2010 Honda Accord — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 7,986 MOT tests, the 2010 Honda Accord recorded an 80.7% pass rate. That is 4.8 percentage points better than large family cars of a similar age, which fail at 24.1%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 12.0% of all tests — 3.6 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp, position lamp and headlamp aim — headlamp alone was recorded 398 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 22.4% versus 10.3%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.9pp more often than petrol ones (20.6% vs 16.8%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 25.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 17.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 12.0% | 957 |
| 2 | Brakes | 8.3% | 666 |
| 3 | Suspension | 6.6% | 530 |
| 4 | Tyres | 4.8% | 386 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.0% | 238 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.4% | 115 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp | 398 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 369 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 365 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 310 |
| 5 | Ball joint | 281 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 231 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 25.7% | 2,055 |
| 2 | Suspension | 24.5% | 1,956 |
| 3 | Brakes | 21.8% | 1,742 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 13.6% | 1,088 |
| 5 | Other defects | 10.0% | 797 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.5% | 436 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 87 | 10.3% |
| 30-60k | 647 | 11.9% |
| 60-90k | 1,470 | 16.5% |
| 90-120k | 1,958 | 18.9% |
| 120-150k | 1,760 | 21.4% |
| 150k+ | 2,059 | 22.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 5,139 | 20.6% |
| Petrol | 2,847 | 16.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,723 | 17.9% |
| 2022 | 1,690 | 18.7% |
| 2023 | 1,600 | 18.7% |
| 2024 | 1,525 | 19.8% |
| 2025 | 1,448 | 21.6% |
What to check before buying a 2010 Accord
On a 2010 Accord, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 12.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (12.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (8.3% 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.
- Suspension (6.6% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
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 2010 Honda Accords pass their MOT?
80.7% of the 7,986 2010 Honda Accord MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Honda Accord?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 12.0% of tests, followed by brakes (8.3%).
Does the 2010 Accord get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.3% in the 0-30k band to 22.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 7,986 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.