At a Glance
The Citroen Xsara Picasso has 12 identified common problems across 1 generation, with the Xsara Picasso (1999-2010) being the most affected generation and tyres & wheels the most common problem category. Based on 2.4M MOT tests from DVSA data.
Problems are patterns in the DVSA data that occur significantly more often on a specific model than the UK average — confirmed at 99% statistical confidence. Read our DVSA MOT data methodology →
Below: generation-by-generation comparison of Citroen Xsara Picasso common problems, MOT failure types, and pass-rate data drawn from DVSA records. Click any generation to see fuel- and engine-specific fault patterns, mileage-banded repair guidance, and the most common MOT failures testers record.
MOT Tests & Failures by Generation
Citroen Xsara Picasso generations by MOT tests, failures, and identified problems from DVSA data
Hover over each bar for a full breakdown. Tap any bar to view that generation's problems.
Showing total MOT tests, failures, and known problems per make. Hover over each bar for a full breakdown.
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Browse Citroen Xsara Picasso Generations
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Most Common Citroen Xsara Picasso MOT Failures
Every reason Citroen Xsara Picasso vehicles fail their MOT, ranked by frequency. Select an individual year to see only that year’s failures, or stay on ‘All time’ for the combined picture across our 20 years of DVSA data. Scroll inside the table for the full list.
| # | Failure | % of failures |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyre tread depth below limit | 9.57% |
| 2 | Number plate lamp not working | 9.39% |
| 3 | Suspension joint or bush worn | 9.08% |
| 4 | Exhaust system fault | 7.87% |
| 5 | Front lamp not working | 6.98% |
| 6 | Stop lamp not working | 5.62% |
| 7 | Tyre condition | 5.48% |
| 8 | Wiper blades deteriorated | 4.89% |
| 9 | Headlamp aim defect | 4.83% |
| 10 | Windscreen washer not working | 4.13% |
| 11 | Brake hydraulic component worn | 3.15% |
| 12 | Coil spring broken or corroded | 2.76% |
| 13 | Brake performance below minimum | 2.69% |
| 14 | Track rod end worn | 2.53% |
| 15 | Driveshaft fault | 2.48% |
| 16 | Brake pads or linings worn | 1.90% |
| 17 | Catalytic converter efficiency low | 1.87% |
| 18 | Brake disc or drum worn | 1.65% |
| 19 | Front suspension joint worn | 1.18% |
| 20 | Indicator fault | 0.99% |
| 21 | Body corrosion or damage | 0.97% |
| 22 | Steering rack fault | 0.84% |
| 23 | Suspension mounting corroded | 0.79% |
| 24 | Seat belt condition | 0.63% |
| 25 | Airbag warning light on | 0.60% |
| 26 | Front suspension fault | 0.56% |
| 27 | Fog lamp not working | 0.54% |
| 28 | ABS fault | 0.49% |
| 29 | Chassis condition | 0.48% |
| 30 | Rear lamp not working | 0.41% |
| 31 | Horn not working | 0.37% |
| 32 | Windscreen damage affecting view | 0.36% |
| 33 | Mirror damaged or missing | 0.36% |
| 34 | Brake fluid leak | 0.32% |
| 35 | Shock absorber worn or leaking | 0.26% |
| 36 | Tyre size or type not matched | 0.23% |
| 37 | Rear suspension fault | 0.22% |
| 38 | Suspension linkage fault | 0.20% |
| 39 | Subframe mounting corroded | 0.18% |
| 40 | Parking brake condition | 0.18% |
| 41 | Position lamp not working | 0.17% |
| 42 | MacPherson strut worn | 0.17% |
| 43 | Dashboard warning lamp fault | 0.14% |
| 44 | Power steering pipe or hose leaking | 0.13% |
| 45 | Steering operation fault | 0.11% |
| 46 | Spare wheel fault | 0.07% |
| 47 | Tyre valve stem damaged | 0.07% |
| 48 | Brake pedal movement restricted | 0.06% |
| 49 | Brake caliper fault | 0.06% |
| 50 | Brake pedal fault | 0.06% |
| 51 | Driver airbag fault | 0.06% |
| 52 | Steering free play excessive | 0.05% |
| 53 | Electrical switch fault | 0.05% |
| 54 | Steering arm worn | 0.05% |
| 55 | Fuel tank corroded or leaking | 0.04% |
| 56 | Fuel cap damaged or missing | 0.04% |
| 57 | Steering column fault | 0.03% |
| 58 | Power steering ram fault | 0.03% |
| 59 | Electrical wiring fault | 0.03% |
| 60 | Handbrake cable fault | 0.03% |
| 61 | Fuel pipe corroded or damaged | 0.03% |
| 62 | Power steering pump fault | 0.03% |
| 63 | Brake wheel cylinder fault | 0.03% |
| 64 | Anti-roll bar worn or corroded | 0.03% |
| 65 | Drag link end worn | 0.02% |
| 66 | Electronic stability control fault | 0.02% |
| 67 | Bonded suspension condition | 0.02% |
| 68 | Engine mounting worn or broken | 0.02% |
| 69 | Body security fault | 0.02% |
| 70 | Towbar fault | 0.01% |
| 71 | Ball joint dust cover split | 0.01% |
| 72 | Suspension arm worn or corroded | 0.01% |
| 73 | Brake fluid warning light on | 0.01% |
| 74 | Brake lever fault | 0.01% |
| 75 | Suspension retaining or locking device fault | 0.01% |
| 76 | Tie bar or rod worn or corroded | 0.01% |
| 77 | Bonnet catch or hinge fault | 0.01% |
| 78 | Steering wheel damaged or insecure | 0.01% |
| 79 | Headlamp fault | 0.01% |
| 80 | Steering lock fault | <0.01% |
| 81 | Rear reflector damaged or missing | <0.01% |
| 82 | CV joint worn | <0.01% |
| 83 | Spring mounting corroded | <0.01% |
| 84 | Fuel hose damaged or leaking | <0.01% |
| 85 | Battery loose or leaking | <0.01% |
| 86 | Steering drive system fault | <0.01% |
| 87 | Passenger airbag fault | <0.01% |
| 88 | Speedometer fault | <0.01% |
| 89 | Compression ignition emissions above threshold | <0.01% |
| 90 | Steering damper fault | <0.01% |
| 91 | Axle beam corroded or cracked | <0.01% |
| 92 | Tailgate damaged or insecure | <0.01% |
| 93 | Suspension unit fault | <0.01% |
| 94 | Rigid brake pipe corroded or damaged | <0.01% |
| 95 | Exhaust emissions above threshold (non-catalyst) | <0.01% |
| 96 | Brake air or vacuum system fault | <0.01% |
| 97 | Additional braking device fault | <0.01% |
| 98 | Vehicle structure corrosion | <0.01% |
| 99 | Boot lid damaged or insecure | <0.01% |
| 100 | Steering coupling worn | <0.01% |
| 101 | Parking brake performance below minimum | <0.01% |
| 102 | Spark ignition emissions above threshold | <0.01% |
| 103 | King pin or swivel pin worn | <0.01% |
| 104 | Subframe corrosion or damage | <0.01% |
| 105 | Steering shaft fault | <0.01% |
| 106 | Semaphore indicator fault | <0.01% |
| 107 | Wheel bearing worn | <0.01% |
| 108 | Rear fog lamp not working | <0.01% |
| 109 | Flexible brake hose damaged | <0.01% |
| 110 | Stub axle worn | <0.01% |
| 111 | Brake pedal linkage fault | <0.01% |
| 112 | Steering box fault | <0.01% |
| 113 | Mirror or camera fault | <0.01% |
| 114 | Radius arm worn or corroded | <0.01% |
| 115 | Steering intermediate drop arm worn | <0.01% |
| 116 | Torsion bar worn or corroded | <0.01% |
| 117 | Brake relay lever fault | <0.01% |
| 118 | Passenger seat fault | <0.01% |
| 119 | Access panel damaged or insecure | <0.01% |
| 120 | Trailing arm worn or corroded | <0.01% |
| 121 | Driver seat fault | <0.01% |
| 122 | Electronic parking brake fault | <0.01% |
| 123 | Engine oil leak | <0.01% |
| 124 | Torque or reaction arm worn | <0.01% |
| 125 | Hydraulic brake cylinder fault | <0.01% |
| 126 | Brake pressure or vacuum buildup insufficient | <0.01% |
| 127 | Electric power steering fault | <0.01% |
| 128 | Seat belt pre-tensioner fault | <0.01% |
| 129 | Handbrake mechanism or mounting fault | <0.01% |
| 130 | Steering lock stop fault | <0.01% |
| 131 | Brake back plate corroded or damaged | <0.01% |
| 132 | Brake linkage mounting fault | <0.01% |
| 133 | Rear fog lamp warning light fault | <0.01% |
| 134 | Wheel hub fault | <0.01% |
| 135 | Speed limiter fault | <0.01% |
| 136 | Brake fluid level low or contaminated | <0.01% |
| 137 | Brake slack adjuster fault | <0.01% |
| 138 | Bumper damaged or insecure | <0.01% |
| 139 | Handbrake lever fault | <0.01% |
| 140 | Headlamp levelling device fault | <0.01% |
| 141 | Loading door damaged or insecure | <0.01% |
| 142 | Panhard rod worn or corroded | <0.01% |
| 143 | Propshaft fault | <0.01% |
| 144 | Suspension coupling worn | <0.01% |
| 145 | Body strengthening plate corroded | <0.01% |
| 146 | Brake cable, rod, lever or linkage fault | <0.01% |
| 147 | Brake clevis joint worn | <0.01% |
| 148 | Brake fluid reservoir fault | <0.01% |
| 149 | Brake valve fault | <0.01% |
| 150 | Exhaust leak | <0.01% |
| 151 | Halfshaft fault | <0.01% |
| 152 | Axle corroded or damaged | <0.01% |
| 153 | Brake master cylinder fault | <0.01% |
| 154 | Brake master cylinder or servo mounting fault | <0.01% |
| 155 | Brake stationary pin worn | <0.01% |
| 156 | Electronic braking system fault | <0.01% |
| 157 | Hand-operated brake valve condition | <0.01% |
| 158 | Hinged tailboard damaged or insecure | <0.01% |
| 159 | Hydraulic fluid leak | <0.01% |
| 160 | Reversing lamp not working | <0.01% |
| 161 | Seat belt load limiter fault | <0.01% |
| 162 | Transmission drive belt fault | <0.01% |
| 163 | Tyre pressure monitoring system fault | <0.01% |
| 164 | Undertray damaged or missing | <0.01% |
Showing all 164 reasons — scroll inside the table for the full list.
Citroen Xsara Picasso MOT Failures by Category
Total MOT failure occurrences for the Citroen Xsara Picasso, grouped by category. Same data as the failures table above — just sliced by category instead of fault title. Hover a slice for the top failures in each category.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common Citroen Xsara Picasso problems?
Based on analysis of 2.4M Citroen Xsara Picasso MOT tests from DVSA data, we have 12 identified common problems across 1 generation. The most frequently flagged issue is "Stop lamp not working". Tyres & Wheels is the most common problem category.
Which Citroen Xsara Picasso generation has the most problems?
The Citroen Xsara Picasso Xsara Picasso (1999-2010) (1999–2010) has the highest number of identified common problems (20). Click the generation card above for the full breakdown.
How is this data calculated?
We analyse anonymised DVSA MOT test records under the Open Government Licence. An issue is classified as a "Common Problem" when it occurs significantly more often on a specific model than the UK average, confirmed at 99% statistical confidence. Read the full methodology page for details.
Can I report a problem with my Citroen Xsara Picasso?
Yes — use the "Tell Us About Your Problem" form on this page. Your report helps other Citroen Xsara Picasso owners spot problems early. All submissions are reviewed before being added to the public database.
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