2009 Honda Civic — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 131,586 MOT tests, the 2009 Honda Civic recorded a 74.4% pass rate. Small family cars of a similar age fail at 25.4%, so the 2009 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 20.1% of all tests — 7.0 points clear of suspension, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, position lamp and stop lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 11,407 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 15.3% in the 0-30k band and 29.4% in the 150k+ band, a 14.1-point spread.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 11.8pp more often than hybrid ones (28.3% vs 16.5%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 32.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 24.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 27.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 20.1% | 26,470 |
| 2 | Suspension | 13.2% | 17,323 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.8% | 8,976 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.4% | 7,072 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.5% | 5,902 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.6% | 3,430 |
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 | 11,407 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 9,942 |
| 3 | Stop lamp | 8,497 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 8,211 |
| 5 | Shock absorbers | 6,757 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 4,716 |
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 | 32.0% | 42,137 |
| 2 | Tyres | 27.7% | 36,410 |
| 3 | Brakes | 24.6% | 32,368 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 18.9% | 24,800 |
| 5 | Other defects | 14.4% | 18,972 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.8% | 10,262 |
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 | 1,579 | 15.3% |
| 30-60k | 11,478 | 17.9% |
| 60-90k | 33,649 | 23.3% |
| 90-120k | 42,070 | 26.7% |
| 120-150k | 27,194 | 28.3% |
| 150k+ | 15,526 | 29.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 95,091 | 24.9% |
| Diesel | 33,975 | 28.3% |
| Hybrid | 1,295 | 16.5% |
| Other | 648 | 18.8% |
| Electric | 566 | 18.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 28,576 | 24.0% |
| 2022 | 28,012 | 24.9% |
| 2023 | 26,977 | 25.8% |
| 2024 | 25,025 | 26.4% |
| 2025 | 22,996 | 27.5% |
What to check before buying a 2009 Civic
On a 2009 Civic, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 20.1% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (20.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (13.2% 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 (6.8% 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 2009 Honda Civics pass their MOT?
74.4% of the 131,586 2009 Honda Civic MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 25.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2009 Honda Civic?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 20.1% of tests, followed by suspension (13.2%).
Does the 2009 Civic get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 15.3% in the 0-30k band to 29.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 131,586 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.