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2012 Citroen C3: MOT pass rate and common faults

14,154 initial MOT tests in 2025 on cars first used in 2012 · DVSA data · For guidance only · How we count

55.5%passed first time

Share of initial MOT tests passed with no repairs. Repairs made at the test centre count as a fail. 95% range 54.6% to 56.3% (±0.9 points).

That is 8.0 points below the average for all vehicles first used in 2012 (63.5%). These cars were about 13 years old at the test.

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Failure areas compared with all 2012 vehicles

Compared with all vehicles first used in 2012, failures are more common in lights and electrics (1.5×), suspension (1.0×), body, chassis, structure (2.2×), steering (2.6×), windscreen, wipers, mirrors (1.2×) and noise, emissions, leaks (1.1×), and less common in brakes (0.9×). Other differences are within the margin of error.

Failed tests with a fault in each area, per 100 tests. The right-hand column shows how many times as often as all vehicles first used in 2012.

  1. Lights and electrics24.4 in 100 tests1.5× compared with 15.8 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2012
  2. Suspension15.1 in 100 tests1.0× compared with 14.4 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2012
  3. Body, chassis, structure10.0 in 100 tests2.2× compared with 4.6 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2012
  4. Brakes7.2 in 100 tests0.9× compared with 8.1 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2012
  5. Steering7.2 in 100 tests2.6× compared with 2.8 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2012
  6. Tyres6.9 in 100 tests1.0× compared with 7.0 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2012
  7. Windscreen, wipers, mirrors5.8 in 100 tests1.2× compared with 4.9 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2012
  8. Noise, emissions, leaks4.2 in 100 tests1.1× compared with 3.8 in 100 for all vehicles first used in 2012
  9. Seat belts and airbags1.2 in 100 tests– no reliable figure for all vehicles first used in 2012
  10. Wheels0.5 in 100 tests– no reliable figure for all vehicles first used in 2012

All vehicles first used in 2012: the 197 models in our data, 1,653,623 tests (96.5% of all 1,714,195 tests on vehicles first used in 2012). Areas with fewer than 50 failures in a model aren't published, so an area is only compared when that leaves the all-vehicles figure at most 10% short; otherwise it shows –.

Typical mileage at test77,900

Median odometer reading at the 2025 MOT test, in miles. Half had more and half had less.

After an MOT advisory

2012 Citroen C3 cars that passed their 2024 MOT first time with an advisory, and what their next MOT found, against similar cars that passed with nothing noted in that area. Only cars first used in 2012.

Tyres

Of 2012 Citroen C3 cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a tyre advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 8.7% failed on tyres, against 4.6% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 1,510 and 4,550 cars.

  • With a tyre advisory8.7%
  • Similar cars, nothing noted4.6%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 11.4% of those with a tyre advisory and 11.0% of the others.

Brakes

Of 2012 Citroen C3 cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a brake advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 8.8% failed on brakes, against 4.4% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 1,344 and 4,720 cars.

  • With a brake advisory8.8%
  • Similar cars, nothing noted4.4%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 11.1% of those with a brake advisory and 11.2% of the others.

Suspension

Of 2012 Citroen C3 cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a suspension advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 18.3% failed on suspension, against 11.9% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 1,015 and 5,025 cars.

  • With a suspension advisory18.3%
  • Similar cars, nothing noted11.9%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 12.8% of those with a suspension advisory and 10.8% of the others.

Similar cars are the same model, first-use year and mileage band. Areas are the DVSA's top-level groups, so the later fail may not be the fault that was advised. These figures describe what happened to these cars. They don't show what a repair would have changed.

Citroen C3, all first-use years togetherHow we worked this outAll models compared, with the data

What MOT data can't tell you about any 2012 Citroen C3

Outstanding finance, write-offs, theft and plate changes aren't in MOT records. For a particular car, you need a history check.

Compare history checksWhat MOT history doesn't show

Other Citroen C3 years

Citroen C3: every year, common faults and what to check

Other cars first used in 2012

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