Citroen Relay: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Citroen Relay fails its first MOT more often than the average UK vehicle, by 8.5 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 14,304 individual Citroen Relay tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 68.2% first-time pass rate means roughly 32 in every 100 Citroen Relays presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is worse than average, so budget for remedial work and treat a fresh 12-month MOT as a genuine selling point rather than a given. The average Citroen Relay tested had covered 100,510 miles and was built around 2012.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Citroen Relay sits 8.5 points below the national average, ranked 1,800 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, assume the mechanical side needs more than the visible accident damage, and pad your repair estimate accordingly.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Citroen Relay rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see recorded closing bids for damaged Citroen Relays at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Citroen Relay

1. Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value, 4.4% of tests (12x the national rate for this defect)
2. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 7.4% of tests (5.69x the national rate for this defect)
3. 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, 4.7% of tests (4.96x the national rate for this defect)
4. Parking brake inoperative on one side, 2.7% of tests (4.46x the national rate for this defect)
5. A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps, 2.9% of tests (3.25x the national rate for this defect)
6. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 3% of tests (3.18x the national rate for this defect)
7. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 3% of tests (2.87x the national rate for this defect)
8. A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED, 3.4% of tests (2.74x the national rate for this defect)
9. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 5.5% of tests (2.32x the national rate for this defect)
10. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 2.8% of tests (2.19x the national rate for this defect)

From 52,470 DVSA-tracked Citroen Relay tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 4.9% of these flagged Citroen Relay defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Citroen Relay

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a Citroen Relay before it actually fails on it.

1. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 2.9% of tests (2.31x the national rate for this advisory)
2. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 12.6% of tests (2.27x the national rate for this advisory)
3. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 8.9% of tests (2.26x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
4. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 4.3% of tests (2.18x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
5. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 2.8% of tests (2.07x the national rate for this advisory)
6. 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, 2.7% of tests (1.79x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
7. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 18.7% of tests (1.4x the national rate for this advisory)
8. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 16.3% of tests
9. A tyre seriously damaged, 12.3% of tests
10. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 9.7% of tests

From 52,470 DVSA-tracked Citroen Relay tests, 2024.

Citroen Relay pass rate by model year

From its 2003 to its 2020 model year, the Citroen Relay's first-time pass rate has risen 13.3 points, from 57.4% to 70.7%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Citroen Relay year:

• 2002 Citroen Relay - 57.7% first-time pass, 241 tests
• 2003 Citroen Relay - 57.4% first-time pass, 413 tests
• 2004 Citroen Relay - 57% first-time pass, 461 tests
• 2005 Citroen Relay - 54.6% first-time pass, 778 tests
• 2006 Citroen Relay - 55.7% first-time pass, 1,263 tests
• 2007 Citroen Relay - 58.8% first-time pass, 1,809 tests
• 2008 Citroen Relay - 60.2% first-time pass, 2,018 tests
• 2009 Citroen Relay - 59.8% first-time pass, 1,342 tests
• 2010 Citroen Relay - 61.7% first-time pass, 1,866 tests
• 2011 Citroen Relay - 62.7% first-time pass, 2,138 tests
• 2012 Citroen Relay - 65.8% first-time pass, 2,564 tests
• 2013 Citroen Relay - 65.4% first-time pass, 2,926 tests
• 2014 Citroen Relay - 64.5% first-time pass, 4,434 tests
• 2015 Citroen Relay - 67.3% first-time pass, 5,855 tests
• 2016 Citroen Relay - 70.3% first-time pass, 6,382 tests
• 2017 Citroen Relay - 73.9% first-time pass, 6,108 tests
• 2018 Citroen Relay - 76.1% first-time pass, 5,552 tests
• 2019 Citroen Relay - 75.1% first-time pass, 4,875 tests
• 2020 Citroen Relay - 70.7% first-time pass, 379 tests

Other Citroen models

• Citroen C3 - 70.4%
• Citroen Berlingo - 68.3%
• Citroen C1 - 75.1%
• Citroen C4 - 66%
• Citroen Ds3 - 60.4%
• Citroen Dispatch - 66.2%
• Citroen Xsara - 58%
• Citroen C3 Aircross - 86.4%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Citroen Berlingo - 68.3%
• Volkswagen Eos - 68.3%
• Suzuki Grand Vitara - 68.2%
• Saab 9-3 - 68.1%
• Fiat Qubo - 68.1%
• Ford Fusion - 68%

If this van is a salvage or write-off

• Britain's most and least reliable vans: 2.2 million MOT tests analysed
• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences
• Do you need an HPI check on a car you know is a write-off?

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate