environmental (12.8%) and brakes (11.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, exhaust system and wipers — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 119 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 35.6% versus 21.1%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 28.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 33.5% in 2021 to 30.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emissions & environmental | 12.8% | 86 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.7% | 79 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.0% | 74 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 10.1% | 68 |
| 5 | Suspension | 9.3% | 63 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 7.3% | 49 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 119 |
| 2 | Exhaust system | 38 |
| 3 | Wipers | 36 |
| 4 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 34 |
| 5 | Steering rack | 28 |
| 6 | Prescribed areas | 27 |
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 | 28.5% | 192 |
| 2 | Suspension | 25.4% | 171 |
| 3 | Tyres | 25.2% | 170 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 21.2% | 143 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 20.9% | 141 |
| 6 | Other defects | 15.0% | 101 |
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 | 38 | 21.1% |
| 30-60k | 142 | 33.1% |
| 60-90k | 207 | 32.4% |
| 90-120k | 125 | 31.2% |
| 120-150k | 87 | 34.5% |
| 150k+ | 73 | 35.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 459 | 32.2% |
| Diesel | 215 | 32.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 215 | 33.5% |
| 2022 | 163 | 31.3% |
| 2023 | 130 | 34.6% |
| 2024 | 93 | 30.1% |
| 2025 | 73 | 30.1% |
What to check before buying a 1999 Xsara
On a 1999 Xsara, emissions & environmental is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 12.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Emissions & environmental (12.8% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Brakes (11.7% 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.
- Body, structure & corrosion (11.0% 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 1999 Citroen Xsaras pass their MOT?
67.7% of the 674 1999 Citroen Xsara MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 32.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1999 Citroen Xsara?
Emissions & environmental, recorded in 12.8% of tests, followed by brakes (11.7%).
Does the 1999 Xsara get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 21.1% in the 0-30k band to 35.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 674 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.