Pass rate, every year
77.2% Around average
76,454 tests across 9 model years, 2013–2021.
−3.8 pts vs the national average
Mercedes-Benz Citan MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics
Best year to buy
2021 82.9%
The strongest of the 9 years on record. See the 2021 page →
Worst year to buy
2013 71.6%
11.3 points below the 2021 peak. See the 2013 page →
The Mercedes-Benz Citan MOT pass rate is 77.2%, −3.8 percentage points below the UK average. That is 76,454 DVSA MOT tests recorded between 2013 and 2021. This page lists the most common Mercedes-Benz Citan MOT failures by category, names the best and worst model years, and finishes with a pre-MOT checklist you can run at home.
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Mercedes-Benz Citan MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average
The Mercedes-Benz Citan passed on its first attempt in 71.0%, and its overall record sits −3.8 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Mercedes-Benz Citan in the 2023–2025 data: 76,454 tests across 9 model years (2013–2021). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.
| Measure | This model |
|---|---|
| Tests analysed | 76,454 |
| Overall pass rate | 77.2% |
| Passed on first attempt | 71.0% |
| Average mileage at test | 94,143 mi |
| Model years covered | 2013–2021 (9 years) |
| Versus UK national average | −3.8 pts below |
Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.
Most Common Mercedes-Benz Citan MOT Problems by Failure Category
Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Mercedes-Benz Citan, the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.
| Inspection section | Share of failures |
|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 45% |
| Visibility | 19% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 14% |
| Steering | 7% |
| Brakes | 6% |
| Suspension | 4% |
| Tyres | 4% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 1% |
Shares are over the Mercedes-Benz Citan's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Around 45% of the recorded Mercedes-Benz Citan failures fall in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (9.5%), "Stop lamp not working" (5.1%), "Position lamp not working" (2.5%) among the Mercedes-Benz Citan's lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment faults.
Visibility
Around 19% of the recorded Mercedes-Benz Citan failures fall in the Visibility section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (7.2%), "Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively" (0.9%), "Wipers blade defective" (0.2%) among the Mercedes-Benz Citan's visibility faults.
Body, chassis, structure
Around 14% of the recorded Mercedes-Benz Citan failures fall in the Body, chassis, structure section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Joints constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" (4.5%), "Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated" (1.4%) among the Mercedes-Benz Citan's body, chassis, structure faults.
Top Recorded Mercedes-Benz Citan DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions
The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Mercedes-Benz Citan, each with how many of the model's 76,454 tests it was noted on.
- "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (Minor) — noted on about 7,276 Mercedes-Benz Citan tests, 9.5% of the model's MOT record.
- "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 5,470 Mercedes-Benz Citan tests, 7.2% of the model's MOT record.
- "Stop lamp not working" (Major) — noted on about 3,912 Mercedes-Benz Citan tests, 5.1% of the model's MOT record.
- "Joints constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" (Major) — noted on about 3,466 Mercedes-Benz Citan tests, 4.5% of the model's MOT record.
- "Track rod end ball joint has excessive play" (Major) — noted on about 2,235 Mercedes-Benz Citan tests, 2.9% of the model's MOT record.
- "Position lamp not working" (Major) — noted on about 1,900 Mercedes-Benz Citan tests, 2.5% of the model's MOT record.
What Citan fails on more than most
8 failure items are recorded at least 1.5 times the UK rate on this model. One has a part guide — what to buy, which brands, and what the tester looks at next time.
| Failure item | This model | UK | × UK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stop lamp partly not working | 4.0% | 0.4% | 10.0× | £3–£12 |
| CV boot split or insecure | 5.1% | 1.2% | 4.3× | £80–£250 |
| Registration plate lamp inoperative (single lamp) | 3.7% | 0.9% | 4.1× | £5–£20 |
| Stop lamp not working | 5.8% | 1.6% | 3.6× | £3–£12 |
| Registration plate lamp inoperative (multiple lamps) | 9.5% | 3.2% | 3.0× | £5–£20 part £6–£18 |
| Wheel badly distorted | 2.8% | 1.0% | 2.8× | £20–£55 |
| Windscreen damaged | 7.2% | 2.7% | 2.7× | £80–£200 |
| Washer provides insufficient liquid | 2.1% | 1.2% | 1.8× | £5–£15 |
Rates are a share of this model's own tests (76,454 for the top row), so a big seller cannot outrank a rare one. The UK figure is the same item's share of every test in our data. Items Citan records at or below the UK rate are not listed — this is where it is unusual, not a full inventory. All failure items · parts and costs
Best and Worst Mercedes-Benz Citan Model Years by Pass Rate
The strongest Mercedes-Benz Citan model year on record is 2021 (82.9% across 2,288 tests), and the weakest is 2013 (71.6%). The gap between them is 11.3 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.
Mercedes-Benz Citan reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 1.4 points a year across the most recent model years shown above.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Citan | 2,288 | 82.9% |
| 2020 Citan | 4,654 | 81.6% |
| 2019 Citan | 6,995 | 82.1% |
| 2018 Citan | 13,352 | 79.1% |
| 2017 Citan | 12,360 | 78.3% |
| 2016 Citan | 12,986 | 76.0% |
| 2015 Citan | 9,379 | 75.4% |
| 2014 Citan | 8,488 | 72.5% |
| 2013 Citan | 5,952 | 71.6% |
Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.
Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Mercedes-Benz Citan Owners
These checks follow this Mercedes-Benz Citan's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Mercedes-Benz Citan.
-
the lights — “registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources”
Switch everything on and walk round the car: both headlamps on dip and main, every indicator, both brake lights, reverse, fog and the two number-plate lamps. A bulb is a few pounds and a five-minute job.
-
the windscreen — “windscreen damaged”
Check the driver’s side of the screen within the swept area for chips and cracks; anything larger than 10mm in the driver’s central view is a fail. Most chips can be resin-repaired for far less than a new screen.
-
the suspension joints — “track rod end ball joint has excessive play”
With the car parked on level ground, rock the top of each front wheel in and out while someone watches the suspension arm. Clunks, or rubber boots split and greasy, are what testers record here.
Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Mercedes-Benz Citan. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions: Mercedes-Benz Citan MOT & Reliability
What is the Mercedes-Benz Citan MOT pass rate?
77.2% of the 76,454 recorded Mercedes-Benz Citan MOT tests ended in a pass, −3.8 percentage points below the national average. 71.0% of those passed on the first attempt.
Which Mercedes-Benz Citan model years pass the MOT most often?
2021 is the strongest Mercedes-Benz Citan year on record at 82.9%, while 2013 is the weakest at 71.6%. The year-by-year table below lists every model year with at least 50 recorded tests.
What are the most common Mercedes-Benz Citan MOT failures?
The most recorded Mercedes-Benz Citan failures are "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" and "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" — together around 17% of tests, mostly in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section.