Diesel Citroen C5: MOT pass rate

74.7% of diesel Citroen C5s pass the MOT first time, measured across 12,627 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 86,757.

Diesel against the other Citroen C5 versions

Why the fuel type changes the number

Diesels carry DPFs, EGR valves and stricter smoke limits, so emissions and exhaust faults account for failures petrol cars never see.

On the Citroen C5 specifically, petrol is the strongest at 86.4%, and this diesel version sits 4.5 points below the 79.2% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

The diesel Citroen C5 fails more often than the model average, so budget for the items that catch this fuel type and treat a fresh MOT as worth paying for. Buying a damaged one? run it through the analyzer, check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.

Mileage is part of the answer

The average diesel Citroen C5 had covered 86,757 miles at test, against 36,504 for the petrol. That is above average, the point where suspension bushes, drop links and exhaust corrosion start showing up as advisories before they become failures.

Fuel type and mileage are tangled together: diesels are usually bought by higher-mileage drivers, so some of any gap between fuels is the miles rather than the engine. The per-year figures on the Citroen C5 page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a diesel Citroen C5

1. An obvious leak from any part of the system, 1.3% of tests (291.23x the national rate for this defect)
2. Smoke opacity levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limit, 1.4% of tests (5.12x the national rate for this defect)
3. A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 7% of tests (4.55x the national rate for this defect)
4. A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps, 2% of tests (2.22x the national rate for this defect)
5. Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 2.6% of tests (1.88x the national rate for this defect)
6. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 3.8% of tests (1.7x the national rate for this defect)
7. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 8.3% of tests (1.64x the national rate for this defect)
8. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 2.4% of tests (1.45x the national rate for this defect)
9. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 2.4% of tests (1.44x the national rate for this defect)
10. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 2.9% of tests (1.37x the national rate for this defect)

From 12,732 DVSA-tracked diesel Citroen C5 tests, 2024, split out from the Citroen C5's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 5.13% of these flagged defects as "dangerous", against 5.11% nationally. See which fuel type fails on the most dangerous defects nationally for how that compares across the whole fleet.

Most common MOT advisories on a diesel Citroen C5

Flagged but doesn't fail the car, a different list from the failures above.

1. Power steering fluid leaking or system malfunctioning, 1.6% of tests (6.63x the national rate for this defect)
2. Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 1.4% of tests (3.84x the national rate for this defect), also fails
3. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 9.5% of tests (1.71x the national rate for this defect)
4. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 19.1% of tests (1.56x the national rate for this defect)
5. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 13.6% of tests (1.45x the national rate for this defect), also fails
6. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 19.3% of tests (1.44x the national rate for this defect), also fails
7. A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded, 1.8% of tests (1.39x the national rate for this defect)
8. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 2.5% of tests (1.27x the national rate for this defect)
9. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 32.8% of tests (1.23x the national rate for this defect)
10. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 3.7% of tests (1.17x the national rate for this defect)

From 12,732 DVSA-tracked diesel Citroen C5 tests, 2024.

Other Citroen C5 fuel types

• Petrol Citroen C5 - 86.4%

All Citroen C5 MOT data · Every model