2010 Audi A4 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 83,642 MOT tests, the 2010 Audi A4 recorded a 79.1% pass rate. Executive cars of a similar age fail at 20.8%, so the 2010 A4 sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (8.9%) and lighting & signalling (8.0%) 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 tread depth — headlamp aim alone was recorded 5,207 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2010 A4 fails 20.5% of the time in the 0-30k band and 22.8% at 150k+, a spread of only 2.3 points.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.4pp more often than petrol ones (21.5% vs 18.1%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 29.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 19.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 22.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 8.9% | 7,490 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 8.0% | 6,665 |
| 3 | Tyres | 6.4% | 5,342 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.1% | 4,237 |
| 5 | Brakes | 4.2% | 3,470 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.5% | 2,905 |
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 | 5,207 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 4,339 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 3,691 |
| 4 | Joints | 3,679 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 2,995 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 2,522 |
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 | 29.4% | 24,623 |
| 2 | Tyres | 27.9% | 23,297 |
| 3 | Brakes | 19.8% | 16,587 |
| 4 | Other defects | 11.0% | 9,220 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.3% | 6,073 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.7% | 4,770 |
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 | 395 | 20.5% |
| 30-60k | 2,697 | 13.1% |
| 60-90k | 11,076 | 17.3% |
| 90-120k | 22,386 | 20.3% |
| 120-150k | 23,100 | 22.2% |
| 150k+ | 23,728 | 22.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 69,682 | 21.5% |
| Petrol | 13,960 | 18.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 17,770 | 19.4% |
| 2022 | 17,468 | 20.0% |
| 2023 | 17,181 | 21.1% |
| 2024 | 16,116 | 21.8% |
| 2025 | 15,107 | 22.7% |
What to check before buying a 2010 A4
On a 2010 A4, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 8.9% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (8.9% 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 (8.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (6.4% 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 2010 Audi A4s pass their MOT?
79.1% of the 83,642 2010 Audi A4 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Audi A4?
Suspension, recorded in 8.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (8.0%).
Does the 2010 A4 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 20.5% in the 0-30k band to 22.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 83,642 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.