Buying Report · £14.99
Tools

Common problems by part

Citroen Berlingo steering problems

DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 59,249 MOT tests · Updated

At 8 years, 1.3 in 100 MOT tests of the Citroen Berlingo failed on steering, against 1.2 for all class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 59,249 MOT tests) [1].

Buying Report £14.99 incl. VAT · one car · no subscription · Not a mechanical inspection.

  • Against all class 4 vehicles the same age: about average for all class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years), 753 MOT tests with a fail
  • When it starts: clear of 1.2 times from 11 years and at every older age seen
  • Most common fail: Steering track rod end: ball joint play, 0.9 per 100 MOT tests

Figures are for the model as a whole, not for one car.

What the MOT tests show

What we know

1.3 fails per 100 MOT tests at 8 years, against 1.2 for all class 4 vehicles tested at 8 (all test years). That is about average.

Why it matters

A steering fail stops the car passing until it is fixed; the most common one is rated major by DVSA.

What to check

With the engine running, turn the wheel lock to lock: listen for knocks or groans and feel for play at the straight-ahead position. On the drive the car should not wander.

The Citroen Berlingo is a commercial or van-based vehicle: it is compared with all class 4 vehicles, cars and vans together, so part of any difference can come from how vans are used.

Citroen Berlingo steering fails by age

Citroen Berlingo steering fails per 100 MOT tests by ageSolid line: the Citroen Berlingo. Dashed line: all cars the same age. The table below lists every value.053 years: 0.2 per 100 (all cars 0.1), 50,444 MOT tests34 years: 0.4 per 100 (all cars 0.2), 55,884 MOT tests5 years: 0.8 per 100 (all cars 0.3), 57,209 MOT tests56 years: 0.8 per 100 (all cars 0.5), 58,567 MOT tests7 years: 1.0 per 100 (all cars 0.8), 58,585 MOT tests78 years: 1.3 per 100 (all cars 1.2), 59,249 MOT tests9 years: 1.9 per 100 (all cars 1.8), 58,170 MOT tests910 years: 2.7 per 100 (all cars 2.1), 53,333 MOT tests11 years: 3.4 per 100 (all cars 2.5), 46,079 MOT tests1112 years: 4.1 per 100 (all cars 2.8), 39,132 MOT tests13 years: 4.7 per 100 (all cars 2.9), 35,110 MOT tests1314 years: 5.5 per 100 (all cars 3.2), 31,328 MOT tests15 years: 6.0 per 100 (all cars 3.3), 29,184 MOT tests1516 years: 6.4 per 100 (all cars 3.4), 27,034 MOT tests17 years: 6.5 per 100 (all cars 3.6), 22,111 MOT tests1718 years: 6.3 per 100 (all cars 3.9), 19,507 MOT tests19 years: 6.3 per 100 (all cars 4.1), 16,762 MOT tests1920 years: 6.2 per 100 (all cars 4.2), 12,702 MOT tests21 years: 6.0 per 100 (all cars 4.2), 9,214 MOT tests2122 years: 6.3 per 100 (all cars 4.0), 5,727 MOT tests23 years: 7.4 per 100 (all cars 3.9), 3,070 MOT tests2324 years: 7.4 per 100 (all cars 3.7), 1,609 MOT tests
Fails per 100 MOT tests by age, all first-use years pooled. Citroen Berlingo All class 4 vehicles the same age Shaded: over 18 years, survivors only.
AgeMOT testsFails per 100All class 4 vehicles the same age
350,4440.20.1
455,8840.40.2
557,2090.80.3
658,5670.80.5
758,5851.00.8
859,2491.31.2
958,1701.91.8
1053,3332.72.1
1146,0793.42.5
1239,1324.12.8
1335,1104.72.9
1431,3285.53.2
1529,1846.03.3
1627,0346.43.4
1722,1116.53.6
1819,5076.33.9
19*16,7626.34.1
20*12,7026.24.2
21*9,2146.04.2
22*5,7276.34.0
23*3,0707.43.9
24*1,6097.43.7

All first-use years of the Citroen Berlingo pooled at each age, against all class 4 vehicles at that age over all 2022–2025 test years. * Only survivors are still tested at this age.

What fails in the steering at 8 years

Fails

  • Steering track rod end: ball joint play: 0.9 fails per 100 MOT tests, all class 4 vehicles 0.7. Replace track rod end: estimated £54–£128 (0.5–1 h at £78/h (ONS local-garage repair quotes, 1,058 quotes from 65 garages, Sep 2025 to Aug 2026) + parts £15–£50) Track rod end ball joint has excessive play MOT fail

Advisories (not fails)

Replace track rod end cost

Repair figures are estimates, not quotes: how we estimate repair costs.

Buying a Citroen Berlingo? Check that exact car before the viewing.

Buying Report £14.99 incl. VAT · one car · no subscription · Not a mechanical inspection.

  • Model risks for this year and fuel
  • What similar cars did at their next MOT
  • Repairs ahead
  • Viewing checklist

See a sample report

By engine and fuel

  • 1.6 diesel: 1.3 per 100 at 8 years, about average for diesel class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 58,503 MOT tests)
  • 1.5 diesel: 0.2 per 100 at 3 years, about average for diesel class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 37,145 MOT tests)

How to check on a test drive

With the engine running, turn the wheel lock to lock: listen for knocks or groans and feel for play at the straight-ahead position. On the drive the car should not wander.

The most common advisory here in MOT records: Play in steering rack inner joint(s).

Check one Citroen Berlingo, not the average

The figures here describe Citroen Berlingo cars as a group. These free tools answer for one car. Each line says what the tool reads.

Other Citroen Berlingo problems

Steering on rival models

Questions people ask

Does the Citroen Berlingo have more steering problems than other cars?

1.3 in 100 MOT tests at 8 years, against 1.2 for all class 4 vehicles the same age: about average by our test (all test years; 59,249 MOT tests).

How common are Citroen Berlingo steering problems?

1.3 in 100 MOT tests at 8 years failed on steering, against 1.2 for all class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 59,249 MOT tests).

What is the most common Citroen Berlingo steering fail?

0.9 in 100 MOT tests at 8 years: Steering track rod end: ball joint play (531 MOT tests with it).

At what age do Citroen Berlingo steering fails start?

11 years: from then on the rate stays clear of 1.2 times all class 4 vehicles the same age at every age seen, 298,569 MOT tests.

Sources

  1. Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 750,010 MOT tests. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
  2. Office for National Statistics, Consumer price inflation, local price quotes (car repair items). ONS price quotes, series 610236. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.

Parts: against all class 4 vehicles at the same age, all 2022–2025 test years pooled, not adjusted for mileage. Breakdowns and non-MOT faults are not in this data. How we compare