2021 Mercedes-Benz Citan 109 Pure — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 2,176 MOT tests, the 2021 Mercedes-Benz Citan 109 Pure recorded an 83.0% pass rate. Against all cars of a similar age (8.7% fail rate), the 2021 Citan 109 Pure comes out 8.4pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 16.6% of tests against 5.8% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are stop lamp, registration plate lamp(s) and brake pads — stop lamp alone was recorded 235 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2021 Citan 109 Pure fails 12.2% of the time in the 0-30k band and 12.8% at 150k+, a spread of only 0.6 points.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 24.5% 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 | 16.6% | 361 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.8% | 126 |
| 3 | Visibility | 4.5% | 99 |
| 4 | Brakes | 4.4% | 96 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 2.7% | 58 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.7% | 16 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stop lamp | 235 |
| 2 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 103 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 82 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 81 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 79 |
| 6 | Wipers | 73 |
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 | 24.5% | 534 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.4% | 378 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 10.2% | 221 |
| 4 | Visibility | 8.3% | 181 |
| 5 | Other defects | 6.3% | 136 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 3.6% | 78 |
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 | 345 | 12.2% |
| 30-60k | 947 | 17.1% |
| 60-90k | 570 | 20.5% |
| 90-120k | 212 | 16.0% |
| 120-150k | 55 | 18.2% |
| 150k+ | 47 | 12.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,087 | 17.8% |
| 2025 | 1,073 | 16.1% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Citan 109 Pure
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 16.6% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (16.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.8% 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.
- Visibility (4.5% 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 Mercedes-Benz Citan 109 Pures pass their MOT?
83.0% of the 2,176 2021 Mercedes-Benz Citan 109 Pure MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Mercedes-Benz Citan 109 Pure?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 16.6% of tests, followed by tyres (5.8%).
Does the 2021 Citan 109 Pure get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.2% in the 0-30k band to 12.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,176 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.