Diesel Audi A5: MOT pass rate

78.6% of diesel Audi A5s pass the MOT first time, measured across 69,406 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 101,281.

Diesel against the other Audi A5 versions

Why the fuel type changes the number

Diesels carry DPFs, EGR valves and stricter smoke limits, so emissions and exhaust faults account for failures petrol cars never see.

On the Audi A5 specifically, petrol is the strongest at 84%, and this diesel version sits 2.2 points below the 80.8% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

The diesel Audi A5 fails more often than the model average, so budget for the items that catch this fuel type and treat a fresh MOT as worth paying for. Buying a damaged one? run it through the analyzer, check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.

Mileage is part of the answer

The average diesel Audi A5 had covered 101,281 miles at test, against 67,827 for the petrol. That is above average and into the range where cambelts and water pumps are due if they have not already been done, so ask for the service history rather than take the mileage on trust.

Fuel type and mileage are tangled together: diesels are usually bought by higher-mileage drivers, so some of any gap between fuels is the miles rather than the engine. The per-year figures on the Audi A5 page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a diesel Audi A5

1. Headlamp levelling device inoperative, 0.6% of tests (4.66x the national rate for this defect)
2. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 1.9% of tests (2.05x the national rate for this defect)
3. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 3.3% of tests (1.96x the national rate for this defect)
4. A wheel with a loose or missing wheel nut, bolt or stud, 0.6% of tests (1.93x the national rate for this defect)
5. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 5.1% of tests (1.61x the national rate for this defect)
6. A tyre seriously damaged, 4.1% of tests (1.46x the national rate for this defect)
7. A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 2.2% of tests (1.45x the national rate for this defect)
8. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 1.6% of tests (1.24x the national rate for this defect)
9. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 2.7% of tests (1.17x the national rate for this defect)
10. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 4.3% of tests

From 69,729 DVSA-tracked diesel Audi A5 tests, 2024, split out from the Audi A5's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 7.67% of these flagged defects as "dangerous", against 5.11% nationally. See which fuel type fails on the most dangerous defects nationally for how that compares across the whole fleet.

Most common MOT advisories on a diesel Audi A5

Flagged but doesn't fail the car, a different list from the failures above.

1. A shock absorber which has negligible damping effect, 1% of tests (2.83x the national rate for this defect)
2. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 9.7% of tests (2.48x the national rate for this defect), also fails
3. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 23.6% of tests (1.77x the national rate for this defect), also fails
4. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 35.3% of tests (1.33x the national rate for this defect), also fails
5. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 11.9% of tests (1.28x the national rate for this defect)
6. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 3.9% of tests (1.22x the national rate for this defect)
7. A tyre seriously damaged, 11.4% of tests, also fails
8. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 9.4% of tests
9. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 3.6% of tests
10. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 2.9% of tests, also fails

From 69,729 DVSA-tracked diesel Audi A5 tests, 2024.

Other Audi A5 fuel types

• Petrol Audi A5 - 84%

All Audi A5 MOT data · Every model