2003 Honda Civic — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 60,010 MOT tests, the 2003 Honda Civic recorded a 71.6% pass rate. Small family cars of a similar age fail at 28.1%, so the 2003 Civic sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 19.3% of all tests — 3.3 points clear of suspension, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, component mounting prescribed areas and position lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 4,927 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 32.8% versus 17.9%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.5pp more often than petrol ones (31.8% vs 28.3%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 41.2% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 19.3% | 11,563 |
| 2 | Suspension | 16.0% | 9,583 |
| 3 | Brakes | 10.6% | 6,384 |
| 4 | Visibility | 6.4% | 3,836 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.7% | 3,438 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.2% | 3,106 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 4,927 |
| 2 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 4,806 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 4,592 |
| 4 | Pins and bushes | 3,482 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 3,395 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 3,194 |
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 | 41.2% | 24,727 |
| 2 | Brakes | 32.4% | 19,426 |
| 3 | Tyres | 27.3% | 16,404 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 21.0% | 12,589 |
| 5 | Other defects | 13.1% | 7,850 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.3% | 6,798 |
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 | 576 | 17.9% |
| 30-60k | 5,783 | 20.9% |
| 60-90k | 14,502 | 26.3% |
| 90-120k | 18,714 | 28.9% |
| 120-150k | 13,658 | 31.3% |
| 150k+ | 6,645 | 32.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 58,527 | 28.3% |
| Diesel | 1,288 | 31.8% |
| Other | 84 | 23.8% |
| Hybrid | 56 | 19.6% |
| Electric | 55 | 27.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 16,508 | 28.8% |
| 2022 | 13,709 | 28.0% |
| 2023 | 11,737 | 28.2% |
| 2024 | 9,879 | 28.6% |
| 2025 | 8,177 | 28.3% |
What to check before buying a 2003 Civic
On a 2003 Civic, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 19.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (19.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (16.0% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Brakes (10.6% 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 2003 Honda Civics pass their MOT?
71.6% of the 60,010 2003 Honda Civic MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 28.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2003 Honda Civic?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 19.3% of tests, followed by suspension (16.0%).
Does the 2003 Civic get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 17.9% in the 0-30k band to 32.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 60,010 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.