DC5
Honda Integra DC5 import check
DC5 is the factory model code for the Honda Integra DC5, built for the Japanese market from 2001 to 2006. Every genuine car has a chassis (frame) number that starts with its code, such as DC5-. That number is the one thing that links its Japanese history to its UK records.
DC5 at a glance
- Model code
- DC5
- Make
- Honda
- Model
- Integra (DC5)
- Body
- 3-door coupe
- Built
- 2001 to 2006
- Engine
- K20A (1998 cc naturally aspirated petrol)
- Drivetrain
- FWD
- Japanese trims
- iS, Type S, Type R
- Chassis number format
- DC5-nnnnnnn
From our own model library, compiled from public sources and not yet checked against a second source. UK records sometimes drop the hyphen or the leading zeros of the serial; our check allows for that.
Reading the DC5 chassis code
- Every DC5 Integra shares the code, Type R or not.
Have a chassis number? The chassis decoder reads it for you.
Is it a genuine DC5?
Type R, Type S and iS all carry DC5, so the code can’t prove a Type R. Check the auction sheet’s grade line.
Known problems to check on a DC5
- K20A timing-chain tensioner: listen for a rattle on a cold start
- Gearbox synchro wear
- Rust in the rear arches
These are common issues for the model, not facts about any particular car. Ask the seller about each one.
Before you buy
- Look for factory Type R details: Recaro seats, Brembo front brakes and the red Honda badge
The DC5 on a Japanese auction sheet
- The sheet names the car インテグラ (Integra), with タイプR for the Type R.
- An R or RA grade means repaired accident damage. Ask for photos of the repair and have the structure checked.
Most imports were bought at a Japanese auction, and the inspector’s sheet records the grade, mileage and every mark on the body. Ask the seller for it, then run it through our auction sheet translator to read it in English and check the chassis number and mileage against the UK record.
Recalls in Japan for the DC5
Japan publishes every recall with the chassis numbers it covers. Run a recall check with the car’s chassis number to see whether any apply to it.
MOT record in the UK
Honda Integra
- 15% of 2,624 first MOT tests failed in 2024 and 2025, 60% lower than the UK average for cars of the same age.
- Most common advisory: Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge (5.6% of tests).
- Most common failure: Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (1.8% of tests).
Includes the Integra Type R, which was also sold new in the UK.
All Honda Integra MOT statisticsFrom DVSA’s anonymised MOT data, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Kilometres, miles and the first UK MOT
A DC5 sold new in Japan has a speedometer in kilometres. When it is imported, the speedometer is either converted to miles or left in km, and the first UK MOT should record whichever the dial shows. Mistakes here are common, and they’re where mileage problems hide.
We put the Japanese auction mileage and every UK MOT reading on one timeline and check the crossing: whether the readings agree after converting, whether the km figure was written down as miles, and whether the first UK reading is lower than the car had already done in Japan. See an illustrative example.
Questions
What is the chassis code for the Honda Integra DC5?
DC5. A Japanese-market Honda Integra DC5 has a frame number that starts with DC5, then a hyphen and a serial number. You’ll find it on the V5C and on a plate in the engine bay.
Which years was the DC5 built?
From 2001 to 2006, with the K20A (1998 cc naturally aspirated petrol) engine and FWD layout.
What should I check when buying a DC5?
K20A timing-chain tensioner: listen for a rattle on a cold start. Gearbox synchro wear. Rust in the rear arches. Look for factory Type R details: Recaro seats, Brembo front brakes and the red Honda badge. Also check that the Japanese auction mileage lines up with the first UK MOT, because km and miles are easily mixed up.