2007 Audi A3 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2007 Audi A3 passed 74.0% of its 109,642 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as small family cars of a similar age (26.9% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (13.9%) and lighting & signalling (13.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, coil spring and joints — headlamp aim alone was recorded 8,382 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 15.7% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 27.6% once past 150k.
The petrol cars hold up better: 25.0% fail against 26.6% for diesel, a 1.5-point gap across 109,642 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 35.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 13.9% | 15,258 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 13.6% | 14,859 |
| 3 | Brakes | 8.0% | 8,806 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.3% | 8,017 |
| 5 | Tyres | 6.8% | 7,398 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 5.3% | 5,780 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 8,382 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 7,059 |
| 3 | Joints | 6,192 |
| 4 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 5,239 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 4,721 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 4,354 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 35.8% | 39,207 |
| 2 | Tyres | 30.1% | 33,062 |
| 3 | Brakes | 24.1% | 26,452 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 14.8% | 16,247 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 14.0% | 15,326 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 13.2% | 14,430 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 420 | 15.7% |
| 30-60k | 3,534 | 18.2% |
| 60-90k | 12,568 | 22.5% |
| 90-120k | 27,414 | 25.6% |
| 120-150k | 31,931 | 27.1% |
| 150k+ | 33,692 | 27.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 71,122 | 26.6% |
| Petrol | 38,520 | 25.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 27,409 | 25.7% |
| 2022 | 25,333 | 26.1% |
| 2023 | 22,329 | 26.3% |
| 2024 | 18,973 | 26.0% |
| 2025 | 15,598 | 26.1% |
What to check before buying a 2007 A3
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 13.9% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (13.9% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Lighting & signalling (13.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (8.0% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2007 Audi A3s pass their MOT?
74.0% of the 109,642 2007 Audi A3 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 26.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2007 Audi A3?
Suspension, recorded in 13.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (13.6%).
Does the 2007 A3 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 15.7% in the 0-30k band to 27.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 109,642 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.