2023 Citroen C3: common problems and what to check
What gets flagged at MOT on 2023 Citroen C3s, from 473 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.
Small sample: only 473 of these were MOT tested in 2025, so treat the percentages as rough. The known faults below don't depend on it.
What stands out
Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2023 Citroen C3s than on all cars registered in 2023.
- Brake discs3× usualCitroen C37.2% All 2023 cars2.4%
Failed outright at MOT: 1.1%, against 0.1% of all 2023 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.
Rough price £150–£350 our estimateAt the viewing: Look through the wheel at the brake disc: a deep lip at the edge or heavy scoring means they're worn. Feel for judder when braking.
By area
The share of 2023 Citroen C3 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.
- Brakes9% 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.
- Tyres7% 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.
- Lights and electrics4% of testsRough price £10–£80
At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.
- Wipers, windscreen and mirrors1% of testsRough price £15–£250
At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.
- Suspension1% 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.
- Seats and seatbelts1% of testsRough price £80–£250
At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.
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.
- Timing belt that runs in oil (PureTech petrol)1.0 and 1.2 PureTech petrol
The 1.0 and 1.2 PureTech petrol engines use a timing belt that runs in the engine oil (a “wet belt”). It can break down early and shed rubber that blocks the oil supply, which can wreck the engine. Some also burn too much oil. Stellantis now covers earlier engines for belt and oil-burning problems for up to 10 years or 112,000 miles, as long as the car has been serviced on schedule.
At the viewing: Ask for a full service history showing the right oil, and when the belt was last checked or changed. Check the oil level on the dipstick, and that no oil-pressure or engine warning light stays on.
Source: Parkers: Stellantis wet belt compensation, and the cars at risk, Stellantis: compensation policy for earlier PureTech 1.0 and 1.2 engines (7 May 2025)
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Other years
| Year | MOT tests | Most flagged |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 7,269 | Tyres 17% |
| 2021 | 8,281 | Tyres 22% |
| 2020 | 7,848 | Tyres 29% |
| 2019 | 13,580 | Tyres 33% |
| 2018 | 15,441 | Tyres 32% |
| 2017 | 15,672 | Tyres 30% |
| 2016 | 8,793 | Tyres 33% |
| 2015 | 12,056 | Tyres 32% |
| 2014 | 13,651 | Tyres 33% |
| 2013 | 13,120 | Tyres 35% |
| 2012 | 14,175 | Suspension 40% |
| 2011 | 14,373 | Suspension 46% |
| 2010 | 16,653 | Suspension 49% |
| 2009 | 8,210 | Suspension 46% |
| 2008 | 4,070 | Suspension 46% |
| 2007 | 4,282 | Lights and electrics 47% |
| 2006 | 3,692 | Suspension 47% |
| 2005 | 3,110 | Lights and electrics 50% |
| 2004 | 2,441 | Lights and electrics 53% |
| 2003 | 1,927 | Suspension 50% |
| 2002 | 677 | Lights and electrics 52% |
Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2023 Citroen C3s registered in 2023. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score