Known APK problem
Citroën C3 III: lights
On the Citroën C3 III the APK inspector finds lights problems 80% more often than on cars of the same age: at 7–8 years 20.2%, against about 11.2% nationally.
Window: Oct 2025 – Sep 2026 · Updated: 16 Oct 2026
What is it?
Broken bulbs, misaligned headlights or damaged light units.
How to check it at the viewing
Walk around with the lights, indicators, brake lights and rear fog light on. Look for moisture in the headlights.
Ask the seller: Have the headlights been aligned, and has there been moisture in the light units?
By age
Share of inspected Citroën C3 IIIs with this defect, compared with all cars of the same age.
| Age | Type | C3 III | National | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 – 4 years | B | 9.0% | 6.4% | 1.4× |
| 5 – 6 years | B | 13.0% | 7.6% | 1.7× |
| 7 – 8 years | B | 20.2% | 11.2% | 1.8× |
| 9 – 10 years | B | 20.0% | 13.3% | 1.5× |
A = structure, safety or costly mechanics; B = fail, usually simple; C = advisory. An age is missing when this defect is not among the most common there.
Comparable cars at 7–8 years
| Model | Lights | Vs. national |
|---|---|---|
| Citroën C3 III | 20.2% | 1.8× |
| SEAT Ibiza V | 9.8% | 0.9× |
| Renault Zoe | 16.0% | 1.4× |
| Audi A1 (GB) | 7.0% | 0.6× |
| Hyundai i20 II | 11.8% | 1.1× |
| Nissan Micra V | 10.5% | 0.9× |
Looking at a Citroën C3 III? Check that car
Enter the plate and see the APK history, open recalls and how this car compares with other Citroën C3 IIIs of the same age.
All weak spots of the Citroën C3 III · Lights: which models more often · Checklist for this model
Frequently asked questions
Does the Citroën C3 III often have lights problems?
Yes, more often than average at the APK. At 7–8 years the inspector found a lights defect on 20.2% of inspected Citroën C3 IIIs, against about 11.2% of all cars of the same age (1.8×). Source: RDW Open Data, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026.
How do you check the lights on a used Citroën C3 III?
Walk around with the lights, indicators, brake lights and rear fog light on. Look for moisture in the headlights.
Repair indication: small, medium or large. An indication of the usual repair, not a quote: the real cost depends on the car, the cause and the garage.
Source: RDW Open Data (CC0), analysis CarXray.nl. 6,857,004 inspected passenger cars aged 3 years and older, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026. Each car counts once. How we know