2015 Honda Accord — MOT failures & pass rate
920 MOT tests on the 2015 Honda Accord are in this dataset, and 90.2% of them passed. Large family cars of a similar age fail 17.0% of the time, so this is 7.3pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (4.9%) and brakes (3.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, wipers and headlamp — brake pads alone was recorded 25 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 8.3% in the 0-30k band and 14.3% in the 150k+ band, a 6.0-point spread.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 25.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 7.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 4.9% | 45 |
| 2 | Brakes | 3.9% | 36 |
| 3 | Tyres | 3.0% | 28 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.6% | 24 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.0% | 18 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.3% | 3 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 25 |
| 2 | Wipers | 23 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 20 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 17 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 13 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 12 |
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 | 25.0% | 230 |
| 2 | Brakes | 15.9% | 146 |
| 3 | Suspension | 10.5% | 97 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.3% | 67 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.8% | 44 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 3.5% | 32 |
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 | 60 | 8.3% |
| 30-60k | 330 | 7.3% |
| 60-90k | 283 | 9.9% |
| 90-120k | 145 | 12.4% |
| 120-150k | 67 | 14.9% |
| 150k+ | 35 | 14.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 624 | 10.6% |
| Petrol | 288 | 8.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 184 | 7.6% |
| 2022 | 186 | 9.7% |
| 2023 | 175 | 6.9% |
| 2024 | 188 | 12.2% |
| 2025 | 187 | 12.3% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Accord
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 4.9% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (4.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (3.9% 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 (3.0% 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 2015 Honda Accords pass their MOT?
90.2% of the 920 2015 Honda Accord MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Honda Accord?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 4.9% of tests, followed by brakes (3.9%).
Does the 2015 Accord get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.3% in the 0-30k band to 14.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 920 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.