2016 Citroen C1: common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2016 Citroen C1?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2016 Citroen C1 than on all cars registered in 2016.

• Anti-roll bar link bushes29.3× usual
  Citroen C1

  8.8% All 2016 cars

  0.3%

  Failed outright at MOT: 0.8%, against 0% of all 2016 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.

• Exhaust system3.2× usual
  Citroen C1

  6.3% All 2016 cars

  2%

  Failed outright at MOT: 1.8%, against 0.5% of all 2016 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

  Rough price £100–£500 (pipe or section) ClickMechanic

  At the viewing: Listen for blowing or rattling from underneath at idle, and look for black soot around joints.

• Rigid brake pipes2.7× usual
  Citroen C1

  5.1% All 2016 cars

  1.9%

  Failed outright at MOT: 0.4%, against 0.2% of all 2016 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-frame4.1× usual
  Citroen C1

  3.7% All 2016 cars

  0.9%

  Failed outright at MOT: 0.2%, against 0% of all 2016 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.

• Braking performance1.8× usual
  Citroen C1

  4.5% All 2016 cars

  2.5%

  Failed outright at MOT: 1.7%, against 0.8% of all 2016 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.

Common 2016 Citroen C1 MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2016 Citroen C1 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

• Tyres
  32% 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
  25% 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.

• Suspension
  19% 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 electrics
  15% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

• Exhaust and emissions
  8% 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
  6% of testsRough price £15–£250

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

Known faults on the 2016 Citroen C1

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)

• Clunky 2-Tronic automatic

  2-Tronic / x-shift automatic

  The optional 2-Tronic is an automated manual, not a true automatic. It can feel jerky and owners rate it poorly.

  At the viewing: Drive it in traffic and pull away several times. Make sure you can live with how it changes gear.

  Source: Auto Express: used Peugeot 108 review

• Engine turns over but won't start

  All engines

  Some owners report the engine cranking without firing. A tired battery is the usual cause.

  At the viewing: Start the car from cold yourself and watch for slow cranking.

  Source: Auto Express: used Peugeot 108 review

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2016 Citroen C1

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

1. When was the timing belt last checked or changed, and has it had the right oil at every service? Is the car still within Stellantis’ extended PureTech cover?
2. Has the gearbox or clutch had any work?
3. How old is the battery?
4. Any recent work on the anti-roll bar link bushes? (Flagged at MOT 29.3× as often on the 2016 Citroen C1 as on other cars the same age.)
5. Any recent work on the exhaust system? (Flagged at MOT 3.2× as often on the 2016 Citroen C1 as on other cars the same age.)
6. Any recent work on the rigid brake pipes? (Flagged at MOT 2.7× as often on the 2016 Citroen C1 as on other cars the same age.)