2009 Audi A4 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 85,361 MOT tests, the 2009 Audi A4 recorded a 78.0% pass rate. Executive cars of a similar age fail at 21.7%, so the 2009 A4 sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (9.6%) and lighting & signalling (8.8%) 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 5,218 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 9.4% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 23.6% once past 150k — 2.5× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.9pp more often than petrol ones (22.5% vs 19.5%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 30.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 21.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 23.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 9.6% | 8,160 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 8.8% | 7,546 |
| 3 | Tyres | 6.7% | 5,696 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.2% | 5,248 |
| 5 | Brakes | 4.2% | 3,568 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.0% | 3,438 |
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 | 5,218 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 5,140 |
| 3 | Joints | 4,449 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 3,770 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 2,871 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 2,371 |
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 | 30.8% | 26,284 |
| 2 | Tyres | 28.6% | 24,460 |
| 3 | Brakes | 21.4% | 18,260 |
| 4 | Other defects | 10.3% | 8,798 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.3% | 7,085 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 6.4% | 5,448 |
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 | 288 | 9.4% |
| 30-60k | 2,298 | 13.6% |
| 60-90k | 10,049 | 18.7% |
| 90-120k | 21,409 | 21.4% |
| 120-150k | 24,023 | 22.9% |
| 150k+ | 27,254 | 23.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 70,588 | 22.5% |
| Petrol | 14,773 | 19.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 19,137 | 21.0% |
| 2022 | 18,288 | 20.6% |
| 2023 | 17,529 | 22.4% |
| 2024 | 16,038 | 22.9% |
| 2025 | 14,369 | 23.3% |
What to check before buying a 2009 A4
On a 2009 A4, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 9.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (9.6% 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 (8.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (6.7% 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.
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 2009 Audi A4s pass their MOT?
78.0% of the 85,361 2009 Audi A4 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 22.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2009 Audi A4?
Suspension, recorded in 9.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (8.8%).
Does the 2009 A4 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.4% in the 0-30k band to 23.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 85,361 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.