2010 Honda Civic 2.2L Diesel · RF10 FDD

A consistent record of clean MOT passes defines this 2010 Honda Civic's mechanical profile. Across four consecutive annual tests from 2022 through 2025, the vehicle has returned no advisories and no failures, with the most recent test on 21 July 2025 confirming a pass with no defects recorded. The 2024 and 2023 tests also returned entirely clean sheets, and the 2022 examination was likewise free of recorded defects. The absence of advisory notes across this stretch suggests that the wear items typically flagged on a car of this vintage, such as brake components, suspension bushes, exhaust corrosion, or minor oil seepage, have not yet crossed MOT intervention thresholds. While a defect-free MOT is not a guarantee of underlying mechanical condition, the unbroken sequence of clean passes is a positive indicator of structural and system integrity for a sixteen-year-old vehicle. Recorded mileage of 140,879 miles accumulated over sixteen years equates to an average of roughly 8,800 miles per annum, which is broadly typical for a vehicle of this age and places the Civic squarely in a mainstream usage bracket. The MOT testing cadence shows annual examinations clustered in mid to late July across 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025, with no gaps in testing history that would indicate extended periods off the road. This regularity of testing combined with steady annual mileage suggests the vehicle has been in consistent operational use rather than left standing for prolonged stretches, which is favourable for avoiding the corrosion and deterioration that often affect neglected drivetrain and underbody components. At this mileage point, however, mechanical sympathy will have been placed on the engine internals, gearbox, clutch, and ancillary drivetrain components, all of which warrant direct physical inspection rather than reliance on MOT history alone. For a prospective buyer, the absence of recorded advisories means the MOT file alone does not highlight specific components of concern, so attention should focus on the areas most prone to wear at this mileage on a Honda Civic of this generation. The rear brake drum self-adjusters and handbrake mechanism are known wear items on the FN-series Civic and should be checked by confirming the handbrake holds firmly on an incline without requiring excessive lever travel. Front brake discs and pads should be physically inspected for wear lip on the disc edge and remaining pad material, as 140,000 miles will have consumed multiple sets. Suspension components, particularly the front lower wishbone bushes, front anti-roll bar drop links, and rear trailing arm bushes, should be examined for cracking, perishing, or free play by pushing down firmly on each corner and listening for clonks or knocking over uneven surfaces during a test drive. The power steering rack and its mounting bushes can develop weepage on high-mileage examples, so the area beneath the rack after a test drive should be checked for fresh fluid residue, and the steering should feel tight without knocking through the lock stops. Engine condition should also be assessed directly given the mileage accrued. On start-up from cold, listen for any timing chain rattle from the front of the engine, as the 1.8 i-VTEC chain and tensioner are known service items that can present symptoms only once warmed. Check for blue smoke from the exhaust under hard acceleration, which would indicate valve stem oil seal degradation, and verify that the coolant reservoir remains full without oily residue suggesting head gasket compromise. The clutch should be tested on a hill start under full load to confirm smooth engagement without slipping or judder, and the manual gearbox should select all gates cleanly without synchro whine on downchanges. Finally, inspect the underbody and subframe mounting points for any surface corrosion, paying particular attention to the rear wheel arch arches and sill jacking points, as these areas are vulnerable on Civics of this era even when MOT advisories have not yet been raised.