2014 Citroen C5: common problems and what to check
What gets flagged at MOT on 2014 Citroen C5s, from 225 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.
Small sample: only 225 of these were MOT tested in 2025, so treat the percentages as rough. The known faults below don't depend on it.
What gets flagged at MOT
The share of 2014 Citroen C5 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.
- Suspension32% 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.
- Lights and electrics27% of testsRough price £10–£80
At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.
- Tyres26% 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.
- Brakes22% 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.
- Driveshafts and joints12% of testsRough price £60–£350
At the viewing: On full steering lock, drive slowly and listen for clicking from the front wheels.
- Wipers, windscreen and mirrors4% 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.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 941 | Tyres 28% |
| 2020 | 5,125 | Tyres 30% |
| 2019 | 6,602 | Tyres 30% |
| 2015 | 177 | Tyres 28% |
| 2013 | 326 | Suspension 32% |
| 2012 | 336 | Suspension 43% |
| 2011 | 497 | Suspension 44% |
| 2010 | 946 | Suspension 45% |
| 2009 | 1,329 | Suspension 44% |
| 2008 | 878 | Suspension 46% |
| 2007 | 321 | Suspension 43% |
| 2006 | 315 | Suspension 43% |
| 2005 | 224 | Suspension 40% |
| 2004 | 272 | Lights and electrics 43% |
| 2003 | 227 | Brakes 47% |
| 2002 | 173 | Brakes 42% |
Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2014 Citroen C5s registered in 2014. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score