2018 Citroen C3 petrol: common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2018 Citroen C3 petrol?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2018 Citroen C3 petrol than on all cars registered in 2018.

• Exhaust system10.9× usual
  Citroen C3

  8.7% All 2018 cars

  0.8%

  Failed outright at MOT: 2%, against 0.2% of all 2018 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

  Rough price £100–£500 (pipe or section) ClickMechanic

  At the viewing: Listen for blowing or rattling from underneath at idle, and look for black soot around joints.

• Brake discs1.7× usual
  Citroen C3

  17% All 2018 cars

  9.8%

  Failed outright at MOT: 1.4%, against 0.5% of all 2018 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

  Rough price £150–£350 our estimate

  At the viewing: Look through the wheel at the brake disc: a deep lip at the edge or heavy scoring means they're worn. Feel for judder when braking.

• Number plate lights3.6× usual
  Citroen C3

  5.1% All 2018 cars

  1.4%

  Failed outright at MOT: 1.6%, against 0.5% of all 2018 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

  Rough price £5–£40 our estimate

  At the viewing: Check the number plate lights work and the plates are clean and legal.

• Suspension arm bushes and joints2.2× usual
  Citroen C3

  5% All 2018 cars

  2.3%

  Failed outright at MOT: 0.3%, against 0.4% of all 2018 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

  Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

  At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

• Headlights2.2× usual
  Citroen C3

  2.2% All 2018 cars

  1%

  Failed outright at MOT: 2.2%, against 0.9% of all 2018 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

  Rough price £40–£400 our estimate

  At the viewing: Check both headlights on dipped and full beam, and look for cloudy or cracked lenses.

Common 2018 Citroen C3 petrol MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2018 Citroen C3 petrol MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

• Tyres
  31% of testsRough price £70–£150

  At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

• Brakes
  20% of testsRough price £150–£350

  At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

• Lights and electrics
  13% of testsRough price £10–£80

  At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

• Exhaust and emissions
  10% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

  At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for an engine warning light.

• Suspension
  8% of testsRough price £120–£400

  At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

• Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
  4% of testsRough price £15–£250

  At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

Known faults on the 2018 Citroen C3 petrol

Reported by owners, mechanics and buying guides for this model and age. Check which engine the car has, as some apply to one engine only.

• Curtain airbag recall (early 2017 cars)

  Cars built Jan - Feb 2017

  In June 2017, about a dozen cars built in January or February 2017 were recalled because the curtain airbags on either side might not work properly.

  At the viewing: On a car built in early 2017, run the VIN through a recall check or ask a Citroen dealer.

  Source: Auto Express: used Citroen C3 (Mk3, 2017-2024) review

• Engine component recall (late 2017 cars)

  Cars built Oct - Nov 2017

  In December 2017, cars built in October and November 2017 were recalled because a substandard part could cause the engine to fail.

  At the viewing: On a car built in late 2017, confirm with a recall check or a Citroen dealer that the work has been done.

  Source: Auto Express: used Citroen C3 (Mk3, 2017-2024) review

• Steering recalls

  Some cars (geometry recall: built Sep 2019 - Mar 2020)

  A January 2019 recall covered steering column joints that might be fitted incorrectly. A May 2020 recall covered incorrect steering geometry on 10 cars built from September 2019 to March 2020.

  At the viewing: Run a recall check on the VIN. On the test drive, make sure the steering feels tight, with no knocking, play or pulling to one side.

  Source: Auto Express: used Citroen C3 (Mk3, 2017-2024) review

• Timing belt that runs in oil (PureTech petrol)

  1.0 and 1.2 PureTech petrol

  The 1.0 and 1.2 PureTech petrol engines use a timing belt that runs in the engine oil (a “wet belt”). It can break down early and shed rubber that blocks the oil supply, which can wreck the engine. Some also burn too much oil. Stellantis now covers earlier engines for belt and oil-burning problems for up to 10 years or 112,000 miles, as long as the car has been serviced on schedule.

  At the viewing: Ask for a full service history showing the right oil, and when the belt was last checked or changed. Check the oil level on the dipstick, and that no oil-pressure or engine warning light stays on.

  Source: Parkers: Stellantis wet belt compensation, and the cars at risk, Stellantis: compensation policy for earlier PureTech 1.0 and 1.2 engines (7 May 2025)

• PureTech cambelt and service intervals

  PureTech petrol engines

  The PureTech petrol engines have a cambelt that needs replacing every six years or 64,000 miles. Citroen also cut the gap between services on PureTech cars after November 2019. The diesels use a timing chain instead.

  At the viewing: Check the service history for on-time servicing and, on older or higher-mileage petrol cars, a cambelt change.

  Source: Auto Express: used Citroen C3 (Mk3, 2017-2024) review

• Built-in dashcam and sat-nav problems

  Cars with dashcam/navigation

  Some owners have struggled to copy files off the built-in dashcam or to update the factory sat-nav. Auto Express suggests a good-quality USB cable may help.

  At the viewing: Make sure the touchscreen, sat-nav and dashcam (if fitted) all work.

  Source: Auto Express: used Citroen C3 (Mk3, 2017-2024) review

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2018 Citroen C3 petrol

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

1. Has the curtain airbag recall been done on this car?
2. Has the December 2017 engine recall work been done? Is there a record of it?
3. Has any steering recall work been done on this car?
4. When was the timing belt last checked or changed, and has it had the right oil at every service? Is the car still within Stellantis’ extended PureTech cover?
5. Any recent work on the exhaust system? (Flagged at MOT 10.9× as often on the 2018 Citroen C3 petrol as on other cars the same age.)
6. Any recent work on the brake discs? (Flagged at MOT 1.7× as often on the 2018 Citroen C3 petrol as on other cars the same age.)