2019 Citroen Relay 2.0L Diesel · CE19 LUY

A pattern of electrical and lighting defects dominates the test history of this 2019 Citroen Relay, with the horn failing on two separate occasions in 2022 and 2024 and an offside headlamp and rear position lamp also presenting as Major defects at the most recent attempt. Although the vehicle ultimately passed on 20 February 2024, this was only after rectifying those three Major items on the same day as a failure, which means a prospective buyer must satisfy themselves that the underlying causes were properly resolved rather than simply cleared for test. The earlier 2022 pass was entirely clean of advisories, but since then brake pads at both axles have been flagged as wearing thin, and the latest test adds advisories for both rear tyres being worn close to the legal limit on their edges, suggesting that wear-related deterioration is now occurring at multiple contact points simultaneously. The recorded mileage of 112,228 against a vehicle of approximately seven years of age equates to an annual accumulation of around 16,000 miles, which is high for a vehicle of this type and indicates sustained commercial or heavy-duty use. This kind of mileage tends to accelerate wear on suspension bushes, coil springs, anti-roll bar linkages, wheel bearings and drivetrain mountings, even when individual MOT results do not specifically flag those items, and the absence of recorded advisories on the 2022 test should be read against the likelihood that intervening wear has developed since. There are no multi-year gaps in the testing record, so there is no suggestion of extended standing periods that might otherwise mask underlying corrosion, and the consistent year-on-year testing is at least an indicator that the vehicle has remained in regular service rather than laid up. Given the dual brake pad advisories from February 2023, a buyer should confirm on inspection that the front and rear pads have since been replaced with quality components, and that the corresponding brake discs have been measured for remaining thickness and checked for lipping or scoring, as high-mileage commercial vans frequently wear discs in tandem with pads and skimmed or excessively worn discs can produce pedal judder under load. The edge wear on both rear tyres recorded in the latest test is also worth investigating directly, as uneven shoulder wear on a panel van often points to incorrect tracking, worn rear suspension bushes, or a sagging rear leaf spring pack, all of which are common at this mileage and can produce instability or a wandering feel when unladen on the motorway. A test drive should therefore include a loaded run if possible, with particular attention to any knocking from the rear axle over bumps, vague steering, or pulling under braking. The recurring horn failures warrant a functional check of the actual unit, the steering wheel contact ring and the associated wiring, since intermittent horn operation is often traced back to worn clock-spring connectors in high-use vehicles. The headlamp and rear lamp failures from the same test should also be examined for evidence of water ingress into the lamp units, corroded multi-plug connectors, or fractured wiring within the engine bay loom, all of which are known weaknesses on Relay platform vehicles and are likely to recur if the repairs were limited to component replacement without addressing the root cause. Finally, beyond the flagged items, the high overall mileage makes a thorough inspection of the clutch for slipping or judder, the gearbox synchros for crunchy selection, and the underside of the body and subframe mounting areas for any emerging corrosion strongly advisable before purchase.