Citroen Unknown
From 2,210 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Unknowns fare better: 2021 models pass at 86.4% vs 82.7% for 2019.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement and the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements. The top issue, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, caused 47 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 47 |
| parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 37 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 28 |
| a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 25 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 24 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 22 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 21 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 20 |
| stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 18 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 17 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 47.9% of failures are serious: 38.2% are safety issues (brakes, steering, tyre damage) and 9.7% could actually leave you stranded. That's close to the 44.4% average across all models. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £92.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 86.4% | wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2020 | 80.2% | wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2019 | 82.7% | wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2018 | 75.9% | a tyre seriously damaged, significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake |
3 earlier years
| 2017 | 81.3% | an srs malfunction indicator lamp (mil) indicates a system malfunction, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2016 | 79% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 2014 | 72.5% | a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
Typical mileage
Half of all Unknowns tested had between 11,187 and 43,204 miles on the clock. Relatively low mileage overall. Many are still fairly young.
At 18,857 median miles, the Unknown has 0.103 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 Unknown MOT pass rate?
The Citroen Unknown has a 80.6% MOT pass rate based on 2,210 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Citroen Unknown?
The most common MOT failure on the Citroen Unknown is wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, which caused 47 failures. Other common issues include parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement.
What is the typical mileage of a Citroen Unknown at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Citroen Unknown is 18,857 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 11,187 and 43,204 miles.
Buying a used Unknown?
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 80.6% pass rate and an average repair bill of £92 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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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.