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Citroen Relay Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Citroen Relay car check

Is the Citroen Relay reliable? We analysed 1,209,729 real MOT tests across 108,809 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 1,209,729 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
68.5%
Typical Mileage
87,555mi
Annual Mileage
6,926mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
31yrs

The Citroen Relay is about average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include parking brake: efficiency below requirements, registration plate lamp not working and windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Citroen Relay.

Citroen Relay Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Citroen Relay. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Citroen Relay MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a Citroen Relay to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

72.2%
2023
75.2%
2022
74.5%
2021
76.2%
2020
76.2%
2019
76.4%
2018
76.1%
2017
74.4%
2016
73.5%
2015
71.3%
2014
71.3%
2013
70.7%
2012
68.9%
2011
68.6%
2010
68.5%
2009
67.2%
2008
66.4%
2007
65.9%
2006
65.6%
2005
64.2%
2004

Citroen Relay Problems — What Goes Wrong?

The most common reasons a Citroen Relay fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 39,680
Registration plate lamp not working 31,479
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 28,039
Brake pipe excessively corroded 19,663
Stop lamp not working 19,404
position lamp(s) not working 19,147
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 18,472
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 18,445
Headlamp aim too low 18,397

Citroen Relay Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Citroen Relay owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
3,376 mi/yr
Typical
6,926 mi/yr
Average
9,204 mi/yr
Heavy usage
12,065 mi/yr

Citroen Relay MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Citroen Relay year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2023 245 72.2% 15,212 26,814 37,054
2022 242 75.2% 10,721 22,836 34,494
2021 491 74.5% 9,708 21,423 38,448
2020 2,061 76.2% 15,442 31,757 54,348
2019 29,740 76.2% 36,776 63,152 94,068
2018 40,638 76.4% 39,447 67,804 101,012
2017 57,278 76.1% 40,644 68,345 101,561
2016 65,729 74.4% 48,334 77,673 113,472
2015 70,704 73.5% 51,209 82,256 120,843
2014 63,910 71.3% 57,320 88,736 127,751
2013 49,225 71.3% 58,025 89,675 128,108
2012 50,837 70.7% 61,386 93,940 131,940
2011 48,198 68.9% 66,438 101,035 141,854
2010 48,510 68.6% 66,501 103,434 143,989
2009 40,395 68.5% 62,561 99,368 141,228
2008 72,950 67.2% 64,302 99,132 138,973
2007 78,480 66.4% 64,627 97,518 134,722
2006 79,448 65.9% 59,393 89,835 124,403
2005 71,215 65.6% 60,300 90,685 125,453
2004 71,480 64.2% 58,290 87,244 120,152

How Long Does a Citroen Relay Last?

Based on 108,809 Citroen Relay vehicles on UK roads.

Average
10.2 years
Median
10.0 years
Estimated max lifespan
31 years

Citroen Relay Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Citroen Relay MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
87,555 mi
75th Percentile
123,462 mi
95th Percentile
188,630 mi
Max Recorded
1,547,786 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Citroen Relay

Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.

Best year
2018

76.4% MOT pass rate from 40,638 tests

Year to avoid
1991

58.9% MOT pass rate from 90 tests

The best year to buy a used Citroen Relay is 2018, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 76.4% across 40,638 tests. The 1991 model year has the lowest pass rate at 58.9% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Citroen Relay Compare?

MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Citroen Relay THIS CAR 68.5% 1,209,729 87,555 mi 31 yrs
Citroen Xsara 69.1% 5,047,330 77,497 mi 28 yrs
Citroen Berlingo 70.1% 4,453,235 83,738 mi 29 yrs
Citroen C3 72.7% 4,435,918 53,913 mi 24 yrs
Subaru Forester 76.1% 456,470 85,220 mi 29 yrs

Compared to the Citroen Xsara (69.1% pass rate) and the Citroen Berlingo (70.1% pass rate), the Citroen Relay trails behind on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Citroen Relay?

The Citroen Relay has an overall MOT pass rate of 68.5% across 1,209,729 real MOT tests — roughly in line with the UK average.

The most common problems on the Citroen Relay are parking brake: efficiency below requirements (39,680 recorded failures), registration plate lamp not working (31,479), and windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (28,039). These are the faults most likely to cause an MOT failure on this model, so check for them carefully on any test drive or pre-purchase inspection. Many are wear-and-tear items that can be budgeted for, but a car that's already failing on multiple fronts may signal neglected maintenance.

A typical Citroen Relay owner drives around 6,926 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.

In terms of longevity, most Citroen Relay models stay on UK roads for around 31 years — a strong showing that suggests solid build quality and readily available parts. If you're buying one that's already approaching that window, the data suggests it has plenty of life left provided it's been maintained.

Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.

Citroen Relay — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Citroen Relay reliable?
Based on 1,209,729 MOT tests, the Citroen Relay has a 68.5% pass rate — about average for UK cars.
What are the common problems on a Citroen Relay?
The most common MOT failures are parking brake: efficiency below requirements, registration plate lamp not working, and windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively. Check these on any test drive.
How many miles does a Citroen Relay do per year?
The typical Citroen Relay does around 6,926 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Citroen Relay last?
Most Citroen Relay models stay on UK roads for around 31 years based on our analysis of 108,809 vehicles.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Citroen Relay?
Yes. An MOT pass rate tells you about the model in general, but a vehicle history check reveals the specific car's finance, stolen, write-off and mileage history — things the seller may not disclose.
What is the best year to buy a Citroen Relay?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Citroen Relay is 2018 with a 76.4% pass rate across 40,638 tests.