2015 Honda Stepwagon — MOT failures & pass rate
554 MOT tests on the 2015 Honda Stepwagon are in this dataset, and 74.7% of them passed. All cars of a similar age fail 15.9% of the time, so this is 9.4pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 19.7% of tests against 10.1% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are rear fog lamp, headlamp aim and position lamp — rear fog lamp alone was recorded 51 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 21.6% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 26.6% once past 150k.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 28.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 25.8% in 2021 to 20.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 19.7% | 109 |
| 2 | Suspension | 10.1% | 56 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.7% | 37 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.1% | 28 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.0% | 22 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.1% | 17 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rear fog lamp | 51 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 46 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 42 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 28 |
| 5 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 24 |
| 6 | Wipers | 22 |
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 | 28.5% | 158 |
| 2 | Brakes | 26.2% | 145 |
| 3 | Tyres | 24.4% | 135 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 18.6% | 103 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 11.2% | 62 |
| 6 | Other defects | 9.4% | 52 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 37 | 21.6% |
| 60-90k | 96 | 21.9% |
| 90-120k | 173 | 25.4% |
| 120-150k | 119 | 28.6% |
| 150k+ | 124 | 26.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 128 | 25.8% |
| 2022 | 135 | 25.9% |
| 2023 | 135 | 28.1% |
| 2024 | 74 | 23.0% |
| 2025 | 82 | 20.7% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Stepwagon
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 19.7% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (19.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (10.1% 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 (6.7% 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 2015 Honda Stepwagons pass their MOT?
74.7% of the 554 2015 Honda Stepwagon MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 25.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Honda Stepwagon?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 19.7% of tests, followed by suspension (10.1%).
Does the 2015 Stepwagon get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 21.6% in the 30-60k band to 26.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 554 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.