Does the Citroen C5 fail the MOT on lamps, reflectors and electrics more than it should?
The Citroen C5 records 29.39 lamps, reflectors and electrics failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 21.11 expected for a car of the same age mix: more than expected for its class and age (+8.28, 95% interval +7.96 to +8.60). It ranks 95 of 729 models on lamps, reflectors and electrics (1 = most failures above expected).
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · all models on lamps, reflectors and electrics · check a Citroen C5 by registration
What exactly fails on lamps, reflectors and electrics?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Citroen C5 is “A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources”, recorded 7,155 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 7,155 | 6.35 |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 5,337 | 4.74 |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 3,784 | 3.36 |
| Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 3,435 | 3.05 |
| A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | 2,151 | 1.91 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 112,677 (initial tests) · Method: failure items (major and minor) grouped by DVSA's defect tree; wordings with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
If a Citroen C5 gets a lamps, reflectors and electrics advisory, how often does it fail next time?
32.6% of Citroen C5 MOTs with a lamps, reflectors and electrics advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12 months and 4,849 miles later (2,034 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 2,034 (advisories followed) · Method: the same vehicles followed to their next ordinary MOT · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
Other pages for this model
Citroen C5 2001 · Citroen C5 2002 · Citroen C5 2003 · Citroen C5 2004 · Citroen C5 2005 · Citroen C5 2006 · Citroen C5 2007 · Citroen C5 2008 · Citroen C5 2009 · Citroen C5 2010 · Citroen C5 2011 · Citroen C5 2012 · Citroen C5 2013 · Citroen C5 2014 · Citroen C5 2015 · Citroen C5 2016 · Citroen C5 2019 · Citroen C5 2020 · Citroen C5 in Norway · Citroen C5 in Finland · Citroen C5 in the Netherlands · Citroen C5 by postcode area · Citroen C5 body, chassis and structure failures · Citroen C5 brakes failures · Citroen C5 vehicle identification failures · Citroen C5 noise, emissions and leaks failures · Citroen C5 road wheels failures · Citroen C5 seat belts and airbags failures · Citroen C5 steering failures · Citroen C5 suspension failures · Citroen C5 tyres failures · Citroen C5 visibility failures