1999 Honda Civic — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 11,353 MOT tests, the 1999 Honda Civic recorded a 73.8% pass rate. That is 1.1 percentage points better than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 27.4%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, body, structure & corrosion and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.5% of tests against 10.1% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, component mounting prescribed areas and headlamp aim — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 880 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 15.4% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 28.4% once past 150k.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 36.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 27.2% in 2021 to 25.3% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 14.5% | 1,647 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.1% | 1,150 |
| 3 | Brakes | 9.6% | 1,084 |
| 4 | Suspension | 9.0% | 1,028 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 7.4% | 838 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.3% | 597 |
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 | 880 |
| 2 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 835 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 738 |
| 4 | Joints | 655 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 499 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 490 |
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 | 36.6% | 4,159 |
| 2 | Brakes | 26.1% | 2,965 |
| 3 | Tyres | 23.7% | 2,693 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 19.1% | 2,167 |
| 5 | Other defects | 16.4% | 1,864 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 15.3% | 1,733 |
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 | 182 | 15.4% |
| 30-60k | 1,631 | 20.8% |
| 60-90k | 3,344 | 26.1% |
| 90-120k | 3,368 | 27.5% |
| 120-150k | 1,802 | 29.0% |
| 150k+ | 1,021 | 28.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,249 | 27.2% |
| 2022 | 2,733 | 26.8% |
| 2023 | 2,170 | 25.2% |
| 2024 | 1,736 | 25.8% |
| 2025 | 1,465 | 25.3% |
What to check before buying a 1999 Civic
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 14.5% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (14.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (10.1% 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 (9.6% 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 1999 Honda Civics pass their MOT?
73.8% of the 11,353 1999 Honda Civic MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 26.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1999 Honda Civic?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.5% of tests, followed by body, structure & corrosion (10.1%).
Does the 1999 Civic get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 15.4% in the 0-30k band to 28.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 11,353 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.