Used car guide

2011 Honda Civic: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2011 Honda Civics, from 10,849 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

10,849MOT tests in 2025
57%pass first time (all 2011 cars: 61%)
6,800typical miles a year
2.1×the usual rate for shock absorbers

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2011 Honda Civics than on all cars registered in 2011.

  • Shock absorbers2.1× usual
    Honda Civic
    16.1% All 2011 cars
    7.6%
    Rough price £150–£400

    At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.

  • Stop lamp2.3× usual
    Honda Civic
    9.7% All 2011 cars
    4.3%
    Rough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

  • Track rod end1.9× usual
    Honda Civic
    10.1% All 2011 cars
    5.3%
    Rough price £80–£450

    At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.

  • Number plate lights1.6× usual
    Honda Civic
    12.8% All 2011 cars
    8.1%
    Rough price £5–£40

    At the viewing: Check the number plate lights work and the plates are clean and legal.

  • Side repeaters4.5× usual
    Honda Civic
    5.8% All 2011 cars
    1.3%
    Rough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

Better than most

Suspension arm bushes and joints: 3.3% here, against 10.8% of all 2011 cars. Engine oil leaks: 2.9% here, against 8.9% of all 2011 cars.

By area

The share of 2011 Honda Civic MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    42% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Lights and electrics
    38% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Tyres
    32% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Brakes
    28% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Exhaust and emissions
    10% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

    At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    8% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
201912,546Tyres 27%
201813,500Tyres 26%
201714,518Tyres 28%
201616,113Tyres 29%
201514,922Tyres 30%
201414,323Tyres 31%
201315,114Tyres 31%
201212,860Tyres 31%
201015,913Suspension 49%
200917,536Suspension 52%
200818,388Suspension 53%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2011 Honda Civics registered in 2011. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score