Fault File
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Citroen C3 Picasso

All generations and engines together · 6,452 MOT tests in the 2025 data · typical mileage at age 7: 47k

First-time failure at age 7
28.2%
Across 1,695 tests. The average across all tracked models is 19.5%.
Rank at age 7
209 of 239
1 = lowest failure rate among the models tracked.
Typical mileage at age 7
47k miles
Check the mileage view below; low-mileage models can look better by age than they are.

How this model wears

Citroen C3 PicassoClass average, all tracked models

Known issues

Measured

Computed from DVSA MOT results, all of Great Britain, 2025. Nothing here is opinion.

What testers flag

Share of tests where each item was recorded. The dark tick is the class average across all tracked models; bars are scaled within each group.

Faults with the car itself

The rows that judge the model rather than its keeper. 5,429 tests in this band.

Exhaust system leaking or insecure
Advisory
9.3%class 0.3%
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
Fail
7.2%class 0.6%
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
Fail
6.5%class 0.8%
Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements
Advisory
5.8%class 0.3%
A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
Fail
3.5%class 0.8%
A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting
Advisory
3.3%class 0.6%
Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
Advisory
3.2%class 2.0%
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
Advisory
2.4%class 5.9%
A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded
Advisory
2.1%class 0.6%
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
Fail
1.8%class 1.3%

Wear, upkeep and luck

Tyres, pads and stone chips say more about how the car was driven and maintained than about how it was built.

Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured
Advisory
27.4%class 10.1%
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
Advisory
22.7%class 22.9%
A tyre seriously damaged
Advisory
22.2%class 13.4%
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
Advisory
8.8%class 8.7%
Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn
Advisory
6.6%class 3.4%
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
Minor
4.8%class 1.2%
A tyre seriously damaged
Fail
2.5%class 1.4%
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
Fail
2.3%class 1.7%

Unconfirmed issues

Reported

Owner folklore from forums and the motoring press. Most of it never shows up in an MOT, which is why this section exists at all.

Fuse box corrosion from washer fluid leaks

Partly in the MOT data

The washer fluid reservoir or its pipework leaks and the fluid drips straight onto the fuse box below, corroding the terminals. Owners report lost dipped headlights and sidelights first, then wider electrical gremlins as the corrosion spreads through the loom. Bills run from around £300 for a clean and reseal up to £1,400-£2,000 for a full rewire when it's left too long. This lines up with corrosion being the model's measured MOT weak point, it's just the fuse box and wiring loom taking the damage rather than the bodywork.

Reported from 1 year old to 50k+ miles · sources: Honest John, Auto Express

Electric power steering (EPAS) failure

Confirmed pattern

The EPAS motor can fail outright, leaving the steering suddenly heavy with no warning. It has come up repeatedly on cars around 34,000-50,000 miles. Citroen acknowledged the fault and covered repairs as a goodwill gesture on cars up to 80,000 miles and 8 years old, though some owners still faced a diagnostic charge. A full EPAS motor replacement outside that goodwill window is a four-figure job.

Reported 34-50k miles · sources: Honest John, Auto Express

Automated manual gearbox (EGS6) problems

EGS6 automated manual only

The EGS6 automated manual, sold as an alternative to a proper torque converter automatic, gets consistent complaints for slow, jerky changes and for not always upshifting unless the driver eases off the throttle or uses the paddles. Some owners report the shifting getting worse with age, and Citroen has struggled to supply replacement gearboxes when units fail outright. Doesn't affect manual or nothing-special automatic cars.

Reported from new onward · sources: Honest John, Auto Express

DPF and antipollution fault warnings (diesel)

Diesel only

Diesel models can throw repeated "antipollution fault" warnings, in some cases with the engine cutting out on the move, most likely down to DPF blockage or soot build-up on cars used mainly for short runs. One reported case saw eight cutouts on a single motorway journey at around 58,000 miles. Clearing a blocked filter or replacing it isn't officially acknowledged as a pattern fault by Citroen, so budget anywhere from a forced regen (cheap) to a DPF replacement (four figures) depending how far it's gone.

Reported around 58k miles · sources: Honest John, Auto Express

Exhaust rear box drops due to rusted mild-steel brackets

Disputed

The rear silencer box itself is stainless, but it hangs on mild-steel brackets that rust through and let the whole box drop, sometimes on cars as young as five or six years old. It's a known annoyance rather than a safety-critical failure and a competent exhaust fitter can weld in stainless replacements relatively cheaply, but owners argue over whether it's a design flaw or just normal wear in a wet climate.

Reported from ~34k miles / 5-6 years · sources: Honest John, Auto Express

Viewing one? Ask this

Built from the two sections above.

Turn on the lights and check dipped headlights and sidelights work together. One working and one dead, or flickering, points at fuse box corrosion from a washer leak.
Check the windscreen washer reservoir and hoses for damp or leaks underneath. A leaking reservoir is the usual route water takes into the fuse box.
Turn the wheel lock to lock at low speed, engine running. Any sudden heaviness or a steering warning light suggests EPAS trouble.
If it's the automated manual, drive it through a few gear changes without lifting off. Slow, jerky, or hesitant upshifts are the EGS6 doing what it usually does, not a one-off fault.
On a diesel, check the dash for any antipollution or emissions warning history and ask about driving pattern. A car doing mostly short runs is far more likely to have DPF blockage issues.
Look underneath at the rear exhaust box and its mounting brackets. Rust and flaking brackets mean the exhaust could drop before the next MOT.
Pull the MOT history and look for repeat corrosion or electrical advisories. Recurring corrosion advisories back up the fuse box and wiring risk rather than just surface rust.

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