Used car guide · 1979–2026

Honda Accord common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Honda Accord, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 22,611 MOTs done during 2025), and what to check before you buy one.

22,611MOTs done in 2025, all years of this model
31,216on the UK register
2012best year at its MOT

Pick the year

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

2026201520142013201220112010200920082007200620052004200320022001200019991998199719961995199419931992199119901989198819871986198519841983198219801979

What usually goes wrong with a Honda Accord?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Honda Accord in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Common Honda Accord MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, in more than one year. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2025.

  • Anti-roll bar bushes and joints

    up to 10.8× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

    Rough price £100–£280 (pair of drop links) Checkatrade

    At the viewing: Drive slowly over bumps and listen for a knock or rattle from the front. Worn anti-roll bar links are a cheap fix.

  • Headlights

    up to 3× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2000, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

    Rough price £40–£400 our estimate

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

  • Ball joint

    up to 2.5× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008.

    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 joints

    up to 4.7× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2000, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008.

    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.

  • Brake pads

    up to 2.2× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007.

    Rough price £75–£175 (one axle) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for squealing or grinding when braking, and look through the wheel at how much pad is left.

  • Anti-roll bar

    up to 4.4× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2006, 2008 and 2009.

    Rough price £100–£280 (pair of drop links) Checkatrade

    At the viewing: Drive slowly over bumps and listen for a knock or rattle from the front. Worn anti-roll bar links are a cheap fix.

Honda Accord MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2012 Honda Accord did best (72% passed first time, 9 points above all 2012 cars) and the 2007 did worst (57%, 0 points above all 2007 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
201582%72% +10168 (small sample)
201476%69% +7413 (small sample)
201375%66% +9483 (small sample)
201272%63% +91,097
201170%61% +91,199
201067%59% +81,174
200964%58% +62,756
200861%57% +42,552
200757%57% +02,612
200658%57% +12,317
200558%58% +02,390
200456%58% -22,078
200356%59% -31,343
200255%60% -5466 (small sample)
200154%61% -7440 (small sample)
200058%63% -5594
199958%65% -7376 (small sample)
199861%66% -5153 (small sample)

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Honda Accord

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the anti-roll bar bushes and joints? (Flagged at MOT 10.8× as often on the Honda Accord as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the headlights? (Flagged at MOT 3× as often on the Honda Accord as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the ball joint? (Flagged at MOT 2.5× as often on the Honda Accord as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Honda Accord?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score