Honda Jazz Common Faults in the UK
GD, GE, GK and the 2020-on hybrid — small MPV-style hatchback. Updated 24 September 2026.
This guide covers the GD, GE, GK and the 2020-on hybrid. For any other version of the Jazz, see how to check any car for known faults.
The Jazz has a deserved reliability reputation and the things owners do report are mostly transmission rather than engine. Every Jazz engine sold in the UK uses a timing CHAIN — no Honda UK service schedule for the car contains a cambelt item at all — so there is no belt change to budget for. What is worth checking is the gearbox: the CVT and the earlier i-SHIFT automated manual are the two most reported items, and Honda publishes a CVT fluid interval that gets skipped. Several older DVSA recalls exist, including two separate window-switch fire campaigns.
Largest DVSA recall for the Jazz: R/2016/045, 252,174 vehicles in the whole recall — Drivers airbag inflator may rupture if deployed. See the 19 DVSA recalls listed for this model.
80.5% of Honda Jazzes pass the MOT first time, 6.7 points better than the national average for cars of the same age (73.8%). Counted from 35,354 DVSA tests on cars registered 2002–2022; a pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.
Source: DVSA MOT Anonymised Data 2025 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Class 4 tests in Great Britain, test type NT (a normal annual test), retests excluded. A pass, or a pass with rectification at the station, counts as a first-time pass; DVSA's own initial-test measure counts a rectified pass as a failure and so reports a lower figure. Testing in Northern Ireland is run separately by the DVA under its own rules. Compared against cars of the same registration years, because pass rates otherwise mostly measure how old a model's surviving fleet is.
See it by registration year and by mileage ↓The asking-price figures above are the middle 80% and the median of what sellers were asking on Autoza on 1 October 2026 — not what buyers pay — for Honda Jazz cars registered from 2001. They are worked out from the cars on sale when this page is generated, and none is shown when fewer than 10 cars qualify. The other quick-stats values are indicative editorial estimates aggregated from owner-forum sentiment, recall data and reliability surveys. We do not publish a UK price index, and no figure here should be quoted as one. See our research methodology for the sample sizes behind any figure we publish.
Best and worst years to buy
We name a year as a best or worst buy only where the DVSA MOT table further down does not rate it the other way.
Later GK cars are recent enough to have full history, and sit after the older airbag and window-switch recalls, which stop with 2015 builds. They are not recall-free: R/2020/186 (fuel-pump module, Jazz built 14 July 2017 to 3 September 2019, 40,895 vehicles) covers cars in these years. Check by registration.
Old enough that the i-SHIFT gearbox is a live risk, and inside several airbag recalls (R/2015/143, R/2017/017, R/2018/029 and R/2018/342 among them). The window-switch and headlight campaigns are not the reason: R/2010/007, R/2013/076 and R/2010/228 cover Jazz built 2001 to 31 July 2008 only, not 2009 or 2010.
Known faults — Honda Jazz GD, GE, GK and the 2020-on hybrid
How to read this list. Items marked Safety recall are DVSA safety recalls, shown with DVSA’s own reference. Whether a particular car is affected depends on when it was built: check it by registration through GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check. Items marked Manufacturer service action are published fixes that are not formal safety recalls — a dealer will know them by number, but they carry no DVSA reference and no obligation. Everything else in this list is owner-reported: patterns that come up repeatedly with workshops, owner forums and reliability surveys. Those are worth checking on a viewing, but how often they happen is not known — there is no published dataset behind them, and most cars of a given model will never show them. Treat an owner-reported item as a question to ask, not a fault this car has.
Electrics — power window switch, second campaign
- Symptoms
- Risk of fire. A separate, later campaign covering the same area.
- Years affected
- Check by registration on GOV.UK
- Indicative repair (UK)
- Free under recall
- What to check before buying
- Check this one by registration through GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check (gov.uk/check-vehicle-recall) before you buy — an outstanding recall is free to put right and a completed one should be on the service record.
Electrics — driver door power window switch, water ingress
- Symptoms
- Risk of fire. Two separate DVSA campaigns cover this area on the Jazz.
- Years affected
- Check by registration on GOV.UK
- Indicative repair (UK)
- Free under recall
- What to check before buying
- Check this one by registration through GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check (gov.uk/check-vehicle-recall) before you buy — an outstanding recall is free to put right and a completed one should be on the service record.
Lighting — low beam headlights may become inoperative
- Symptoms
- Dipped beam may stop working.
- Years affected
- Check by registration on GOV.UK
- Indicative repair (UK)
- Free under recall
- What to check before buying
- Check this one by registration through GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check (gov.uk/check-vehicle-recall) before you buy — an outstanding recall is free to put right and a completed one should be on the service record.
Transmission — gear indicator may show neutral when in gear
- Symptoms
- The indicator may show neutral when the gearbox is not.
- Years affected
- Check by registration on GOV.UK
- Indicative repair (UK)
- Free under recall
- What to check before buying
- Check this one by registration through GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check (gov.uk/check-vehicle-recall) before you buy — an outstanding recall is free to put right and a completed one should be on the service record.
Transmission — CVT start-clutch judder
- Symptoms
- A shudder pulling away from rest, most obvious from cold or on an incline.
- Years affected
- CVT automatics
- Indicative repair (UK)
- £150 for a fluid service, far more if it has been left
- What to check before buying
- Do several standing starts from cold, including on a slope. Then ask when the CVT fluid was last changed — Honda publishes an interval and it is one of the most commonly skipped items on the car.
Transmission — i-SHIFT clutch actuator
- Symptoms
- Hesitation, jerky changes, or a failure to select a gear on the automated manual.
- Years affected
- i-SHIFT-equipped cars
- Indicative repair (UK)
- £400–£1,200
- What to check before buying
- Drive it in traffic. The i-SHIFT is an automated manual, not a conventional automatic, and does not behave like one even when healthy — which makes it hard to tell a normal one from a failing one without driving a few.
Manual gearbox — input and output shaft bearing whine
- Symptoms
- A whine that changes with gear selection rather than road speed.
- Years affected
- Manual cars
- Indicative repair (UK)
- £500–£1,200
- What to check before buying
- Drive with the radio off and listen through each gear. Reported often enough to check, not often enough to avoid the car.
Body — door locks seizing
- Symptoms
- A door that will not unlock, usually the driver’s or front passenger’s.
- Years affected
- Older cars
- Indicative repair (UK)
- £100–£300 per lock
- What to check before buying
- Lock and unlock every door with the key and the remote before you buy.
Timing — chain on every engine, and a CVT fluid interval that is not
- Symptoms
- Not a fault. The two service facts that decide what a Jazz costs to keep.
- Years affected
- All
- What to check before buying
- No Honda UK service schedule for the Jazz contains a cambelt item on any generation, so there is no belt job to budget for or to be sold. What there IS: Honda publishes CVT transmission fluid at 25,000 miles or 24 months and brake fluid at 37,500 miles or 36 months. On an automatic, ask for the CVT fluid history specifically — it is the item most often missed and the one linked to the judder owners report.
More DVSA safety recalls for the Honda Jazz, largest first
These are the recalls DVSA lists for this model and its build years that the cards above do not already describe: every one of 10,000 or more vehicles, largest first, with DVSA’s own reference and figures. A recall covers only cars built in its dates and within its VIN range — check a particular car by registration through GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check. “Critical” here means DVSA’s own notice tells owners not to drive the car until it is fixed. It is never a size: “Large” means DVSA lists 10,000 or more vehicles in the recall.
- Safety recall · R/2016/045Large recall — 252,174 vehicles
Drivers airbag inflator may rupture if deployed
Abnormal deployment pressure may lead to rupture of the driver's air bag inflator case. In the event of an inflator rupture metal fragments could be propelled into the passenger compartment.
252,174 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 2 March 2004 and 20 May 2015 · recall launched 16 May 2016
- Safety recall · R/2015/104Large recall — 242,653 vehicles
Passenger side airbag may fail to deploy correctly
Abnormal deployment pressure may lead to rupture of the inflator case. In the event of an inflator rupture metal fragments could be propelled upward toward the windshield or downward toward the front passenger�s foot well potentially causing injury to a vehicle occupant.
242,653 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 25 December 2003 and 29 December 2008 · recall launched 29 June 2015
- Safety recall · R/2019/243Large recall — 122,397 vehicles
Possible air bag inflator rupture
Passenger air bag may not deploy correctly.
122,397 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 17 November 2000 and 16 December 2014 · recall launched 29 August 2019
- Safety recall · R/2015/103Large recall — 121,686 vehicles
Drivers airbag may rupture if deployed
Abnormal deployment pressure may lead to rupture of the inflator case. In the event of an inflator rupture metal fragments could be propelled into the passenger compartment potentially causing injury to a vehicle occupant.
121,686 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · recall launched 29 June 2015
- Safety recall · R/2018/342Large recall — 119,827 vehicles
Takata passenger airbag inflator may rupture
Passenger airbag inflators may not operate as intended.
119,827 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 4 February 2010 and 20 May 2015 · recall launched 30 January 2019
- Safety recall · R/2013/049Large recall — 60,365 vehicles
Passenger side airbag may fail to deploy correctly
The subject vehicles are equipped with front passenger airbag inflators which could have been assembled with improperly manufactured propellant wafers.
60,365 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 21 September 2001 and 23 April 2003 · recall launched 17 April 2013
9 more recalls of 10,000+ vehicles
- Safety recall · R/2015/143Large recall — 52,991 vehicles
Drivers airbag may rupture if deployed
52,991 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 2 January 2007 and 28 December 2011 · recall launched 23 October 2015
- Safety recall · R/2004/034Large recall — 44,055 vehicles
Low beam headlights may not operate.
44,055 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 6 July 2001 and 21 September 2001 · recall launched 24 May 2004
- Safety recall · R/2020/186Large recall — 40,895 vehicles
Vehicles may be equipped with a fuel pump module manufactured with low density impellars
40,895 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 14 July 2017 and 3 September 2019 · recall launched 24 August 2020
- Safety recall · R/2015/043Large recall — 31,135 vehicles
Passenger side airbag may fail to deploy correctly
31,135 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 2 January 2003 and 27 December 2003 · recall launched 16 March 2015
- Safety recall · R/2008/161Large recall — 24,852 vehicles
Handbrake could become inoperative.
24,852 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 17 May 2004 and 19 December 2005 · recall launched 12 November 2008
- Safety recall · R/2017/017Large recall — 22,805 vehicles
Airbag may fail to deploy correctly
22,805 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 4 July 2008 and 4 January 2010 · recall launched 28 March 2017
- Safety recall · R/2018/029Large recall — 20,298 vehicles
Passenger airbag may fail to deploy correctly
20,298 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 1 December 2009 and 28 May 2010 · recall launched 23 February 2018
- Safety recall · R/2022/221Large recall — 15,464 vehicles
The front wide camera may not start up in the correct way after the vehicle has started
15,464 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 29 January 2020 and 29 January 2021 · recall launched 9 August 2022
- Safety recall · R/2014/158Large recall — 12,723 vehicles
Drivers airbag may rupture if deployed
12,723 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 10 June 2003 and 2 September 2004 · recall launched 5 January 2015
Source: DVSA vehicle recalls file (every recall since 1992), published under the Open Government Licence. Where DVSA gives one figure for a recall that covers several models, it is shown as the whole recall’s total.
Honda Jazz MOT results by year and mileage
Measured from DVSA’s own MOT test records for tests carried out in 2025, not from owner reports.
By registration year
Against all cars registered in the same year, the MOT pass rate for the Jazz was higher in every one of the 10 registration years from 2013 to 2022 with enough tests to measure. The widest gap above is 2014 registrations: 87.2% against 74.3%.
| Registered | Jazz | All cars that year | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20221,167 tests | 97.2% | 91.2% | +6.0 higher |
| 20211,463 tests | 95.4% | 90.1% | +5.3 higher |
| 20201,042 tests | 94.8% | 88.7% | +6.1 higher |
| 20191,633 tests | 93.5% | 86.9% | +6.6 higher |
| 20182,018 tests | 91.7% | 84.5% | +7.2 higher |
| 20171,803 tests | 91.0% | 82.2% | +8.8 higher |
| 20161,844 tests | 88.2% | 79.4% | +8.8 higher |
| 20151,772 tests | 88.9% | 76.7% | +12.2 higher |
| 20142,175 tests | 87.2% | 74.3% | +12.9 higher |
| 20132,194 tests | 83.5% | 71.9% | +11.6 higher |
By mileage at the test
Against cars of the same age on the same mileage, the pass rate for the Jazz was higher in every one of the 6 mileage bands with enough tests. How other models compare at the same mileage.
Show the table by mileage (6 bands)
| Mileage | Jazz | Same age and mileage | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0k–20k4,025 tests | 95.3% | 93.3% | +2.1 higher |
| 20k–40k6,977 tests | 91.5% | 86.7% | +4.9 higher |
| 40k–60k7,307 tests | 84.4% | 78.4% | +6.0 higher |
| 60k–80k6,608 tests | 77.0% | 71.5% | +5.6 higher |
| 80k–100k4,902 tests | 69.8% | 66.5% | +3.3 higher |
| 100k–120k2,909 tests | 66.6% | 64.0% | +2.6 higher |
Only a major or dangerous defect fails an MOT. A minor defect is recorded on the certificate and the car still passes, and an advisory is not a failure at all.
We don’t give a recall count for the Honda Jazz: whether a recall applies depends on the individual car. Check the one you are looking at by entering its registration on GOV.UK’s vehicle recall checker, and see how to check a car for known faults for the other free checks.
Source: DVSA MOT Anonymised Data 2025 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Class 4 tests in Great Britain, test type NT (a normal annual test), retests excluded. A pass, or a pass with rectification at the station, counts as a first-time pass; DVSA's own initial-test measure counts a rectified pass as a failure and so reports a lower figure. Odometer readings below 100 or above 400,000 miles are discarded as misreadings, and cars under three years old are excluded because no MOT is yet due. Sampled from nine months of 2025 (January, February, April, May, July, August, September, October and November). Testing in Northern Ireland is run separately by the DVA under its own rules. Registration years shown are cars 3 to 12 years old when tested; the smallest rests on 1,042 tests. A gap is called level when it is under one percentage point or inside the 95% sampling margin for that number of tests. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Who this car suits — and who should look elsewhere
Buyers who want space out of proportion to the footprint and low running costs, and who will check the gearbox rather than the engine.
Anyone buying an automatic without driving it from cold, or wanting an engaging drive.
Alternatives to consider
If the Honda Jazz doesn't suit, these comparable models are worth a look in the UK market:
- →Toyota Yaris common faults
- →Hyundai i20
- →Skoda Fabia common faults
Honda Jazz: questions buyers ask
What are the most common faults on a used Honda Jazz in the UK?
The Jazz has a deserved reliability reputation and the things owners do report are mostly transmission rather than engine. Every Jazz engine sold in the UK uses a timing CHAIN — no Honda UK service schedule for the car contains a cambelt item at all — so there is no belt change to budget for. What is worth checking is the gearbox: the CVT and the earlier i-SHIFT automated manual are the two most reported items, and Honda publishes a CVT fluid interval that gets skipped. Several older DVSA recalls exist, including two separate window-switch fire campaigns.
What is the best year to buy a used Honda Jazz in the UK?
Best-buy years: 2016, 2017, 2018. Later GK cars are recent enough to have full history, and sit after the older airbag and window-switch recalls, which stop with 2015 builds. They are not recall-free: R/2020/186 (fuel-pump module, Jazz built 14 July 2017 to 3 September 2019, 40,895 vehicles) covers cars in these years. Check by registration.
What years of Honda Jazz should I avoid in the UK?
Worst years: 2009, 2010. Old enough that the i-SHIFT gearbox is a live risk, and inside several airbag recalls (R/2015/143, R/2017/017, R/2018/029 and R/2018/342 among them). The window-switch and headlight campaigns are not the reason: R/2010/007, R/2013/076 and R/2010/228 cover Jazz built 2001 to 31 July 2008 only, not 2009 or 2010.
How much does a used Honda Jazz cost in the UK in 2026?
What sellers were asking on Autoza on 1 October 2026, for Honda Jazz cars registered from 2001: £1,495–£12,000, median £6,980 — the range is the middle 80% of asking prices. Those are asking prices, not what buyers paid, and not a UK price index. Prices vary by mileage, region and trim, so compare several adverts of the same year and mileage band before negotiating.
What is the road tax (VED) on a Honda Jazz in the UK?
Annual road tax (VED): £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025. A car registered from April 2017 with a list price over £40,000 when new adds the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 (£640 in all). Cars registered 2001–2017 pay a CO2 band, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates).
What real-world fuel economy does a Honda Jazz achieve on UK roads?
Typical real-world consumption: 45–55 mpg real-world for the 1.3 and 1.4 petrols; more for the 2020-on hybrid. UK driving (mix of motorway and single-carriageway, often wet) tends to come in 10–15% worse than the official WLTP figure.
How does a Honda Jazz compare to its rivals?
Strong alternatives in the UK: Toyota Yaris, Hyundai i20, Skoda Fabia. Choose based on dealer network in your area, parts availability, and your priorities (running cost vs. cabin quality vs. badge).
Who is the Honda Jazz most suitable for?
Buyers who want space out of proportion to the footprint and low running costs, and who will check the gearbox rather than the engine.
Who should NOT buy a Honda Jazz?
Anyone buying an automatic without driving it from cold, or wanting an engaging drive.
Are there safety recalls on the Honda Jazz?
DVSA lists 19 safety recalls for the Honda Jazz that this guide shows, the largest first: R/2016/045 (252,174 vehicles in the whole recall, built between 2 March 2004 and 20 May 2015): Drivers airbag inflator may rupture if deployed; R/2015/104 (242,653 vehicles in the whole recall, built between 25 December 2003 and 29 December 2008): Passenger side airbag may fail to deploy correctly; R/2013/076 (171,385 vehicles, built between 11 July 2001 and 31 July 2008): Risk of fire. Whether a particular car is affected depends on its build date and VIN, so check its registration on GOV.UK (gov.uk/check-vehicle-recall) before you buy.
Is the Electrics — power window switch, second campaign on the Honda Jazz a serious problem?
Electrics — power window switch, second campaign on the Honda Jazz is covered by DVSA safety recall R/2013/076. Symptoms: Risk of fire. A separate, later campaign covering the same area. Years affected: Check by registration on GOV.UK. Indicative repair cost in the UK: Free under recall. What to check before buying: Check this one by registration through GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check (gov.uk/check-vehicle-recall) before you buy — an outstanding recall is free to put right and a completed one should be on the service record.
Is the Electrics — driver door power window switch, water ingress on the Honda Jazz a serious problem?
Electrics — driver door power window switch, water ingress on the Honda Jazz is covered by DVSA safety recall R/2010/007. Symptoms: Risk of fire. Two separate DVSA campaigns cover this area on the Jazz. Years affected: Check by registration on GOV.UK. Indicative repair cost in the UK: Free under recall. What to check before buying: Check this one by registration through GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check (gov.uk/check-vehicle-recall) before you buy — an outstanding recall is free to put right and a completed one should be on the service record.
Is the Lighting — low beam headlights may become inoperative on the Honda Jazz a serious problem?
Lighting — low beam headlights may become inoperative on the Honda Jazz is covered by DVSA safety recall R/2010/228. Symptoms: Dipped beam may stop working. Years affected: Check by registration on GOV.UK. Indicative repair cost in the UK: Free under recall. What to check before buying: Check this one by registration through GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check (gov.uk/check-vehicle-recall) before you buy — an outstanding recall is free to put right and a completed one should be on the service record.
Looking to buy a Honda Jazz in the UK?
Search Autoza listings filtered by year, mileage, and region. Dealer pages carry a public Trust Score you can check before you enquire.