Citroen C15
From 2,770 MOT tests. Below average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements and vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced. The top issue, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, caused 431 failures in 2024. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired | 431 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 342 |
| vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced | 218 |
| lamp not securely attached | 156 |
| a direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 155 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 133 |
| a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 126 |
| service brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 124 |
| brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle. | 120 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 106 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 40.6% of C15 failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 6.3% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. Breakdown cover may be worth considering for this model. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £153.
Citroen C15 on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 142 scrapped or exported in the past year, a net loss of 142. At this rate, roughly 17.1 years until none remain. Now at 9.6% of its peak (25,531 in 1997 Q4).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 724 | 1,735 | +0 | -13 | -13 |
| 2025 Q2 | 756 | 1,716 | +0 | -14 | -14 |
| 2025 Q1 | 705 | 1,781 | +0 | -31 | -31 |
| 2024 Q4 | 708 | 1,809 | +0 | -84 | -84 |
| 2024 Q3 | 833 | 1,768 | +0 | -36 | -36 |
| 2024 Q2 | 869 | 1,768 | +0 | -0 | +10 |
| 2024 Q1 | 820 | 1,807 | +0 | -59 | -59 |
| 2023 Q4 | 859 | 1,827 | +0 | -9 | -9 |
3 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| C 15D | Diesel | 445 | 65% |
| C15 Champ 600 D | Diesel | 166 | 24% |
| C15D 765 | Diesel | 75 | 11% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 61.5% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2000 | 62.1% | vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 1999 | 72.7% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced |
| 1998 | 58.2% | vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
8 earlier years
| 1997 | 62.5% | vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 1996 | 58.8% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 1995 | 67.7% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 1994 | 59.5% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 1993 | 56.8% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 1992 | 64.3% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 1991 | 51.7% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 1990 | 57% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
Typical mileage
Half of all C15s tested had between 71,129 and 103,146 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 90,090 median miles, the C15 has 0.043 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Citroen models
| Citroen C3 | 71.4% |
| Citroen Berlingo | 67.9% |
| Citroen C4 | 68.9% |
| Citroen C1 | 74.9% |
| Citroen Ds3 | 66.5% |
Common questions
What is the Citroen C15 MOT pass rate?
The Citroen C15 has a 60.9% MOT pass rate based on 2,770 real MOT tests. This is below the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Citroen C15?
The most common MOT failure on the Citroen C15 is the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, which caused 431 failures. Other common issues include the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements.
How many Citroen C15s are on UK roads?
There are 724 Citroen C15s currently licensed on UK roads, with 1,735 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Citroen C15 at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Citroen C15 is 90,090 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 71,129 and 103,146 miles.
Buying a used C15?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 60.9% pass rate and an average repair bill of £153 when things go wrong, budget accordingly. 40.6% of failures on this model could actually strand you, so breakdown cover may be worth considering.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.