Citroen C3 Car CheckFull history check, MOT history and common problems
Free Citroen C3 vehicle check by reg: MOT history, mileage and tax. Buying one? The full car history check shows outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, stolen markers, keepers and plate changes.
- 75% MOT pass rate
- 2,350 C3s checked
- 12.7% of Citroens had outstanding finance
Citroen C3 reg check
Full Citroen C3 history check from £3.99
The MOT record is free, and it only shows the car's condition on test day. What a seller may not mention is in the full Citroen C3 car check:
Of the 118 Citroen vehicles checked with a full CarCheckUp report, 12.7% had outstanding finance recorded, 19.5% an insurance write-off record and 21.2% a number plate change.
- Outstanding finance: lender and agreement
- Insurance write-off: Cat S, N, C or D
- Police stolen marker
- High risk register
- Previous keepers and last change
- Plate and colour changes
- Scrapped, imported or exported
- Mileage anomaly check
£3.99 a report in the 5-report bundle, £11.99 for a single report; unused reports never expire. Shown on screen straight away and sent by email. No subscription. Start with the free check: you only pay for the full report.
Free Citroen C3 MOT History and Mileage Data
What the MOT records of 1,857 Citroen C3 vehicles show. The full check above covers what the MOT doesn't.
- 75%of MOT tests passedUK average 77%
- 6,100typical miles a year
- 5.6%have a mileage anomalyan MOT reading lower than an earlier one
- 22,023MOT tests analysed
- 2010–2018built (middle half)
- 68%petrol; 32% diesel
Citroen C3 common problems: most common MOT failures and advisories
The defects MOT testers record most often on the Citroen C3, as a share of all its MOT tests (the same defect on any wheel or side counts once): the C3's known weak points. Check these on the car you're viewing, or on your own before its next MOT.
Top 20 Citroen C3 MOT failures
Reasons the car failed its MOT.
- Stop lamp not working2.7%
- Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively2.4%
- Headlamp not working on dipped beam2.1%
- Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.0%
- Position lamp not working1.9%
- Coil spring fractured or broken1.9%
- Track rod end ball joint has excessive play1.4%
- Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt1.4%
- Headlamp aim too low1.2%
- Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid1.2%
Show all 20
- Direction indicator incorrect colour1.2%
- Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn1.1%
- Brake pad less than 1.5 mm thick1.1%
- Registration plate lamp not working0.9%
- Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps0.9%
- Headlamp aim too high0.8%
- Tyre has ply or cords exposed0.8%
- Exhaust system insecure0.8%
- Exhaust system not adequately supported0.7%
- Windscreen washer not working0.7%
Top 20 Citroen C3 MOT advisories
Wear the tester noted: not a failure yet, but money to budget for.
- Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened8.5%
- Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge8.4%
- Brake pad wearing thin4.9%
- Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing4.5%
- Oil leak, but not excessive4.0%
- Tyre worn close to the legal limit3.5%
- Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources3.2%
- Exhaust mounting defective2.7%
- Direction indicator slightly discoloured2.0%
- Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement1.8%
Show all 20
- Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt1.7%
- Brake disc worn, but not excessively1.6%
- Coil spring corroded1.6%
- Track rod end ball joint has slight play1.5%
- Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread1.3%
- Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases1.3%
- Nail in tyre1.3%
- Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play1.2%
- Service brake binding but not excessively1.1%
- Suspension arm ball joint has slight play0.9%
- Lights and indicators: 47% of failed tests
- Suspension: 29% of failed tests
- Tyres: 19% of failed tests
- Windscreen and wipers: 19% of failed tests
- Exhaust and emissions: 17% of failed tests
- Tyres advisory: 26% of tests
- Brakes advisory: 20% of tests
- Suspension advisory: 13% of tests
Based on the DVSA MOT histories of all 1,857 Citroen C3 vehicles with an MOT checked on CarCheckUp since March 2023 (22,023 tests, retests included). Updated 2 October 2026. Every MOT test and advisory for one car is in the free MOT history check, and our free mileage check flags a lower reading. Market-wide figures: UK Used Car Risk Report. How we calculate these figures. MOT and DVLA data: contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Citroen C3 versions
Every Citroen C3 version checked on CarCheckUp counts on this page, grouped by the word after "C3" in the DVLA record. Pass rates where at least 300 vehicles were checked.
| Version | Vehicles | MOT pass rate | Top failure area |
|---|---|---|---|
| C3 (no version recorded) | 1,568 | 74% | Lights and indicators |
C3 Aircross
|
186 | – | – |
C3 Shine
|
39 | – | – |
C3 Picasso
|
27 | – | – |
C3 Flair
|
17 | – | – |
C3 C-Series
|
12 | – | – |
Key history checks before buying a used Citroen C3
All of these are in every full report, with 150+ more data points.
Outstanding finance
A Citroen on hire purchase, PCP or a logbook loan may still belong to the lender. Buying it can lead to a dispute over who owns it. Outstanding finance check
Insurance write-off (Cat S, N, C, D)
Shows if an insurer declared the car a total loss. Cat S and N cars can return to the road, but the record lowers the value and can affect insurance. Write-off check
Police stolen marker
Checks the Police National Computer. A stolen car can be taken back, leaving you without the car or your money. Stolen car check
High risk register
Shows if a finance company, insurer or the police has registered an interest in the C3. Find out why before you buy.
Mileage anomaly check & MOT history
Free: every MOT mileage reading compared for drops, with advisories and failures. Free mileage check
Previous keepers & plate changes
How many keepers the car has had and when, plus number plate changes that can separate a car from its history. Previous owners check
More free and full vehicle checks for a Citroen C3
Full Citroen C3 car check from £3.99 a report
Finance, write-off, stolen, keepers, plate changes and 150+ data points on the Citroen C3 you're looking at. The MOT history and mileage come free.
Check a C3 by reg → See a sample reportCitroen C3 MOT questions
How do I check a used Citroen C3 for outstanding finance or a write-off?
Run a full car history check on its registration. Of the 118 Citroen C3 vehicles checked with a full CarCheckUp report, 12.7% had outstanding finance recorded and 19.5% an insurance write-off record. The report also shows stolen markers, keepers, plate and colour changes.
Is a Citroen C3 car check free?
The MOT history, mileage anomaly check, tax and DVLA details of any Citroen C3 are free. The full car history check (finance, write-off, stolen, keepers and 150+ data points) is paid, from £3.99 a report.
What is the most common MOT failure on the Citroen C3?
Stop lamp not working: found at 2.7% of the Citroen C3 MOT tests we analysed. By area, lights and indicators items appear in 47% of failed tests.
What is the Citroen C3 MOT pass rate?
75% of 22,023 MOT tests on 1,857 Citroen C3 vehicles checked on CarCheckUp were passed (retests included). The UK average across all vehicles we checked is 77%.
What are the common problems with the Citroen C3?
Going by its MOT records, the Citroen C3's most common failures are stop lamp not working (2.7% of tests); windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (2.4% of tests); headlamp not working on dipped beam (2.1% of tests). The full list of the top 20 MOT failures and advisories is on this page.
What is the most common MOT advisory on the Citroen C3?
Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened: noted at 8.5% of tests. An advisory is not a failure, but it is wear to budget for.
How many miles a year is a Citroen C3 typically driven?
About 6,100 miles a year (the median, from MOT mileage readings). 5.6% have a mileage anomaly: an MOT reading lower than an earlier one.