2014 Audi A4 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2014 Audi A4 passed 83.1% of its 101,826 recorded MOT tests. Against executive cars of a similar age (15.5% fail rate), the 2014 A4 comes out 1.4pp worse. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (6.6%) and lighting & signalling (6.5%) 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 joints — headlamp aim alone was recorded 5,021 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 20.3% versus 6.3%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 4.5pp more often than petrol ones (17.5% vs 12.9%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 25.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 14.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 18.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.6% | 6,735 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 6.5% | 6,604 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.3% | 5,442 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.2% | 3,224 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.9% | 2,928 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.3% | 2,337 |
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 | 5,021 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 4,230 |
| 3 | Joints | 2,226 |
| 4 | Shock absorbers | 2,114 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 2,025 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 1,926 |
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 | 25.4% | 25,871 |
| 2 | Suspension | 18.0% | 18,357 |
| 3 | Brakes | 17.8% | 18,135 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.0% | 8,119 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.0% | 4,021 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.9% | 2,978 |
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 | 1,344 | 6.3% |
| 30-60k | 15,430 | 11.4% |
| 60-90k | 32,997 | 15.8% |
| 90-120k | 28,319 | 18.9% |
| 120-150k | 15,182 | 20.0% |
| 150k+ | 8,550 | 20.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 88,264 | 17.5% |
| Petrol | 13,562 | 12.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 20,447 | 14.4% |
| 2022 | 20,493 | 15.8% |
| 2023 | 20,544 | 17.4% |
| 2024 | 20,256 | 18.0% |
| 2025 | 20,086 | 18.8% |
What to check before buying a 2014 A4
On a 2014 A4, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 6.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (6.6% 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 (6.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (5.3% 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 2014 Audi A4s pass their MOT?
83.1% of the 101,826 2014 Audi A4 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Audi A4?
Tyres, recorded in 6.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (6.5%).
Does the 2014 A4 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.3% in the 0-30k band to 20.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 101,826 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.