2005 Honda CR-V 2.0L Petrol · TT03 BBZ

A clear pattern of wear has emerged around the front suspension and steering of this 2005 Honda CR-V, particularly the nearside front track rod end dust cover, which has been flagged as damaged in every MOT test since July 2021. It was first noted as a Minor defect in 2021 and again in 2022, before deteriorating into a Major failure in July 2023 when the cover was deemed no longer preventing the ingress of dirt. The vehicle passed its most recent assessment on 16 July 2025 with no defects recorded, but the intervening record is heavily populated with advisories pointing to broader front suspension fatigue, including repeated mentions of the nearside and offside front lower arm front bushes, trailing arm bushes, and a slight play in the nearside front anti-roll bar linkage ball joint. Tyre perishing and cracking has likewise been a recurring observation across the near and offside front positions and nearside rear, appearing in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. The overall trend suggests a vehicle whose suspension joints and gaiter wear have been gradually worsening, even though the car itself has continued to pass. Against a 21-year lifespan, the recorded mileage of 66,508 miles equates to an average accumulation of roughly 3,167 miles per year, which is low for the age of the vehicle. The MOT history itself is reasonably consistent, with annual tests recorded between 2020 and 2025 and no obvious long gaps suggesting the vehicle was laid up for extended periods. The annual mileage progression between tests is steady rather than erratic, which is consistent with light, regular use rather than a long period of storage followed by sudden activity. That said, low annual mileage does not eliminate wear from age-related deterioration, and the recurring advisories on rubber components such as bushes, ball joint dust covers, and tyres demonstrate exactly this: even with modest annual mileage, rubber and polyurethane items on a vehicle of this age continue to perish. From a buyer perspective, the front suspension and steering assemblies should be treated as the primary area of attention. The persistent advisories on the lower arm front bushes, both sides, and the trailing arm bushes indicate that progressive wear is well established, and although none were judged to have resulted in excessive movement at the time of test, the next assessment may tip into failure territory. A test drive should include firm braking to expose any judder from the rear brake discs, which were noted as worn and pitted in 2020, and the car should be driven over uneven surfaces and speed bumps to listen for clonks, rattles, or loose thuds from the front suspension, particularly from the anti-roll bar linkages and lower arms. Steering should be checked for any vagueness, knocking on full lock, or uneven self-centring, given the track rod end dust cover history and the play noted in the anti-roll bar ball joint. The tyres are another obvious priority. With perishing advisories appearing in four consecutive tests up to 2024, a close inspection of the sidewalls and tread for cracking, bulging, or uneven outer-edge wear is essential, as the outer-edge wear pattern noted on the nearside front in 2023 and 2024 can suggest alignment drift potentially related to worn suspension components. A thorough road test should also cover wet braking and cornering to confirm the effectiveness of the ageing headlamp lenses, which have carried product-on-lens advisories since 2020, and to ensure wiper performance is adequate given the 2021 failure for ineffective clearing. Finally, given the vehicle's age, a check for corrosion around common Honda CR-V areas such as the rear wheel arches, sills, subframe, and brake pipes should form part of any physical inspection, even though corrosion has not yet been flagged on the MOT record, as the combination of low mileage and advanced age makes these items worth confirming before purchase.