Check foreign car close to port (5)
I believe the answer is:
audit
'check' is the definition.
(thesaurus)
'foreign car close to port' is the wordplay.
'foreign car' becomes 'audi' (audi is a german car brand).
'close to' indicates one should take the final letters (the close/ending of).
The final letter of 'port' is 't'.
'audi'+'t'='AUDIT'
(Other definitions for audit that I've seen before include "Review firm's accounts, annual check" , "Inspection of a company's books" , "Thoroughgoing check" , "Official inspection of company accounts" , "Examine accounts" .)