Diesel Citroen Ds3: MOT pass rate

58.2% of diesel Citroen Ds3s pass the MOT first time, measured across 35,972 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 91,946.

Diesel against the other Citroen Ds3 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 Ds3 specifically, petrol is the strongest at 63.4%, and this diesel version sits 2.6 points below the 60.8% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

The diesel Citroen Ds3 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 Ds3 had covered 91,946 miles at test, against 68,900 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 Ds3 page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a diesel Citroen Ds3

1. A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 16.4% of tests (10.73x the national rate for this defect)
2. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 7.3% of tests (5.59x the national rate for this defect)
3. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 11.5% of tests (5.03x the national rate for this defect)
4. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 3.7% of tests (4.64x the national rate for this defect)
5. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 4.2% of tests (4.15x the national rate for this defect)
6. A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED, 4.9% of tests (4x the national rate for this defect)
7. A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps, 3.1% of tests (3.52x the national rate for this defect)
8. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 6.6% of tests (2.97x the national rate for this defect)
9. Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 3.3% of tests (2.45x the national rate for this defect)
10. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 3.8% of tests (2.25x the national rate for this defect)

From 36,130 DVSA-tracked diesel Citroen Ds3 tests, 2024, split out from the Citroen Ds3's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 5.16% 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 Ds3

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

1. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 14.4% of tests (5.07x the national rate for this defect), also fails
2. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 6.2% of tests (4.68x the national rate for this defect), also fails
3. A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded, 4.3% of tests (3.36x the national rate for this defect)
4. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 6% of tests (2.99x the national rate for this defect)
5. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 3.7% of tests (2.73x the national rate for this defect)
6. A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting, 2.9% of tests (2.73x the national rate for this defect)
7. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 31.8% of tests (2.6x the national rate for this defect)
8. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 6.1% of tests (1.9x the national rate for this defect), also fails
9. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 8.8% of tests (1.87x the national rate for this defect), also fails
10. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 21.8% of tests (1.63x the national rate for this defect)

From 36,130 DVSA-tracked diesel Citroen Ds3 tests, 2024.

Other Citroen Ds3 fuel types

• Petrol Citroen Ds3 - 63.4%

All Citroen Ds3 MOT data · Every model