Used car guide

2009 Citroen C4: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2009 Citroen C4s, from 3,855 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

3,855MOT tests in 2025
49%pass first time (all 2009 cars: 58%)
6,500typical miles a year
2.6×the usual rate for drive shaft (cv) joints

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2009 Citroen C4s than on all cars registered in 2009.

  • Drive shaft (CV) joints2.6× usual
    Citroen C4
    14% All 2009 cars
    5.3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 8.7%, against 2.4% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: Drive slowly on full steering lock in both directions and listen for clicking. Look for split rubber boots behind the front wheels.

  • Sidelights2× usual
    Citroen C4
    14.2% All 2009 cars
    7.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 13.2%, against 6.3% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

  • Engine oil leaks1.6× usual
    Citroen C4
    17.1% All 2009 cars
    10.4%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.3%, against 0.3% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £80–£600 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and where the car is usually parked for fresh oil. Ask whether the leak has been looked at.

  • Brake lights2.1× usual
    Citroen C4
    11.2% All 2009 cars
    5.4%

    Failed outright at MOT: 10.5%, against 4.3% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

  • Number plate lights1.7× usual
    Citroen C4
    14.7% All 2009 cars
    8.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.3%, against 2.4% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £5–£40 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the number plate lights work and the plates are clean and legal.

Better than most

Rigid brake pipes: 0.5% here, against 7.5% of all 2009 cars. Exhaust system: 3.1% here, against 8.4% of all 2009 cars.

By area

The share of 2009 Citroen C4 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Lights and electrics
    44% 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
    43% 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.

  • Tyres
    36% 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.

  • Brakes
    35% 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.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    18% 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.

  • Driveshafts and joints
    14% of testsRough price £60–£350

    At the viewing: On full steering lock, drive slowly and listen for clicking from the front wheels.

Looking at a Citroen C4?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20224,935Tyres 25%
20214,508Tyres 26%
20201,216Tyres 32%
20194,989Tyres 33%
20182,727Tyres 32%
2017954Tyres 29%
201617,097Tyres 34%
201526,960Tyres 35%
201419,797Suspension 39%
201311,424Suspension 40%
20127,569Suspension 41%
20116,041Suspension 45%
20104,858Lights and electrics 45%
20085,078Lights and electrics 48%
20073,824Suspension 47%
20061,273Suspension 52%
2005644Suspension 54%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2009 Citroen C4s registered in 2009. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score