1998 Honda Civic — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1998 Honda Civic passed 73.5% of its 8,333 recorded MOT tests. Small family cars of a similar age fail at 27.0%, so the 1998 Civic sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, body, structure & corrosion and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 14.3% of all tests — 3.5 points clear of body, structure & corrosion, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, component mounting prescribed areas and joints — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 748 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 15.6% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 27.5% once past 150k.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 36.4% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 14.3% | 1,190 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.8% | 897 |
| 3 | Brakes | 9.3% | 778 |
| 4 | Suspension | 9.3% | 775 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 7.7% | 645 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.5% | 458 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 748 |
| 2 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 609 |
| 3 | Joints | 495 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 482 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 387 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 381 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 36.4% | 3,037 |
| 2 | Tyres | 24.1% | 2,011 |
| 3 | Brakes | 23.6% | 1,969 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 19.6% | 1,630 |
| 5 | Other defects | 15.9% | 1,323 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 12.6% | 1,047 |
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 | 109 | 15.6% |
| 30-60k | 1,297 | 22.4% |
| 60-90k | 2,487 | 25.9% |
| 90-120k | 2,317 | 28.2% |
| 120-150k | 1,322 | 28.7% |
| 150k+ | 789 | 27.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,337 | 26.9% |
| 2022 | 1,933 | 25.8% |
| 2023 | 1,612 | 26.1% |
| 2024 | 1,330 | 27.3% |
| 2025 | 1,121 | 26.4% |
What to check before buying a 1998 Civic
On a 1998 Civic, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 14.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (14.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (10.8% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
- Brakes (9.3% 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.
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 1998 Honda Civics pass their MOT?
73.5% of the 8,333 1998 Honda Civic MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 26.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1998 Honda Civic?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.3% of tests, followed by body, structure & corrosion (10.8%).
Does the 1998 Civic get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 15.6% in the 0-30k band to 27.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 8,333 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.