Audi A4: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Audi A4 fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 0.4 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 245,890 individual Audi A4 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 76.3% first-time pass rate means roughly 24 in every 100 Audi A4s presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is worse than average, so budget for remedial work and treat a fresh 12-month MOT as a genuine selling point rather than a given. The average Audi A4 tested had covered 106,981 miles and was built around 2012.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. On a Audi A4 bought as a repairable salvage, assume the mechanical side needs more than the visible accident damage, and pad your repair estimate accordingly.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. See how it stacks up against the Ford Fiesta.

Looking at a specific Audi A4 rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see what damaged Audi A4s actually sold for at UK salvage auction, from 16 real settled sales.

Most common MOT failures on a Audi A4

1. A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 2.5% of tests (2.26x the national rate for this defect)
2. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 3.1% of tests (1.88x the national rate for this defect)
3. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 1.3% of tests (1.42x the national rate for this defect)
4. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 3.3% of tests (1.41x the national rate for this defect)
5. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 1% of tests (1.39x the national rate for this defect)
6. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 2.3% of tests (1.29x the national rate for this defect)
7. Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 0.7% of tests (1.29x the national rate for this defect)
8. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 1.5% of tests (1.24x the national rate for this defect)
9. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 4.3% of tests (1.17x the national rate for this defect)
10. A tyre seriously damaged, 2.3% of tests (1.16x the national rate for this defect)

From 408,563 DVSA-tracked Audi A4 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 5.12% of these flagged Audi A4 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 4.97% nationally.

Audi A4 pass rate by model year

Pass rates fall steadily as cars age, so the model year matters as much as the model. First-time pass rate for each Audi A4 year:

• 1997 Audi A4 - 67.9% first-time pass, 265 tests
• 1998 Audi A4 - 73.1% first-time pass, 475 tests
• 1999 Audi A4 - 70.6% first-time pass, 700 tests
• 2000 Audi A4 - 69.4% first-time pass, 919 tests
• 2001 Audi A4 - 66.9% first-time pass, 903 tests
• 2002 Audi A4 - 65.3% first-time pass, 1,976 tests
• 2003 Audi A4 - 66.5% first-time pass, 3,710 tests
• 2004 Audi A4 - 66.6% first-time pass, 6,424 tests
• 2005 Audi A4 - 68.9% first-time pass, 7,505 tests
• 2006 Audi A4 - 68.8% first-time pass, 12,837 tests
• 2007 Audi A4 - 69.8% first-time pass, 15,046 tests
• 2008 Audi A4 - 70.3% first-time pass, 15,234 tests
• 2009 Audi A4 - 71.5% first-time pass, 12,793 tests
• 2010 Audi A4 - 73% first-time pass, 12,946 tests
• 2011 Audi A4 - 74.7% first-time pass, 13,674 tests
• 2012 Audi A4 - 76.3% first-time pass, 13,436 tests
• 2013 Audi A4 - 77.6% first-time pass, 16,024 tests
• 2014 Audi A4 - 78.4% first-time pass, 16,837 tests
• 2015 Audi A4 - 79.6% first-time pass, 16,435 tests
• 2016 Audi A4 - 81.4% first-time pass, 22,106 tests
• 2017 Audi A4 - 83.4% first-time pass, 21,236 tests
• 2018 Audi A4 - 85.3% first-time pass, 13,631 tests
• 2019 Audi A4 - 87.9% first-time pass, 12,912 tests
• 2020 Audi A4 - 90% first-time pass, 5,966 tests

Audi A4 by fuel type

Diesel and petrol versions of the same car fail on different things, so the fuel type moves the number:

• Diesel Audi A4 - 75% first-time pass, 165,081 tests
• Petrol Audi A4 - 80.6% first-time pass, 79,295 tests

Other Audi models

• Audi A3 - 78.1%
• Audi A1 - 79.5%
• Audi A6 - 81.9%
• Audi A5 - 80.4%
• Audi Tt - 78.8%
• Audi Q3 - 83.5%
• Audi Q5 - 84.8%
• Audi Q2 - 91.9%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Jaguar Xk8 - 76.4%
• Nissan 350 Z - 76.4%
• Vauxhall Combo 2300 Sportive Td - 76.4%
• Lexus Rx400h - 76.3%
• Mercedes-Benz 190 E - 76.3%
• Lexus Ls400 - 76.3%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate