2014 Honda Accord — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2014 Honda Accord passed 85.8% of its 2,511 recorded MOT tests. Against large family cars of a similar age (18.7% fail rate), the 2014 Accord comes out 4.5pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (7.6%) and brakes (5.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, brake pads and headlamp aim — position lamp alone was recorded 80 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 9.7% in the 0-30k band and 19.8% in the 150k+ band, a 10.1-point spread — more than double.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 13.8% of the time against 14.5% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 23.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 12.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 16.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.6% | 190 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.4% | 136 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.5% | 113 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.1% | 77 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.6% | 66 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.6% | 16 |
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 | 80 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 74 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 72 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 61 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 51 |
| 6 | Wipers | 49 |
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 | 23.0% | 577 |
| 2 | Brakes | 15.5% | 389 |
| 3 | Suspension | 12.2% | 305 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.6% | 192 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.3% | 109 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 3.6% | 91 |
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 | 196 | 9.7% |
| 30-60k | 761 | 9.9% |
| 60-90k | 700 | 14.9% |
| 90-120k | 469 | 17.5% |
| 120-150k | 200 | 19.5% |
| 150k+ | 182 | 19.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 1,563 | 14.5% |
| Petrol | 937 | 13.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 516 | 12.0% |
| 2022 | 497 | 12.3% |
| 2023 | 513 | 15.6% |
| 2024 | 498 | 15.1% |
| 2025 | 487 | 16.0% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Accord
On a 2014 Accord, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 7.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (7.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (5.4% 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.
- Tyres (4.5% 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 2014 Honda Accords pass their MOT?
85.8% of the 2,511 2014 Honda Accord MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Honda Accord?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.6% of tests, followed by brakes (5.4%).
Does the 2014 Accord get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.7% in the 0-30k band to 19.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,511 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.