2004 Honda Civic — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2004 Honda Civic passed 72.6% of its 79,644 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as small family cars of a similar age (28.0% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 19.0% of tests against 14.1% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, headlamp and position lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 7,587 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 16.3% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 31.2% once past 150k.
The petrol cars hold up better: 27.3% fail against 31.6% for diesel, a 4.3-point gap across 79,341 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 40.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 19.0% | 15,120 |
| 2 | Suspension | 14.1% | 11,270 |
| 3 | Brakes | 11.7% | 9,285 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 5.9% | 4,737 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.8% | 4,619 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.2% | 4,119 |
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 | 7,587 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 6,868 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 5,709 |
| 4 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 4,747 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 4,447 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 3,551 |
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 | 40.4% | 32,171 |
| 2 | Brakes | 34.0% | 27,093 |
| 3 | Tyres | 26.7% | 21,256 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 21.2% | 16,898 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 13.0% | 10,385 |
| 6 | Other defects | 10.9% | 8,650 |
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 | 722 | 16.3% |
| 30-60k | 6,586 | 19.3% |
| 60-90k | 17,744 | 25.0% |
| 90-120k | 24,573 | 28.0% |
| 120-150k | 19,249 | 29.7% |
| 150k+ | 10,619 | 31.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 77,123 | 27.3% |
| Diesel | 2,218 | 31.6% |
| Hybrid | 101 | 25.7% |
| Electric | 101 | 25.7% |
| Other | 101 | 27.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 20,834 | 27.4% |
| 2022 | 17,906 | 27.0% |
| 2023 | 15,852 | 27.5% |
| 2024 | 13,651 | 27.9% |
| 2025 | 11,401 | 27.2% |
What to check before buying a 2004 Civic
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 19.0% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (19.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (14.1% 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 (11.7% 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 2004 Honda Civics pass their MOT?
72.6% of the 79,644 2004 Honda Civic MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 27.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2004 Honda Civic?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 19.0% of tests, followed by suspension (14.1%).
Does the 2004 Civic get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 16.3% in the 0-30k band to 31.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 79,644 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.