2020 Mercedes-Benz Citan 111 Pure — MOT failures & pass rate
485 MOT tests on the 2020 Mercedes-Benz Citan 111 Pure are in this dataset, and 85.8% of them passed. That is 4.9 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 9.3%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 12.8% of tests against 5.1% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are stop lamp, registration plate lamp(s) and headlamp aim — stop lamp alone was recorded 31 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 10.5% in the 0-30k band and 19.0% in the 90-120k band, a 8.5-point spread.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 23.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 15.0% in 2023 to 12.3% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 12.8% | 62 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.1% | 25 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.3% | 21 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.7% | 18 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.1% | 15 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.8% | 4 |
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 | 31 |
| 2 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 27 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 20 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 20 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 17 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 15 |
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 | 23.3% | 113 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.8% | 96 |
| 3 | Visibility | 13.2% | 64 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 7.8% | 38 |
| 5 | Other defects | 4.3% | 21 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 3.1% | 15 |
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 | 86 | 10.5% |
| 30-60k | 195 | 14.4% |
| 60-90k | 115 | 11.3% |
| 90-120k | 58 | 19.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 167 | 15.0% |
| 2024 | 163 | 15.3% |
| 2025 | 154 | 12.3% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Citan 111 Pure
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 12.8% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (12.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.1% 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.
- Brakes (4.3% 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.
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 2020 Mercedes-Benz Citan 111 Pures pass their MOT?
85.8% of the 485 2020 Mercedes-Benz Citan 111 Pure MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Mercedes-Benz Citan 111 Pure?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 12.8% of tests, followed by tyres (5.1%).
Does the 2020 Citan 111 Pure get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.5% in the 0-30k band to 19.0% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 485 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.