2019 Audi A3 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2019 Audi A3 passed 90.8% of its 94,473 recorded MOT tests. Small family cars of a similar age fail at 9.6%, so the 2019 A3 sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
Tyres dominates the failure mix at 6.2% of all tests — 4.7 points clear of lighting & signalling, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, brake pads and headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 2,995 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 12.0% versus 7.1%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 1.7pp more often than petrol ones (10.5% vs 8.9%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 24.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 7.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 10.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.2% | 5,849 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.5% | 1,422 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.5% | 1,405 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.4% | 1,294 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.9% | 873 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.6% | 539 |
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 | 2,995 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 1,249 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 1,077 |
| 4 | Washers | 1,043 |
| 5 | Wipers | 502 |
| 6 | Coil spring | 464 |
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 | 24.4% | 23,070 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.5% | 11,841 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.5% | 6,177 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.6% | 3,408 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.9% | 2,747 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.4% | 394 |
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 | 37,796 | 7.1% |
| 30-60k | 44,541 | 10.1% |
| 60-90k | 10,143 | 12.5% |
| 90-120k | 1,620 | 12.7% |
| 120-150k | 286 | 14.7% |
| 150k+ | 83 | 12.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 74,838 | 8.9% |
| Diesel | 19,628 | 10.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,248 | 7.7% |
| 2022 | 23,985 | 8.6% |
| 2023 | 23,631 | 8.7% |
| 2024 | 22,662 | 9.2% |
| 2025 | 22,947 | 10.4% |
What to check before buying a 2019 A3
On a 2019 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 (1.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (1.5% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 2019 Audi A3s pass their MOT?
90.8% of the 94,473 2019 Audi A3 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 Audi A3?
Tyres, recorded in 6.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.5%).
Does the 2019 A3 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.1% in the 0-30k band to 12.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 94,473 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.