2013 Audi A4 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2013 Audi A4 passed 82.7% of its 97,545 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as executive cars of a similar age (17.0% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (7.2%) and tyres (6.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, tread depth and pins and bushes — headlamp aim alone was recorded 5,120 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 19.8% versus 7.9%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 13.8% fail against 17.9% for diesel, a 4.1-point gap across 97,545 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 26.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 15.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 18.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.2% | 7,049 |
| 2 | Tyres | 6.3% | 6,160 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.5% | 5,400 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.5% | 3,382 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.0% | 2,945 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.4% | 2,372 |
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 | 5,120 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 3,885 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 2,321 |
| 4 | Joints | 2,166 |
| 5 | Shock absorbers | 2,119 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 2,079 |
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 | 26.2% | 25,559 |
| 2 | Suspension | 21.3% | 20,801 |
| 3 | Brakes | 18.2% | 17,772 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.4% | 8,205 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.5% | 4,428 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.2% | 3,161 |
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 | 772 | 7.9% |
| 30-60k | 10,010 | 10.5% |
| 60-90k | 28,028 | 16.0% |
| 90-120k | 29,933 | 18.8% |
| 120-150k | 17,844 | 19.9% |
| 150k+ | 10,942 | 19.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 83,614 | 17.9% |
| Petrol | 13,931 | 13.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 19,774 | 15.3% |
| 2022 | 19,786 | 16.4% |
| 2023 | 19,687 | 17.8% |
| 2024 | 19,412 | 18.5% |
| 2025 | 18,886 | 18.7% |
What to check before buying a 2013 A4
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 7.2% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (7.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (6.3% 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.
- Suspension (5.5% 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 2013 Audi A4s pass their MOT?
82.7% of the 97,545 2013 Audi A4 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 Audi A4?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.2% of tests, followed by tyres (6.3%).
Does the 2013 A4 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.9% in the 0-30k band to 19.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 97,545 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.