Used car guide

2009 Citroen C-Crosser: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2009 Citroen C-Crossers, from 427 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

Small sample: only 427 of these were MOT tested in 2025, so treat the percentages as rough. The known faults below don't depend on it.

427MOT tests in 2025

53%pass first time (all 2009 cars: 58%)

8,300typical miles a year

3.5×the usual rate for rigid brake pipes

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2009 Citroen C-Crossers than on all cars registered in 2009.

Rigid brake pipes3.5× usual

Citroen C-Crosser
26% All 2009 cars
7.5%

Failed outright at MOT: 4%, against 1.2% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.
Sub-frame2.7× usual

Citroen C-Crosser
20.6% All 2009 cars
7.7%

Failed outright at MOT: 1.9%, against 0.4% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.
Ball joint dust cover3.7× usual

Citroen C-Crosser
16.4% All 2009 cars
4.4%

Failed outright at MOT: 7.5%, against 1.8% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.
Ball joint2.7× usual

Citroen C-Crosser
17.8% All 2009 cars
6.6%

Failed outright at MOT: 8.9%, against 3.4% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.
Suspension arm3.7× usual

Citroen C-Crosser
14.5% All 2009 cars
3.9%

Failed outright at MOT: 0.2%, against 0.4% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

By area

The share of 2009 Citroen C-Crosser MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

Suspension

66% of testsRough price £120–£400

At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.
Brakes

49% of testsRough price £150–£350

At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.
Lights and electrics

42% of testsRough price £10–£80

At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.
Tyres

38% of testsRough price £70–£150

At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.
Oil and fluid leaks

23% of testsRough price £80–£600

At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.
Wipers, windscreen and mirrors

11% of testsRough price £15–£250

At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

Looking at a Citroen C-Crosser?

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Other years

Year	MOT tests	Most flagged
2010	390	Suspension 62%
2008	444	Suspension 65%
2007	137	Suspension 70%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2009 Citroen C-Crossers registered in 2009. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score