2005 Honda S2000 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2005 Honda S2000 passed 86.3% of its 4,076 recorded MOT tests. Coupes & convertibles of a similar age fail 22.3% of the time, so this is 8.5pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in brakes, suspension and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (5.5%) and suspension (4.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are service brake performance, catalyst emissions and wipers — service brake performance alone was recorded 132 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.5% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 23.5% once past 150k — 3.6× the risk.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 17.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 15.7% in 2021 to 13.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 5.5% | 225 |
| 2 | Suspension | 4.1% | 168 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 4.1% | 167 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.8% | 154 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 2.7% | 110 |
| 6 | Tyres | 2.2% | 91 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Service brake performance | 132 |
| 2 | Catalyst emissions | 126 |
| 3 | Wipers | 88 |
| 4 | Washers | 86 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 83 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 73 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 17.6% | 718 |
| 2 | Tyres | 16.3% | 664 |
| 3 | Suspension | 16.1% | 657 |
| 4 | Visibility | 5.5% | 226 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 4.8% | 194 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.5% | 183 |
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 | 263 | 6.5% |
| 30-60k | 1,103 | 9.1% |
| 60-90k | 1,430 | 15.0% |
| 90-120k | 882 | 16.6% |
| 120-150k | 295 | 19.3% |
| 150k+ | 102 | 23.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 877 | 15.7% |
| 2022 | 839 | 13.8% |
| 2023 | 807 | 13.0% |
| 2024 | 776 | 12.6% |
| 2025 | 777 | 13.1% |
What to check before buying a 2005 S2000
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 5.5% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (5.5% 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.
- Suspension (4.1% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (4.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£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 2005 Honda S2000s pass their MOT?
86.3% of the 4,076 2005 Honda S2000 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2005 Honda S2000?
Brakes, recorded in 5.5% of tests, followed by suspension (4.1%).
Does the 2005 S2000 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.5% in the 0-30k band to 23.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,076 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.