1999 Honda Civic — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 11,156 MOT tests analysed for the 1999 Honda Civic, the most common recorded failure areas were lighting & signalling, body, structure & corrosion and brakes. Its pass rate of 73.7% was above the average for small family cars of a similar age (72.2%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 28.5% in the 150k+ group versus 15.4% in the 0-30k group.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 14.5% | 1,618 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.2% | 1,132 |
| 3 | Brakes | 9.5% | 1,059 |
| 4 | Suspension | 9.1% | 1,011 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 7.4% | 827 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.2% | 584 |
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 | 863 |
| 2 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 826 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 723 |
| 4 | Joints | 645 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 497 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 481 |
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% | 4,083 |
| 2 | Brakes | 26.0% | 2,901 |
| 3 | Tyres | 23.8% | 2,658 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 19.0% | 2,121 |
| 5 | Other defects | 16.5% | 1,839 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 15.2% | 1,698 |
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 | 1,620 | 20.9% |
| 60-90k | 3,302 | 26.1% |
| 90-120k | 3,318 | 27.6% |
| 120-150k | 1,742 | 29.1% |
| 150k+ | 987 | 28.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,197 | 27.2% |
| 2022 | 2,684 | 26.8% |
| 2023 | 2,135 | 25.4% |
| 2024 | 1,708 | 25.6% |
| 2025 | 1,432 | 25.1% |
What to check before buying a 1999 Civic
Before buying a 1999 Honda Civic, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Lighting & signalling accounted for 14.5% of tests for this year.
- 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 (10.2% 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 (9.5% 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.
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?
73.7% of the 11,156 1999 Honda Civic MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 26.3% 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 (10.2%).
Does the 1999 Civic get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 15.4% in the 0-30k band to 28.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 11,156 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.