Citroen C5 Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Citroen C5 fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 40,381 MOT tests across 19 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: family car | Fuel: Petrol, Diesel
84%
Citroen C5 pass rate
79%
Citroen average
82%
All-model average
The Citroen C5 has an average MOT pass rate of 84%, which is 5 points above the Citroen average and 2 points above the average across all models in our data. Newer Citroen C5s pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 13 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Citroen C5 Fails Its MOT On
Of the 5,034 MOT tests on the Citroen C5 that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Lights and electrics
44%Cars and vans the same age: 36% · Typical repair £15-£200
Brakes
24%Cars and vans the same age: 22% · Typical repair £80-£450
Suspension
23%Cars and vans the same age: 27% · Typical repair £150-£600
Tyres
23%Cars and vans the same age: 25% · Typical repair £50-£300
Body, chassis and structure
19%Cars and vans the same age: 10% (the C5 fails on this more often) · Typical repair £200-£1200
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Drive shaft CV boot split or insecure (16% of failed tests, body, chassis and structure)
- Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (14% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick (11% of failed tests, brakes)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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Citroen C5 Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each C5 year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
Passed more often than cars their age
No year passed 3 or more points more often than other cars of the same age.
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
Citroen C5 Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
| Year | Fuel | Engine | Pass Rate | Fail Rate | All Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Petrol | 1.2L | 92% | 8% | 93% (-1) |
| 2020 | Diesel | 1.5L | 92% | 8% | 92% (0) |
| 2019 | Diesel | 1.5L | 89% | 11% | 91% (-2) |
| 2016 | Diesel | 2.0L | 84% | 15% | - |
| 2015 | Diesel | 2.0L | 83% | 17% | - |
| 2014 | Diesel | 2.0L | 79% | 21% | - |
| 2013 | Diesel | 2.0L | 77% | 22% | - |
| 2012 | Diesel | 1.6L | 77% | 23% | - |
| 2011 | Diesel | 2.0L | 75% | 24% | 77% (-2) |
| 2010 | Diesel | 2.0L | 72% | 27% | 75% (-3) |
| 2009 | Petrol | 1.6L | 72% | 27% | 75% (-3) |
| 2008 | Diesel | 2.0L | 71% | 28% | 74% (-3) |
| 2007 | Diesel | 2.0L | 69% | 31% | - |
| 2006 | Diesel | 1.6L | 72% | 27% | - |
| 2005 | Diesel | 2.0L | 69% | 30% | - |
| 2004 | Diesel | 2.0L | 72% | 26% | - |
| 2003 | Diesel | 2.0L | 69% | 30% | - |
| 2002 | Diesel | 2.0L | 66% | 32% | - |
| 2001 | Diesel | 2.2L | 64% | 34% | - |
Citroen C5 Running Costs
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Citroen C5 FAQ
What are the most common Citroen C5 problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Citroen C5 that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (44% of the 5,034 failed tests), brakes (24%) and suspension (23%). The single most common fault was "Drive shaft CV boot split or insecure" (16%). Across 40,381 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 84% ended in a pass.
Is the Citroen C5 reliable?
The Citroen C5 has an average MOT pass rate of 84%, from 40,381 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed within 2 points of other cars of the same age, so about average for its age.
Which Citroen C5 years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2009 (72% of 3,341 tests passed, against 75% for all 2009 cars), the 2010 (72% of 2,297 tests passed, against 75% for all 2010 cars) and the 2008 (71% of 2,251 tests passed, against 74% for all 2008 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common Citroen C5 faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Citroen C5 typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
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Other Citroen Models
Common problems pages for other Citroen models