2016 Audi A3 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 218,765 MOT tests, the 2016 Audi A3 recorded an 89.5% pass rate. Small family cars of a similar age fail 13.7% of the time, so this is 3.2pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: tyres, recorded in 6.1% of tests against 2.9% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, headlamp aim and brake pads — tread depth alone was recorded 6,877 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 6.2% in the 0-30k band and 15.5% in the 150k+ band, a 9.4-point spread — more than double.
The petrol cars hold up better: 9.7% fail against 12.5% for hybrid, a 2.9-point gap across 120,475 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 24.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 8.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.1% | 13,341 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.9% | 6,353 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.9% | 4,071 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.8% | 3,872 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.7% | 3,683 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 2,036 |
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 | 6,877 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 3,882 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 2,983 |
| 4 | Washers | 2,487 |
| 5 | Shock absorbers | 1,911 |
| 6 | Wipers | 1,757 |
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 | 24.3% | 53,169 |
| 2 | Brakes | 18.2% | 39,740 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.8% | 14,968 |
| 4 | Suspension | 5.9% | 12,862 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.9% | 6,377 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.2% | 2,686 |
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 | 22,514 | 6.2% |
| 30-60k | 97,246 | 8.9% |
| 60-90k | 68,613 | 12.3% |
| 90-120k | 22,856 | 14.5% |
| 120-150k | 5,832 | 15.1% |
| 150k+ | 1,683 | 15.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 117,468 | 9.7% |
| Diesel | 98,290 | 11.4% |
| Hybrid | 3,007 | 12.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 43,802 | 8.5% |
| 2022 | 43,778 | 9.6% |
| 2023 | 43,913 | 10.7% |
| 2024 | 43,651 | 11.3% |
| 2025 | 43,621 | 12.4% |
What to check before buying a 2016 A3
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 6.1% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (6.1% 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 (2.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (1.9% 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 2016 Audi A3s pass their MOT?
89.5% of the 218,765 2016 Audi A3 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Audi A3?
Tyres, recorded in 6.1% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (2.9%).
Does the 2016 A3 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.2% in the 0-30k band to 15.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 218,765 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.