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What to check: Citroen C4 hatch

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Ranked across all years of the Citroen C4 hatch, from its own MOT record and from what owners report. Tick it off at the car.

From this model's MOT record

The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.

Bushes and ball jointsRuns high on this modelDrive slowly over broken tarmac with the windows down and listen for clonks from either end. Back at the car, have someone rock the steering wheel while you rest a hand on each front wheel; play you can feel through the tyre is a worn joint.Recorded on 13.8% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 5.9%

Lights and horn walkroundRuns high on this modelWith a helper, run every light: dipped, main beam, indicators, brake lights including the high-level one, reverse, fog, and the horn. On newer cars a dead LED section can mean replacing the whole lamp unit rather than a bulb.Recorded on 8.9% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 1.2%

Rubber boots and gaitersRuns high on this modelOn full steering lock, look in behind each front wheel at the concertina rubber boots on the driveshafts and steering rack. Splits, or grease flung around the arch, mean dirt is getting into a joint that costs far more than the boot protecting it.Recorded on 7.3% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.6%

LeaksRuns high on this modelLook at the ground where the car usually stands, then glance under the engine after your test drive. Fresh drips of oil or coolant are the cheapest warning you will ever get about a car.Recorded on 5.3% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 2.0%

ExhaustRuns high on this modelListen along the exhaust at cold idle for blowing or chuffing, and give the tailpipe a push to check nothing hangs loose. Small blows only get louder.Recorded on 3.3% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.3%

Steering playRuns high on this modelWith the engine running and the car parked, waggle the wheel lightly about the straight-ahead. The wheels should respond almost at once. A dead zone before anything happens means wear in the rack or the track rod ends.Recorded on 3.1% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.4%

Worth doing on any used car

These judge the seller's upkeep rather than the model.

Tyres, all fourRuns high on this modelCheck the tread across the full width of each tyre, inner edge included, and look for cracking and mismatched brands. A set of decent tyres is £500 or more on most cars, which makes this the easiest money to take off a price. If the pressure warning light is on, budget for sensors too.Recorded on 30.9% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 20.1%

Pads and discsRuns high on this modelLook through the wheel spokes at the brake disc. A pronounced lip on its outer edge, or a rusty and scored face, means discs and pads are due all round, a few hundred pounds on most cars. A haggling point rather than a reason to walk away.Recorded on 16.9% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 10.1%

Windscreen and wipersRuns high on this modelScan the glass in daylight for chips, especially in the driver's line of sight where even a small one can fail the MOT. Run the washers and check the wipers clear without smearing.Recorded on 2.3% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.8%

Because of what owners report

Drawn from the owner reports rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.

On an automatic badged EGS or EAT6, drive it through stop-start traffic and force a hard downshift.Hesitation, a jerky flat spot, or the car dropping to neutral means the automated gearbox is wearing.

Cycle through the infotainment menus and leave the screen idle for five minutes.A reboot or freeze in that time is the known screen fault, not a one-off glitch.

Lift the passenger footwell mat and carpet edge and check for damp or a musty smell.Dampness points to the known water ingress fault around the footwell seal on 2011-2018 cars.

On a diesel, watch for smoke and hesitation under hard, sustained acceleration.Heavy smoke or flat power suggests a clogged DPF or a failing EGR valve.

Ask for evidence of DPF or EGR cleaning on any diesel past 70,000 miles used mostly for short runs.No record at all on an older, short-run car is a warning sign, not proof of a fault yet.

Push down hard on each corner and drive over a rough surface or speed bumps.Knocking or clonking points to worn suspension bushes or links, the most commonly reported wear item on this model.

For a 2020-on car, check the full service history especially anything after year three.A gap in dealer visits around that point is when the reported electrical faults tend to surface.

Full Citroen C4 hatch reliability report