2015 Audi A3 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2015 Audi A3 passed 87.8% of its 238,533 recorded MOT tests. Against small family cars of a similar age (15.5% fail rate), the 2015 A3 comes out 3.4pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (6.2%) and lighting & signalling (3.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, headlamp aim and shock absorbers — tread depth alone was recorded 7,798 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 6.3% in the 0-30k band and 16.8% in the 150k+ band, a 10.5-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.6pp more often than petrol ones (13.4% vs 10.8%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 25.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 10.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 13.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.2% | 14,722 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 3.8% | 9,066 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.0% | 7,227 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.3% | 5,507 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.9% | 4,581 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.9% | 4,477 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 7,798 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 6,338 |
| 3 | Shock absorbers | 3,868 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 3,737 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 3,605 |
| 6 | Washers | 2,982 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 25.0% | 59,718 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.2% | 45,756 |
| 3 | Suspension | 9.1% | 21,766 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.1% | 16,973 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.2% | 7,731 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.8% | 4,242 |
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 | 14,139 | 6.3% |
| 30-60k | 80,902 | 9.7% |
| 60-90k | 85,694 | 13.3% |
| 90-120k | 39,842 | 15.1% |
| 120-150k | 13,361 | 16.1% |
| 150k+ | 4,562 | 16.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 127,451 | 13.4% |
| Petrol | 104,880 | 10.8% |
| Hybrid | 6,202 | 11.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 47,712 | 10.3% |
| 2022 | 47,817 | 11.3% |
| 2023 | 47,729 | 12.4% |
| 2024 | 47,773 | 13.2% |
| 2025 | 47,502 | 13.7% |
What to check before buying a 2015 A3
On a 2015 A3, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 6.2% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (6.2% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Lighting & signalling (3.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (3.0% 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.
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 2015 Audi A3s pass their MOT?
87.8% of the 238,533 2015 Audi A3 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Audi A3?
Tyres, recorded in 6.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (3.8%).
Does the 2015 A3 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.3% in the 0-30k band to 16.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 238,533 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.