2011 Honda Accord — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2011 Honda Accord passed 81.9% of its 7,773 recorded MOT tests. Against large family cars of a similar age (22.9% fail rate), the 2011 Accord comes out 4.8pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.6% of tests against 7.1% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, headlamp and headlamp aim — position lamp alone was recorded 388 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 22.9% versus 7.4%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 13.7% fail against 19.8% for diesel, a 6.1-point gap across 7,768 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 25.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 15.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 11.6% | 904 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.1% | 553 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.9% | 456 |
| 4 | Tyres | 4.9% | 384 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.9% | 228 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.3% | 99 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 388 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 363 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 350 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 315 |
| 5 | Ball joint | 247 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 219 |
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 | 25.8% | 2,006 |
| 2 | Brakes | 21.6% | 1,679 |
| 3 | Suspension | 21.1% | 1,643 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 11.4% | 883 |
| 5 | Other defects | 9.6% | 748 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.8% | 450 |
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 | 81 | 7.4% |
| 30-60k | 724 | 7.2% |
| 60-90k | 1,733 | 14.4% |
| 90-120k | 1,995 | 19.1% |
| 120-150k | 1,615 | 21.4% |
| 150k+ | 1,620 | 22.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 5,631 | 19.8% |
| Petrol | 2,137 | 13.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,600 | 15.7% |
| 2022 | 1,597 | 17.0% |
| 2023 | 1,595 | 19.0% |
| 2024 | 1,525 | 19.6% |
| 2025 | 1,456 | 19.3% |
What to check before buying a 2011 Accord
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 11.6% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (11.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.1% 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 (5.9% 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 2011 Honda Accords pass their MOT?
81.9% of the 7,773 2011 Honda Accord MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Honda Accord?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.6% of tests, followed by brakes (7.1%).
Does the 2011 Accord get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.4% in the 0-30k band to 22.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 7,773 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.