Used car guide

2015 DS DS5: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2015 DS DS5s, from 389 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

Small sample: only 389 of these were MOT tested in 2025, so treat the percentages as rough. The known faults below don't depend on it.

389MOT tests in 2025
65%pass first time (all 2015 cars: 72%)
8,200typical miles a year
7.5×the usual rate for drive shaft (cv) joints

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2015 DS DS5s than on all cars registered in 2015.

  • Drive shaft (CV) joints7.5× usual
    DS DS5
    15.7% All 2015 cars
    2.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 9.5%, against 1.2% of all 2015 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.

  • Number plate lights3.1× usual
    DS DS5
    12.9% All 2015 cars
    4.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.6%, against 1.2% of all 2015 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.

  • Engine oil leaks2.6× usual
    DS DS5
    8.7% All 2015 cars
    3.4%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.8%, against 0.1% of all 2015 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.

By area

The share of 2015 DS DS5 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    33% 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
    28% 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
    23% 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
    21% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Driveshafts and joints
    16% of testsRough price £60–£350

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

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    10% 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.

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)

Looking at a DS DS5?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2018113Tyres 32%
2017261Tyres 35%
2016538Tyres 30%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2015 DS DS5s registered in 2015. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score