Part of the Citroen C1 Mk1 (2005–2014) guide: best and worst years compared.

Used car guide

2005 Citroen C1: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2005 Citroen C1s, from 627 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

627MOT tests in 2025
53%pass first time (all 2005 cars: 58%)
4,800typical miles a year
9×the usual rate for anti-roll bar link bushes

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2005 Citroen C1s than on all cars registered in 2005.

  • Anti-roll bar link bushes9× usual
    Citroen C1
    15.3% All 2005 cars
    1.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.8%, against 0.4% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£280 (pair of drop links) Checkatrade

    At the viewing: Drive slowly over bumps and listen for a knock or rattle from the front. Worn anti-roll bar links are a cheap fix.

  • Braking performance2.4× usual
    Citroen C1
    16.4% All 2005 cars
    6.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 9.1%, against 2.7% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: On a quiet road, brake firmly from about 30mph. The car should stop straight without pulling.

  • Rust around suspension or steering mountings2.1× usual
    Citroen C1
    12.6% All 2005 cars
    6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 7.8%, against 2.7% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£450 our estimate

    At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.

  • Headlight aim2× usual
    Citroen C1
    12.9% All 2005 cars
    6.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 12.9%, against 6.6% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £20–£60 our estimate

    At the viewing: Park facing a wall at night or in a garage and check both headlight beams sit level. Aim is a cheap adjustment.

  • Wheels2.9× usual
    Citroen C1
    4.9% All 2005 cars
    1.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.3%, against 0.5% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £70–£150 our estimate

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

Better than most

Engine oil leaks: 5.6% here, against 14.5% of all 2005 cars.

By area

The share of 2005 Citroen C1 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Lights and electrics
    52% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Suspension
    45% 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
    45% 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.

  • Tyres
    37% 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.

  • Exhaust and emissions
    16% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

    At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    10% of testsRough price £15–£250

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

Known faults

Reported by owners, mechanics and buying guides for this model and age. Check which engine the car has, as some apply to one engine only.

  • Squeaking or failing clutch
    Manual gearbox

    A squeak from underneath as you let the clutch out, with a stiff gear change, points to a worn clutch.

    At the viewing: Listen as you pull away, and try every gear.

    If it needs doing: Clutch replacement, about £250–£600. ClickMechanic

    Source: Haynes: Toyota Aygo Mk1 common problems

  • Gear cable that can snap
    Manual gearbox

    One of the gear cables can fail suddenly, leaving no gears at all.

    At the viewing: Make sure every gear goes in cleanly, including reverse.

    Source: Haynes: Toyota Aygo Mk1 common problems

  • Heavy steering
    All

    Heavy steering can mean a failing power steering control unit, which is replaced as a whole.

    At the viewing: Turn the wheel at a standstill and at low speed: it should feel light.

    Source: Haynes: Toyota Aygo Mk1 common problems

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20214,485Tyres 24%
20203,729Tyres 31%
20195,231Tyres 31%
20187,178Tyres 33%
20179,095Tyres 33%
201618,199Tyres 32%
201517,832Tyres 33%
201413,483Brakes 32%
201313,730Brakes 36%
201213,479Brakes 42%
201113,229Brakes 43%
201012,403Brakes 46%
200911,016Brakes 48%
20088,936Brakes 50%
20076,266Suspension 48%
20063,884Lights and electrics 51%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2005 Citroen C1s registered in 2005. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score