2014 Honda Civic — MOT failures & pass rate
82,192 MOT tests on the 2014 Honda Civic are in this dataset, and 87.5% of them passed. Against small family cars of a similar age (17.5% fail rate), the 2014 Civic comes out 5.0pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (8.2%) and tyres (5.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, headlamp aim and brake pads — position lamp alone was recorded 3,225 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.3% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 19.5% once past 150k — 3.1× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.4pp more often than petrol ones (13.7% vs 11.3%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 24.6% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 9.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 14.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.2% | 6,745 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.5% | 4,530 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.7% | 3,070 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.7% | 3,035 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.4% | 1,114 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.7% | 533 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 3,225 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 2,999 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 2,381 |
| 4 | Wipers | 2,240 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 2,003 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 1,577 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 24.6% | 20,194 |
| 2 | Brakes | 18.2% | 14,937 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.9% | 6,519 |
| 4 | Suspension | 7.2% | 5,884 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 3.8% | 3,094 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.3% | 2,729 |
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 | 5,431 | 6.3% |
| 30-60k | 25,911 | 9.3% |
| 60-90k | 27,721 | 13.0% |
| 90-120k | 15,114 | 16.4% |
| 120-150k | 5,508 | 17.6% |
| 150k+ | 2,458 | 19.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 42,128 | 13.7% |
| Petrol | 40,063 | 11.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 16,147 | 9.9% |
| 2022 | 16,363 | 11.5% |
| 2023 | 16,439 | 12.4% |
| 2024 | 16,645 | 14.0% |
| 2025 | 16,598 | 14.8% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Civic
On a 2014 Civic, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 8.2% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (8.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.5% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Visibility (3.7% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 2014 Honda Civics pass their MOT?
87.5% of the 82,192 2014 Honda Civic MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Honda Civic?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.2% of tests, followed by tyres (5.5%).
Does the 2014 Civic get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.3% in the 0-30k band to 19.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 82,192 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.