Used car guide

2003 Honda Jazz: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2003 Honda Jazzs, from 5,123 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

5,123MOT tests in 2025
55%pass first time (all 2003 cars: 59%)
4,300typical miles a year
2.7×the usual rate for suspension arm bushes and joints

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2003 Honda Jazzs than on all cars registered in 2003.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints2.7× usual
    Honda Jazz
    23.3% All 2003 cars
    8.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.6%, against 1.8% of all 2003 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.

  • Headlights2.1× usual
    Honda Jazz
    25.9% All 2003 cars
    12.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 6.5%, against 4.4% of all 2003 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £40–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check both headlights on dipped and full beam, and look for cloudy or cracked lenses.

  • Front strut mounts and bushes10.1× usual
    Honda Jazz
    10.1% All 2003 cars
    1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.2%, against 0.1% of all 2003 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £120–£400 our estimate

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

  • Rust around suspension or steering mountings1.9× usual
    Honda Jazz
    12.4% All 2003 cars
    6.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 5.8%, against 3.2% of all 2003 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£450 our estimate

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

  • Corroded fuel pipes5.9× usual
    Honda Jazz
    4.7% All 2003 cars
    0.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0%, against 0% of all 2003 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

Better than most

Engine oil leaks: 7.6% here, against 16.2% of all 2003 cars. Brake discs: 6% here, against 12.7% of all 2003 cars.

By area

The share of 2003 Honda Jazz MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    59% 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
    47% 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
    43% 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
    35% 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.

  • Rust and bodywork
    16% of testsRough price £150–£1,000

    At the viewing: Check the sills, wheel arches and underneath for rust, and look along the panels for uneven gaps or paint.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    14% of testsRough price £15–£250

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

Looking at a Honda Jazz?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
202210,671Tyres 19%
202114,475Tyres 22%
202010,702Tyres 24%
201916,765Tyres 25%
201820,160Tyres 25%
201717,923Tyres 25%
201618,372Tyres 26%
201517,757Tyres 26%
201420,100Tyres 27%
201321,145Tyres 28%
201221,520Tyres 28%
201119,949Brakes 29%
201021,629Lights and electrics 34%
200923,240Lights and electrics 35%
200819,321Brakes 49%
200718,602Brakes 52%
200617,481Brakes 53%
200513,836Brakes 53%
20049,375Suspension 54%
20022,109Suspension 65%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2003 Honda Jazzs registered in 2003. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score