Used car guide

2005 Honda Civic petrol: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the petrol Honda Civic first registered in 2005 (petrol cars only): we looked at the 37,003 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

37,003MOTs of 2005 petrol cars, done in 2023–2025
56%pass first time (all 2005 cars: 57%)
5,600typical miles a year
1.8×the usual rate for suspension arm bushes and joints

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2005 Honda Civic petrol?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2005 Honda Civic petrol than on all cars registered in 2005.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints1.8× usual
    Honda Civic
    19.2% All 2005 cars
    10.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.8%, against 2.4% of all 2005 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.

  • Headlights1.6× usual
    Honda Civic
    21.9% All 2005 cars
    13.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 7.8%, against 5% of all 2005 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.

  • Braking performance1.8× usual
    Honda Civic
    12.9% All 2005 cars
    7.3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.9%, against 3% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: On a quiet road, brake firmly from about 30mph. The car should stop straight without pulling.

  • Ball joint dust cover2.1× usual
    Honda Civic
    9.7% All 2005 cars
    4.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.8%, against 1.8% of all 2005 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 joints2× usual
    Honda Civic
    8.8% All 2005 cars
    4.3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.6%, against 1.5% of all 2005 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.

Better than most

Drive shaft (CV) joints: 2.9% here, against 7.1% of all 2005 cars. Sub-frame: 2.3% here, against 5.6% of all 2005 cars.

Common 2005 Honda Civic petrol MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2005 Honda Civic petrol MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    49% 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
    40% 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
    40% 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
    30% 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.

  • Exhaust and emissions
    12% 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 an engine warning light.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    11% of testsRough price £15–£250

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

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2005 Honda Civic petrol

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

  1. Any recent work on the suspension arm bushes and joints? (Flagged at MOT 1.8× as often on the 2005 Honda Civic petrol as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the headlights? (Flagged at MOT 1.6× as often on the 2005 Honda Civic petrol as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the braking performance? (Flagged at MOT 1.8× as often on the 2005 Honda Civic petrol as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Honda Civic?

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

Other years

Every year of the Honda Civic compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2026–Too new for MOT data
2025–Too new for MOT data
2024–Too new for MOT data
2023106Tyres 9%
20221,423Tyres 18%
20219,722Tyres 22%
202016,717Tyres 23%
201937,647Tyres 26%
201840,248Tyres 27%
201743,390Tyres 28%
201648,160Tyres 29%
201544,652Tyres 29%
201442,908Tyres 30%
201345,597Tyres 30%
201239,112Tyres 30%
201133,295Suspension 37%
201050,086Suspension 44%
200957,140Suspension 48%
200863,059Suspension 50%
200768,363Suspension 53%
200643,999Suspension 55%
200432,054Suspension 52%
200323,129Suspension 54%
200220,098Suspension 53%
200113,821Suspension 55%
20005,245Suspension 47%
19994,379Suspension 45%
19983,251Suspension 46%
19972,753Suspension 46%
19961,821Suspension 45%
19951,143Suspension 38%
1994735Suspension 33%
1993601Suspension 32%
1992569Suspension 33%
1991687Suspension 32%
1990364Suspension 30%
1989–Too few tests
1988–Too few tests
1987–Too few tests
1986–Too few tests
1985–Too few tests
1984–Too few tests
1983–Too few tests
1982–Too few tests
1979–Too few tests
1978–Too few tests
1977–Too few tests
1976–Too few tests
1975–Too few tests

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of Honda Civic cars first registered in 2005. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score