Fault File
All models / All cars / Small SUVs / DS 7 Crossback

DS 7 Crossback

All generations and engines together · 3,771 MOT tests in the 2025 data · typical mileage at age 7: 60k

First-time failure at age 7
19.5%
Across 328 tests. The average across all tracked models is 19.5%.
Rank at age 7
139 of 239
1 = lowest failure rate among the models tracked.
Typical mileage at age 7
60k miles
Check the mileage view below; low-mileage models can look better by age than they are.

How this model wears

DS 7 CrossbackClass 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. 1,535 tests in this band.

Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
Advisory
2.7%class 2.0%
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
Minor
2.5%class 0.6%
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
Advisory
2.5%class 5.9%
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
Fail
2.5%class 1.4%
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
Fail
1.6%class 0.9%
Exhaust system leaking or insecure
Advisory
1.3%class 0.3%
A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play
Fail
1.2%class 0.4%
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
Fail
1.1%class 0.6%
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
Fail
1.1%class 1.4%
A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play
Advisory
0.8%class 0.4%

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.

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
Advisory
35.6%class 22.9%
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
Advisory
16.0%class 8.7%
Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured
Advisory
15.9%class 10.1%
A tyre seriously damaged
Advisory
6.6%class 12.7%
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
Fail
6.5%class 2.2%
Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn
Advisory
5.3%class 3.4%
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
Fail
4.0%class 1.6%
Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt
Advisory
3.9%class 2.2%

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.

Electronic parking brake and stop-start glitches

Emerging

Owner forums repeatedly flag the electronic parking brake and the automatic stop-start system as the most common electrical gripes on the DS 7 Crossback, showing up as a warning light, a brake that won't release cleanly, or stop-start refusing to re-engage. It crops up across ages and mileages rather than at one particular point, and there's no widely quoted fix cost since it usually comes down to a sensor, actuator or software reset rather than one standard part. No manufacturer bulletin or recall covers it.

Reported at various ages · sources: Auto Express used buying guide

Infotainment lag and unresponsive touchscreen

Disputed

The 12-inch touchscreen is slow to boot and can be sluggish moving between menus, and the touch-sensitive shortcut bar under the screen is sometimes unresponsive. Since most functions, including climate control, run through the screen rather than physical buttons, a laggy system is more than a minor annoyance. DS improved the software with the 2022 facelift, quicker menus and better graphics, so pre-facelift cars are the ones most likely to feel dated; owners are split on whether it's a fault or just how the car is.

Present from new, worse pre-2022 · sources: Auto Express long-term test, Honest John review

Cabin trim quality and rattles

Disputed

The dashboard looks the part with leather and Alcantara facings, but reviewers note that much of the 'metallic' trim is metal-coloured plastic, and the plastics lower in the cabin feel hard and scratchy. On a car sold on premium feel, that's led to owners reporting creaks and rattles developing from these lower-quality panels as the car ages, though there's no single part or mileage point that stands out. No TSB covers this, it's a design and materials complaint rather than a mechanical fault.

Reported from a few years old · sources: Honest John review

Diesel additive/DPF system needing attention around 100k

Diesel only

The BlueHDi diesel engines are shared with Peugeot and Citroen, and on that engine family the DPF additive tank (Eolys/fuel-borne catalyst) typically needs topping up or the system needs attention around the 100,000 mile mark, on top of the usual DPF regeneration issues if the car is mostly used for short runs. Ignored, it can lead to a blocked filter and an expensive clean or replacement. Doesn't apply to the petrol or plug-in hybrid E-Tense versions.

Typically an issue from 100k miles · sources: Honest John (PSA diesel additive system)

February 2019 airbag recall

Sept-Oct 2018 build only

DS issued one recall on the 7 Crossback, covering around 11 cars built between September and October 2018, for a driver's airbag component that hadn't been manufactured correctly. Affected cars had the airbag replaced free of charge. It's a tiny build window so most used examples were never affected, but worth a VIN check if the car falls in that date range.

Sept-Oct 2018 build cars only · fix free at a dealer · sources: Auto Express used buying guide

Viewing one? Ask this

Built from the two sections above.

Apply and release the electronic parking brake a few times, and cycle the stop-start button on and off. A brake that hesitates to release, a stray warning light, or stop-start that won't re-engage points to the common electrical gripe on this model.
Work through several touchscreen menus, including nav and climate, and prod the shortcut bar under the screen. Slow boot-up and lag is normal on pre-facelift cars, but a screen that freezes or the shortcut bar not responding at all needs a dealer look.
Run a hand over the lower dash and glovebox plastics and listen for creaks over rough road. Scratchy, loose-feeling trim and rattles are a known weak point on cabin quality rather than a one-off.
On diesel cars, check the service history for any DPF additive or fuel-borne catalyst work, especially past 90-100k miles. No record of this being addressed raises the risk of a blocked DPF and a costly clean or replacement.
Check the build date on the VIN plate or V5C. Cars built September-October 2018 should show the airbag recall completed; if not, get it done free before buying.
Ask to see the full service history and any recurring warning lights logged at services. The same fault code being cleared repeatedly without a proper repair usually means an unresolved electrical fault.

Others in its class

Same segment (Small SUVs), best MOT record first. Compare before you shortlist.