2019 Mercedes-Benz Citan — MOT failures & pass rate
8,760 MOT tests on the 2019 Mercedes-Benz Citan are in this dataset, and 82.8% of them passed. Against vans of a similar age (15.3% fail rate), the 2019 Citan comes out 1.9pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 15.2% of all tests — 8.9 points clear of tyres, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are stop lamp, tread depth and brake pads — stop lamp alone was recorded 703 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 17.1% versus 10.3%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 24.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 12.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 18.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 15.2% | 1,329 |
| 2 | Tyres | 6.2% | 545 |
| 3 | Visibility | 5.8% | 512 |
| 4 | Brakes | 5.7% | 497 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.5% | 223 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.1% | 100 |
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 | 703 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 441 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 403 |
| 4 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 401 |
| 5 | Wipers | 346 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 317 |
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% | 2,145 |
| 2 | Brakes | 22.4% | 1,958 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 11.2% | 978 |
| 4 | Visibility | 8.7% | 763 |
| 5 | Other defects | 5.4% | 472 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 3.5% | 308 |
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 | 937 | 10.3% |
| 30-60k | 2,928 | 17.2% |
| 60-90k | 2,545 | 18.2% |
| 90-120k | 1,349 | 19.6% |
| 120-150k | 541 | 18.3% |
| 150k+ | 457 | 17.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 8,578 | 17.2% |
| Petrol | 182 | 15.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 39 | 12.8% |
| 2022 | 2,156 | 14.4% |
| 2023 | 2,204 | 16.8% |
| 2024 | 2,210 | 18.7% |
| 2025 | 2,151 | 18.8% |
What to check before buying a 2019 Citan
On a 2019 Citan, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 15.2% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (15.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (6.2% 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 (5.8% 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 2019 Mercedes-Benz Citans pass their MOT?
82.8% of the 8,760 2019 Mercedes-Benz Citan MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 Mercedes-Benz Citan?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 15.2% of tests, followed by tyres (6.2%).
Does the 2019 Citan get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.3% in the 0-30k band to 17.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 8,760 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.