2012 Honda Accord — MOT failures & pass rate
7,212 MOT tests on the 2012 Honda Accord are in this dataset, and 81.8% of them passed. Large family cars of a similar age fail 21.6% of the time, so this is 3.4pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 10.8% of all tests — 3.4 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp, position lamp and brake pads — headlamp alone was recorded 330 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 5.9% in the 0-30k band and 23.0% in the 150k+ band, a 17.1-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 4.4pp more often than petrol ones (19.2% vs 14.8%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 25.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 16.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 18.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.8% | 782 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.5% | 538 |
| 3 | Tyres | 5.3% | 384 |
| 4 | Suspension | 5.1% | 367 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.6% | 187 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.1% | 76 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp | 330 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 317 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 289 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 268 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 192 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 164 |
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 | 25.2% | 1,818 |
| 2 | Suspension | 20.5% | 1,480 |
| 3 | Brakes | 20.2% | 1,459 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 10.5% | 756 |
| 5 | Other defects | 9.5% | 687 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.6% | 332 |
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 | 119 | 5.9% |
| 30-60k | 989 | 11.7% |
| 60-90k | 1,866 | 15.2% |
| 90-120k | 1,853 | 20.2% |
| 120-150k | 1,196 | 21.2% |
| 150k+ | 1,184 | 23.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 5,520 | 19.2% |
| Petrol | 1,688 | 14.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,512 | 16.3% |
| 2022 | 1,505 | 18.5% |
| 2023 | 1,448 | 17.5% |
| 2024 | 1,420 | 19.9% |
| 2025 | 1,327 | 18.8% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Accord
On a 2012 Accord, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 10.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (10.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.5% 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.
- Tyres (5.3% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
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 2012 Honda Accords pass their MOT?
81.8% of the 7,212 2012 Honda Accord MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Honda Accord?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.8% of tests, followed by brakes (7.5%).
Does the 2012 Accord get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.9% in the 0-30k band to 23.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 7,212 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.