Used car guide · 2003–2010

Citroen C2 common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Citroen C2, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 32,874 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

32,874MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model
11,930on the UK register
2006best year at its MOT

Pick the year

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

20102009200820072006200520042003

What usually goes wrong with a Citroen C2?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Citroen C2 in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Common Citroen C2 MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, in more than one year. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

  • Individual direction indicators

    up to 2.9× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

    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.

  • Rust around suspension or steering mountings

    up to 2.5× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008.

    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.

  • Exhaust system

    up to 2.1× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2010.

    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.

  • Rust in key structural areas

    up to 3.6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

    Rough price £80–£250 our estimate

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

  • Drive shaft (CV) joints

    up to 3× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

    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.

  • Body structure rust or damage

    up to 2.3× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2004, 2006 and 2007.

    Rough price £150–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath and along the sills for flaky rust or fresh underseal hiding it.

Citroen C2 MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2006 Citroen C2 did best (55% passed first time, 1 point below all 2006 cars) and the 2010 did worst (49%, 11 points below all 2010 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
201049%60% -11809
200951%59% -86,405
200855%57% -25,279
200753%57% -45,954
200655%56% -15,122
200550%57% -75,030
200450%57% -73,862
200353%57% -4413 (small sample)

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Citroen C2

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

  1. Any recent work on the individual direction indicators? (Flagged at MOT 2.9× as often on the Citroen C2 as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the rust around suspension or steering mountings? (Flagged at MOT 2.5× as often on the Citroen C2 as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the exhaust system? (Flagged at MOT 2.1× as often on the Citroen C2 as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Citroen C2?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score