Citroen C5 common problems by mileage
What UK MOT testers flag on the Citroen C5 at each age and mileage, compared with all cars.
In 22,253 UK MOT tests of the Citroen C5 in 2023, the problem that most sets it apart from other cars is registration plate lamp(s) (inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps): recorded on 4.1% of tests of 2018–2020 cars at 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km), 41× the rate for all cars of that age and mileage. Other stand-out issues: joints (constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt) (6.9×); linkage ball joints (ball joint has slight play) (7.1×); pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) (3.6×). The most common reasons a Citroen C5 fails its MOT are joints (constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt); position lamp (not working); registration plate lamp(s) (inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps).
Last updated: · Source: DVSA anonymised MOT data 2023
What stands out on the Citroen C5
Parts that MOT testers flag clearly more often on the Citroen C5 than on all cars of the same age at the same mileage (at least 1.5× the rate and 3% of tests).
| Issue | Type | First used | Mileage | Share of tests | All cars this age | Ratio | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | MOT fail | 2018–2020 | 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) | 4.1% | 0.1% | 41× | 6,106 |
| Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | MOT fail | 2009–2011 | 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km) | 11% | 1.6% | 6.9× | 473 |
| Linkage ball joints: ball joint has slight play | Advisory | 2010–2012 | 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km) | 11% | 1.5% | 7.1× | 326 |
| Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn | MOT fail | 2010–2012 | 120k–140k mi (193k–225k km) | 8.6% | 2.4% | 3.6× | 372 |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened | Advisory | 2020–2022 | 0k–20k mi (0k–32k km) | 6.8% | 2.9% | 2.3× | 2,523 |
| Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge | Advisory | 2020–2022 | 0k–20k mi (0k–32k km) | 13% | 6.4% | 2.1× | 2,523 |
| Stop lamp: not working | MOT fail | 2009–2011 | 100k–120k mi (161k–193k km) | 8.1% | 3.6% | 2.3× | 976 |
| Brake pads: wearing thin | Advisory | 2019–2021 | 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) | 14% | 8.1% | 1.7× | 6,207 |
Citroen C5 by mileage (2019–2021 cars)
The most-tested first-use years. For each mileage band: how many MOT tests, the most common item, and the item that stands out most against other cars.
| Mileage | Tests | Most common | Stands out |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0k–20k mi (0k–32k km) | 4,327 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (11%) | Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (6.5%, 2.2×) |
| 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) | 6,207 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (17%) | Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4%, 40×) |
| 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 1,374 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (19%) | Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (6.2%, 16×) |
Citroen C5 by first-use year
| First used | Tests | Biggest stand-out issue |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 539 | Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt at 120k–140k mi (193k–225k km) (3.6×) |
| 2008 | 1,542 | Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt at 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km) (4.8×) |
| 2009 | 2,262 | Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt at 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km) (6×) |
| 2010 | 1,425 | Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt at 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km) (6.9×) |
| 2011 | 664 | Linkage ball joints: ball joint has slight play at 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km) (7.1×) |
| 2019 | 6,668 | Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps at 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) (41×) |
| 2020 | 5,308 | Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps at 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) (40×) |
| 2021 | 220 | Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) (12×) |
How these numbers are made
From the DVSA anonymised MOT data for 2023: every normal MOT test of a car in Great Britain, with its mileage and every advisory and failure item. For each first-use year (pooled with the years either side) and 20,000-mile band we count the share of tests where a part was recorded, and compare it with the same share for every car of that age at that mileage. A cell is shown only with 300 or more tests. Advisories are tester notes, not failures. Figures describe UK-market cars; engines and equipment can differ in other countries.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (DVSA anonymised MOT data, 2023).
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the Citroen C5?
In 22,253 UK MOT tests of the Citroen C5 in 2023, the problem that most sets it apart from other cars is registration plate lamp(s) (inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps): recorded on 4.1% of tests of 2018–2020 cars at 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km), 41× the rate for all cars of that age and mileage. Other stand-out issues: joints (constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt) (6.9×); linkage ball joints (ball joint has slight play) (7.1×); pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) (3.6×). The most common reasons a Citroen C5 fails its MOT are joints (constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt); position lamp (not working); registration plate lamp(s) (inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps).
Why do Citroen C5s fail the MOT?
Across 22,253 MOT tests in 2023, the most common failure items on the Citroen C5 were joints (constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt) (12% of tests); position lamp (not working) (9.1% of tests); registration plate lamp(s) (inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps) (4.5% of tests).
At what mileage do Citroen C5 problems start?
The clearest Citroen C5-specific issue, registration plate lamp(s) (inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps), peaks against other cars at 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) on 2018–2020 cars (4.1% of tests vs 0.1% for all cars that age).
Where does this Citroen C5 data come from?
From the UK government's anonymised MOT test data (DVSA, 2023, Open Government Licence v3.0): 22,253 tests of the Citroen C5. VinSnap shows the same numbers for your own car's age and mileage in the app.