2025 MOT results
Citroën Xsara common problems
The most common reason a Citroën Xsara fails its MOT is a sidelight out, on 14.7% of its 9,600 failed tests in 2025. Against other cars of the same age, 5 faults stand out, the widest gaps being: a faulty seat belt at 11.8% of failures against 1.7% expected; a steering fault at 5.9% of failures against 1.4% expected; a integral vehicle structure condition corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced at 6.3% of failures against 1.5% expected.
- Tests in 2025 19,659 Cars aged three and over
- Failed first time 48.8% 9,600 tests
- Found a dangerous defect 10.1% Unsafe to drive away
- Ended with an advisory 71.7% A problem to watch, not a failure
What fails a Citroën Xsara MOT
Each bar is the share of failed Citroën Xsara tests with that defect. Where we can compare it with cars of the same registration years, the marker shows what an average car of those ages records (12 of the 12 items below).
Most common reasons for failure
A test can fail for more than one defect, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Defect | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 14.7% |
| Stop lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 14.1% |
| Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Body, chassis, structure | 12.3% |
| Seat belts: prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 11.8% |
| Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 8.8% |
| Headlamp: not working on dipped beam Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 6.9% |
| Component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength Suspension | 6.8% |
| Suspension arms: ball joint excessively worn Suspension | 6.4% |
| Integral vehicle structure condition: corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced Body, chassis, structure | 6.3% |
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 6.2% |
| Linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Suspension | 5.9% |
| Steering rack: gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Steering | 5.9% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
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Sidelight out
14.7% of failures 13.2% expected about as expected
A sidelight, also called a position lamp, not working. It marks the width of the car at night.
Walk round the car with the lights on and the hazards going; these are the cheapest failures to avoid.
-
Brake light out
14.1% of failures 9.3% expected 1.5 times as often
A brake light not working, from a bulb, a poor earth, or the switch on the pedal.
Reverse up to a wall or window at dusk and press the pedal to see all three lamps light.
-
Split joint boot
12.3% of failures 6.8% expected 1.8 times as often
A split rubber boot on a joint or driveshaft. The joint may still be sound, but dirt and water get in once the boot is open.
Turn the wheels to full lock and look behind them for greasy splits in the rubber concertina.
-
Faulty seat belt
11.8% of failures 1.7% expected 6.9 times as often
A seat belt that is damaged, frayed, slow to retract, or will not lock as it should.
Pull each belt out fully, look along the webbing, and check it latches and releases cleanly.
-
Headlamp aim out of line
8.8% of failures 8.9% expected about as expected
The beam pattern points too high, too low, or in the wrong place, so it either dazzles others or lights too little road.
Nothing to do at the roadside, but a garage resets the aim in minutes; a sagging suspension corner or a heavy boot load can throw it out.
-
Headlamp out
6.9% of failures 5.0% expected somewhat more often
A headlamp out on dipped beam, which is the beam the test checks.
Both bulbs age at the same rate, so a pair usually goes within months of each other.
Which parts of the car fail
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment is the area that most often fails a Citroën Xsara, on 52.0% of failed tests. The widest gap against cars of the same registration years is body, chassis, structure, on 29.4% against 18.6% expected.
Failure categories
DVSA's own sections of the test. The marker is what cars of the same registration years record.
| Defect category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 52.0% |
| Suspension | 36.9% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 29.4% |
| Brakes | 20.5% |
| Tyres | 16.1% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 15.5% |
| Steering | 12.6% |
| Visibility | 12.3% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What testers warn about
71.7% of Citroën Xsara tests ended with at least one advisory: a fault the tester found that did not fail the test. On Citroën Xsaras, these are the items to ask about on a car you are viewing, because they are what the last tester expected to go next.
Most common advisories
Share of all tests, passes included.
| Advisory | Share of tests |
|---|---|
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres | 22.4% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 14.1% |
| Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 13.6% |
| Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material Brakes | 11.6% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 9.2% |
| Exhaust system: minor leak of exhaust gases Body, chassis, structure | 7.0% |
| Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Identification of the vehicle | 5.4% |
| Play in steering rack inner joint(s) Non-component advisories | 5.1% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 4.7% |
| Linkage ball joint has slight play Suspension | 4.7% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 4.4% |
| Coil spring: corroded Suspension | 4.4% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Citroën Xsara problems: common questions
What is the most common problem with a Citroën Xsara?
Of the faults that fail an MOT, “Position lamp: not working” is the most common: it appears on 14.7% of failed Citroën Xsara tests. Across categories, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment is the area that most often fails one, on 52.0% of failed tests.
How often does a Citroën Xsara fail its MOT?
48.8% of Citroën Xsara tests in 2025 were not passed first time, from 19,659 tests of cars aged three and over. Allowing for the age and mileage of the cars tested, that gives it a UK Motoring Reliability Score of 42 out of 100, where 50 is as expected.
Does anything fail more often on a Citroën Xsara than on other cars?
Yes. “Seat belts: prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced” appears on 11.8% of its failures against 1.7% for cars of the same age, and “Steering rack: gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt” appears on 5.9% of its failures against 1.4% for cars of the same age. Where an item is missing from the national figures for a year, we use the smallest share those figures show, so the comparison never overstates the difference.
Are these the same as breakdowns or known faults?
No. These are the items a tester recorded at the MOT, which covers condition and safety: lamps, brakes, tyres, suspension, corrosion and emissions. A gearbox that is unpleasant, an infotainment screen that has died, or a car that will not start on a cold morning are not part of the test, so they are not in these figures.
Where do the figures come from?
Every normal MOT test of a Citroën Xsara aged three and over in Great Britain in 2025, from DVSA's anonymised MOT results. Retests are excluded, and the same fault on more than one wheel counts once.
Data stories to read next
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOT defects and advisories | Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Derived statistics UK Motoring | 2025 | 19,659 MOT tests | 19 September 2026 |
- Shares for defects are of failed tests; shares for advisories are of all tests. A test can carry several defects, so shares add to more than 100%.
- The expected share is what an average car of the same registration years records, weighted by where this model’s failures fall. Where an item is outside the national figures for a year, the smallest share those figures show is used in its place, which is an upper bound, so the comparison never overstates a model’s problems. No expectation is published where less than 80% of the model’s failures can be compared.
- Great Britain only: DVSA does not run MOT testing in Northern Ireland. Cars under three years old are not tested.
- The descriptions of what each part does are general and the same on every model. Every figure comes from the MOT data.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.