2007 Audi A5 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 8,802 MOT tests, the 2007 Audi A5 recorded an 81.0% pass rate. Executive cars of a similar age fail 23.2% of the time, so this is 4.1pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (7.5%) and lighting & signalling (7.5%) 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 434 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 8.0% in the 30-60k band and 20.2% in the 150k+ band, a 12.1-point spread — more than double.
The petrol cars hold up better: 16.3% fail against 19.7% for diesel, a 3.4-point gap across 8,802 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 32.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 17.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 7.5% | 663 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 7.5% | 659 |
| 3 | Tyres | 6.6% | 581 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 3.9% | 342 |
| 5 | Brakes | 3.7% | 326 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.2% | 284 |
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 | 434 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 312 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 297 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 250 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 241 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 217 |
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 | 32.5% | 2,864 |
| 2 | Tyres | 26.1% | 2,298 |
| 3 | Brakes | 19.5% | 1,717 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.7% | 677 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.6% | 672 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 7.5% | 662 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 137 | 8.0% |
| 60-90k | 799 | 15.5% |
| 90-120k | 2,266 | 19.0% |
| 120-150k | 2,713 | 19.5% |
| 150k+ | 2,870 | 20.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 7,118 | 19.7% |
| Petrol | 1,684 | 16.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,077 | 17.6% |
| 2022 | 1,946 | 18.0% |
| 2023 | 1,826 | 20.5% |
| 2024 | 1,567 | 20.2% |
| 2025 | 1,386 | 19.4% |
What to check before buying a 2007 A5
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 7.5% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (7.5% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (7.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- 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.
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 2007 Audi A5s pass their MOT?
81.0% of the 8,802 2007 Audi A5 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2007 Audi A5?
Suspension, recorded in 7.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (7.5%).
Does the 2007 A5 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.0% in the 30-60k band to 20.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 8,802 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.