Used car guide

1999 Honda CR-V: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 1999 Honda CR-Vs, from 369 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

Small sample: only 369 of these were MOT tested in 2025, so treat the percentages as rough. The known faults below don't depend on it.

369MOT tests in 2025
53%pass first time (all 1999 cars: 65%)
4,800typical miles a year
3.4×the usual rate for suspension arm bushes and joints

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 1999 Honda CR-Vs than on all cars registered in 1999.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints3.4× usual
    Honda CR-V
    19.2% All 1999 cars
    5.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3%, against 1% of all 1999 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

  • Exhaust emissions (catalyst)3.3× usual
    Honda CR-V
    14.9% All 1999 cars
    4.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 14.6%, against 4.4% of all 1999 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £175–£900 (catalytic converter) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Look for smoke when revving the warm engine and for engine or DPF warning lights.

  • Coil springs2.4× usual
    Honda CR-V
    18.4% All 1999 cars
    7.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.3%, against 1.1% of all 1999 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £175–£400 (pair, one axle) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Look behind each wheel for a snapped spring coil, and listen for a clunk or twang when turning the wheel lock to lock with the car stopped.

  • Ball joint2.9× usual
    Honda CR-V
    15.4% All 1999 cars
    5.3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 8.7%, against 1.8% of all 1999 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

  • Anti-roll bar link joints5.9× usual
    Honda CR-V
    11.7% All 1999 cars
    2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.1%, against 0.6% of all 1999 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

By area

The share of 1999 Honda CR-V MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    66% 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
    36% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Brakes
    29% 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.

  • Tyres
    27% 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.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    22% of testsRough price £80–£600

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

  • Exhaust and emissions
    21% 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.

Looking at a Honda CR-V?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2023175Tyres 7%
20225,158Tyres 16%
20215,799Tyres 17%
20205,546Tyres 17%
20198,298Tyres 19%
20189,252Tyres 24%
201711,858Tyres 25%
201614,110Tyres 25%
201514,238Tyres 26%
201414,636Tyres 27%
201313,912Tyres 28%
201212,275Suspension 35%
20119,527Suspension 40%
20109,598Suspension 44%
20098,808Suspension 54%
20089,323Suspension 55%
200712,378Suspension 59%
20068,315Suspension 62%
20057,369Suspension 62%
20045,180Suspension 62%
20034,026Suspension 64%
20022,678Suspension 64%
2001960Suspension 61%
2000578Suspension 65%
1998272Suspension 62%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 1999 Honda CR-Vs registered in 1999. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score