1997 Honda Accord — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 647 MOT tests, the 1997 Honda Accord recorded a 71.4% pass rate. Against large family cars of a similar age (26.9% fail rate), the 1997 Accord comes out 1.7pp worse. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (14.4%) and lighting & signalling (12.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, rbt (sp) and component mounting prescribed areas — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 63 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 20.7% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 26.8% once past 150k.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 32.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 14.4% | 93 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 12.2% | 79 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.4% | 67 |
| 4 | Suspension | 8.7% | 56 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 7.7% | 50 |
| 6 | Visibility | 6.2% | 40 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 63 |
| 2 | Rbt (sp) | 49 |
| 3 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 45 |
| 4 | Joints | 42 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 34 |
| 6 | Washers | 27 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 32.6% | 211 |
| 2 | Brakes | 27.5% | 178 |
| 3 | Tyres | 24.3% | 157 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 22.3% | 144 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 20.7% | 134 |
| 6 | Other defects | 15.8% | 102 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 82 | 20.7% |
| 60-90k | 159 | 28.9% |
| 90-120k | 225 | 28.9% |
| 120-150k | 101 | 36.6% |
| 150k+ | 71 | 26.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 199 | 28.1% |
| 2022 | 150 | 23.3% |
| 2023 | 129 | 34.9% |
| 2024 | 94 | 29.8% |
| 2025 | 75 | 28.0% |
What to check before buying a 1997 Accord
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 14.4% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (14.4% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Lighting & signalling (12.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (10.4% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 1997 Honda Accords pass their MOT?
71.4% of the 647 1997 Honda Accord MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 28.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1997 Honda Accord?
Brakes, recorded in 14.4% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (12.2%).
Does the 1997 Accord get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 20.7% in the 30-60k band to 26.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 647 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.