The picture
C3 Picasso: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass
Across 7,763 MOT tests, the C3 Picasso returns 76.9% first-time pass — roughly in line with the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a missing CV-joint boot. A number-plate lamp out and a seriously damaged tyre round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 44,513, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
- 01
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
248 occurrences · 3.2% of tests
- 02
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
225 occurrences · 2.9% of tests
- 03
A tyre seriously damaged
173 occurrences · 2.2% of tests
- 04
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
157 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 05
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
143 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
- 06
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
130 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
- 07
Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn
122 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
- 08
A tyre cords visible or damaged
117 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
- 09
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
112 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
- 10
A tyre seriously damaged
107 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£96–£230
If every one of this C3 Picasso's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Build your own retest budget.
Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
H7 / W21W bulb pack
A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Brake pad measurement gauge
Testers fail pads under 1.5mm. A wear gauge tells you if you've got two months left or two weeks.
Search Amazon UK
Buying or keeping a C3 Picasso?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a C3 Picasso and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.