2018 Mercedes-Benz Citan — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 22,211 MOT tests, the 2018 Mercedes-Benz Citan recorded an 80.7% pass rate. Against vans of a similar age (16.2% fail rate), the 2018 Citan comes out 3.1pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 16.3% of tests against 6.5% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are stop lamp, tread depth and brake pads — stop lamp alone was recorded 1,999 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 10.3% in the 0-30k band and 20.9% in the 150k+ band, a 10.6-point spread — more than double.
The petrol cars hold up better: 6.9% fail against 19.8% for diesel, a 12.8-point gap across 22,211 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 24.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 15.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 22.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 16.3% | 3,609 |
| 2 | Visibility | 6.5% | 1,442 |
| 3 | Tyres | 6.4% | 1,423 |
| 4 | Brakes | 6.2% | 1,372 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.6% | 808 |
| 6 | Suspension | 2.0% | 449 |
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 | 1,999 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 1,160 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 1,020 |
| 4 | Wipers | 986 |
| 5 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 928 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 885 |
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 | 24.6% | 5,460 |
| 2 | Brakes | 22.5% | 4,999 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 10.4% | 2,304 |
| 4 | Visibility | 7.6% | 1,691 |
| 5 | Other defects | 5.3% | 1,174 |
| 6 | Suspension | 3.3% | 722 |
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 | 2,309 | 10.3% |
| 30-60k | 7,037 | 17.7% |
| 60-90k | 6,784 | 21.1% |
| 90-120k | 3,648 | 22.9% |
| 120-150k | 1,495 | 22.7% |
| 150k+ | 932 | 20.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 21,375 | 19.8% |
| Petrol | 836 | 6.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,287 | 15.5% |
| 2022 | 4,497 | 18.1% |
| 2023 | 4,535 | 19.8% |
| 2024 | 4,460 | 20.8% |
| 2025 | 4,432 | 22.2% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Citan
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 16.3% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (16.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (6.5% 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.
- Tyres (6.4% 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.
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 Mercedes-Benz Citans pass their MOT?
80.7% of the 22,211 2018 Mercedes-Benz Citan MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Mercedes-Benz Citan?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 16.3% of tests, followed by visibility (6.5%).
Does the 2018 Citan get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.3% in the 0-30k band to 20.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 22,211 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.