Citroen Berlingo 2022: reliability & common MOT faults

In 2025, 72 in every 100 first MOTs on a 2022 Citroen Berlingo were passes. Most common reason for a fail: Horn.

Summary

At the same mileage, a petrol 2022 Citroen Berlingo passed first time more often than a diesel one: 79 in every 100 against 71 in every 100.

At a glance

How 6,789 first tests went in 2025.

Passed first time
72 in every 100
Did not pass first time
28 in every 1001,910 failed first-attempt tests
The typical car
3 yearsabout 40,804 miles
First tests counted
6,789

What failed most often

  1. Horn15 in every 100 failed tests
  2. Headlight aim12 in every 100 failed tests
  3. Number plate lights10 in every 100 failed tests

How we count this. Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Only Class 4 cars on their first MOT of the year are counted. A car that fails and is fixed at the test station still counts as a fail in the first-attempt rate. These are raw results, not adjusted for age, mileage, or peer mix. The MOT does not test engine or gearbox internals.

Note:

These are patterns across 2022 Citroen Berlingo vehicles in 2025, not a prediction that any one car will have them. Faults are grouped by part of the car. A wear pattern follows age and use more than the way the car was built. They come from MOT defect codes, not manufacturer bulletins, recalls or a diagnosis of any one car.

Lamps and electrical

Three faults and one wear pattern. The strongest is the horn: 28 times as often as on similar cars.

Figures below are measured across the 1,909 of 1,910 failed first attempts (99.9%) that recorded an odometer reading in 2025. Mileage is needed to compare like with like.

We only list faults with at least 20 failures and a rate of about 2.0 times that of similar cars, which keeps one-off results out of the list.

Horn

Failed on 281 first tests28 times as often as similar carsStrong evidence

What it means

A horn that does not work, or is likely to be confused with an emergency vehicle siren, is graded Major. Gongs, bells, sirens and anything with more than one tone, which includes a horn that alternates between its notes, are not allowed, except a gong, bell or siren on vehicles first used before a set date. Sound defects are Minor for named cases such as a bell or harsh sound, and Major under a general row.

Number plate lights (rear)

Failed on 196 first tests5.6 times as often as similar carsStrong evidence

What it means

Registration plate lamps must light up the rear registration plate and operate at the same time as the position lamps. A missing or inoperative lamp is Major when the plate has only one lamp or all its lamps are not working, and Minor when the plate has several lamps or light sources and not all have failed. A lamp throwing direct white light to the rear is also Minor.

Headlight aim not tested

Failed on 34 first tests4.6 times as often as similar carsWear pattern

What it means

Headlamp aim recorded as not tested, or unable to be tested, is a Major failure. These results must only be used where it becomes apparent during the test that the item cannot be tested, and this could not have been identified before starting. The reason must be included in the additional information box.

Headlight (front)

Failed on 150 first tests4.0 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

On vehicles first used on or after a set date, a halogen headlamp unit converted to take HID or LED bulbs fails for light source and lamp not compatible, which is Major. A complete unit built with those light sources is not failed for that. The precise position of the lamps is not part of the inspection beyond a visual look to see that they sit at about the same height and distance from each side.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage.

Brakes

One wear pattern: brake discs (rear), 3.6 times as often as on similar cars.

Brake discs (rear)

Failed on 79 first tests3.6 times as often as similar carsWear pattern

What it means

A brake disc or drum must be significantly worn before it is rejected, and being worn below the manufacturer's recommended limits is not a reason in itself. Significantly and obviously worn is Major, as is contamination with oil or grease. A disc or drum that is fractured, insecure, seriously weakened or missing is graded Dangerous.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 260 first tests, 2.2 times as often as on similar cars.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage. Advisories count notes recorded on failed first tests only.

Body and structure

One fault: drive shaft joints and boots (front), 3.4 times as often as on similar cars.

Drive shaft joints and boots (front)

Failed on 63 first tests3.4 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

A constant velocity boot that is only severely deteriorated is Minor. It is Major once it is missing, split or insecure so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt. A transmission joint excessively worn is Major, and graded Dangerous when it is so worn it is likely to fail.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage.

Advisories

Other things testers noted as worn or close to failing, more often than on similar cars.

An advisory is a note from the tester about something that has not failed yet. It is an early warning, not a fail. Advisories for the faults above are shown with those faults.

Brake light

Noted on 26 first tests12 times as often as similar carsElevated evidence

Brake performance (roller test, rear)

Noted on 41 first tests3.1 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Counts cover advisories recorded on failed first tests only, compared with cars of the same age and mileage.

MOT pass rates

How first tests ended, and how the pass rates are counted.

Passed first time
72in every 100
Passed on the first test.
Fixed at the station
8in every 100
Failed, then fixed at the test station the same day.
Failed
20in every 100
Did not pass, and were not fixed at the test station.

First-attempt pass 71.9% of 6,789 first tests (2025): only cars that passed first time count. Official-style pass 80.3%: cars fixed at the test station also count as a pass. The 8 fixed and the 20 not fixed make the 28 in every 100 that did not pass first time.

Petrol and diesel

First testsTypical mileagePassed first time, as testedPassed first time, same mileage
Diesel6,13842,797 miles7171
Petrol64819,162 miles8479

Figures are in every 100 first tests. Cars with more miles usually fail more often, so the same-mileage figure gives every fuel the mileage mix of all the cars in this year.

Same model, other years

Passed first time in every 100, all tested in 2025.

40608010020002005201020152022Older cars
406080100200020102022Older cars

Newer cars are younger, so look for a jump rather than the climb.

YearPassed first timeFirst tests
200053 in every 100339
200151 in every 100686
200252 in every 1001,209
200351 in every 1002,128
200453 in every 1002,708
200550 in every 1002,891
200653 in every 1004,001
200752 in every 1004,182
200850 in every 1004,577
200949 in every 1007,107
201050 in every 1006,459
201149 in every 1007,160
201252 in every 1008,849
201352 in every 10011,431
201453 in every 10013,356
201555 in every 10014,277
201658 in every 10013,570
201758 in every 10012,952
201861 in every 10012,996
201972 in every 10014,646
202074 in every 10011,823
202172 in every 10011,383
2022 This car72 in every 1006,789

If you are buying one

What this year's MOT record means for the decision in front of you.

Mileage matters most on a 2022 Berlingo.

Of 2022 Berlingo vehicles with under 23,000 miles, 86 in every 100 passed their 2025 MOT first time. With 62,000 miles or more, 62 in every 100 did.

Under 23,0001,379 tests
86
23,000–35,0001,374 tests
75
35,000–47,000 Typical car1,329 tests
69
47,000–62,0001,318 tests
67
62,000 and over1,388 tests
62

Petrol or diesel?

Typical mileagePassed first time,
as tested
Passed first time,
same mileage
Diesel42,797 miles7171
Petrol19,162 miles8479

Figures are in every 100 first tests. Part of the gap is mileage: diesel cars have done more miles. Even at the same mileage, petrol passed more often (79 against 71 in every 100).


What to check at your mileage

How often each fault turned up on a failed first test, by the car's mileage. Read it as: what is likely to need looking at on a car like the one in front of you.

Under 23,00035,000–47,00062,000 and over
Horn2.24.74.6
Headlight aim1.14.05.8
Number plate lights0.41.96.7
Brake pads (rear)0.12.54.0
Windscreen washers1.02.43.0

Faults per 100 first tests, by the car's mileage at the test.


When a car fails

42in every 100

of failed cars had one item to fix.

31in every 100

of failed cars had three or more items to fix.

7in every 100

of all first tests had a defect the tester marked dangerous (unsafe to drive away).


Every figure here is a first-attempt MOT rate from DVSA open data for this model line, for cars of this model year tested in 2025. Each mileage band holds a fifth of the tests. MOTs do not test engine or gearbox internals, so this is a pre-purchase checklist, not a full reliability score.

FAQs

Short answers about how to read this model-year guide.

At the same mileage, a petrol 2022 Citroen Berlingo passed first time more often than a diesel one: 79 in every 100 against 71 in every 100. In 2025, 71.9% of 6,789 first MOTs on the 2022 Citroen Berlingo passed first time (PRS: items fixed at the station the same day, counted as a fail). The official-style rate including PRS is 80.3%. Among 1,910 failed first-attempt MOT tests (test year 2025), Horn appears more often than on similar cars (14.7% of those tests; 281 observed failures; about 28× more often than similar cars). There is no single reliability score here; this is a pre-purchase checklist built from DVSA open data, not a guarantee for any individual car.
Ranked by how often they were actually recorded, the items that most often failed a 2022 Citroen Berlingo at the first attempt were Horn (14.7%), Headlight aim (12.4%) and Number plate lights (10.3%), each as a share of the year's failed first attempts. That is what goes wrong most often on the car. The common faults table shows a different measure: faults that are unusual compared with similar cars.
Among failed first-attempt tests we highlight patterns that appear more often than on similar cars. Top example: Horn (14.7% of those tests; 281 observed failures; about 28× more often than similar cars). These are statistical signals, not a diagnosis of any individual car.
Horn shows up more often than on similar cars (14.7% of those tests; 281 observed failures; about 28× more often than similar cars). That does not prove a design fault. Age, mileage, and how the car was used still matter. Treat it as a pre-purchase checkpoint, not a manufacturer service bulletin.
Common MOT problem areas for the 2022 Citroen Berlingo include Horn, Number plate lights (rear), Headlight (front). These are the faults that stand out compared with similar cars, not a complete list of what can go wrong on any individual car.
Advisories flag issues noted at the test and are not a fail rate. We show advisory patterns that appear more often than on similar cars among failed first-attempt tests, separate from common failure rows. Use them as early-warning checks, not as a pass/fail score.
This page highlights MOT failure patterns for the 2022 Citroen Berlingo (registration year) using UK DVSA open data for the selected test year. Patterns are compared with cars of a similar age and mileage. It is a buyer checklist from MOT defect statistics, not a full service history or manufacturer service-bulletin list.
No. MOT tests do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronic modules. Patterns here come from MOT defect statistics only and should not be read as engine or gearbox reliability scores.

About this data

How this page is built and what it can (and can't) say.

These figures come from UK MOT open data for this model year. We surface common failure patterns against similar cars, not a full reliability score, and not a pass/fail verdict on any individual vehicle.

2024 2025

What we include

UK Class 4 cars only. Normal MOT tests (not retests); first test per vehicle per calendar year; results pass, PRS, or fail.

Same-day repairs

PRS means the car failed items that were fixed at the test station and then passed the same day. We count PRS as a first-attempt fail in headline rates so same-day repairs do not hide problems.

How we compare

We compare this model year with other Class 4 cars of similar age and mileage in the same test year. This model family is left out of the peer group so the car is not measured against itself.

What this does not cover

  • MOTs do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronics; this is not a full reliability score.
  • Common faults come from MOT defect stats, not manufacturer TSBs or recalls.
  • Age and mileage matching reduces, but does not remove, differences in how cars were used and maintained.
  • If the data for a car is too thin to say anything useful, we say so rather than guess.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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