2010 Audi A5 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 63,701 MOT tests, the 2010 Audi A5 recorded an 80.2% pass rate. Executive cars of a similar age fail 20.8% of the time, so this is 1.0pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (7.9%) and tyres (7.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, headlamp aim and tread depth — coil spring alone was recorded 2,968 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 12.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 22.1% once past 150k.
The petrol cars hold up better: 17.8% fail against 21.0% for diesel, a 3.3-point gap across 63,701 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 28.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 18.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 7.9% | 5,010 |
| 2 | Tyres | 7.6% | 4,871 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 7.1% | 4,528 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.8% | 2,392 |
| 5 | Brakes | 3.7% | 2,344 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.0% | 1,930 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 2,968 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 2,847 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 2,708 |
| 4 | Pins and bushes | 1,868 |
| 5 | Washers | 1,536 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 1,528 |
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 | 28.6% | 18,193 |
| 2 | Suspension | 27.5% | 17,546 |
| 3 | Brakes | 18.6% | 11,860 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.0% | 5,121 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 5.4% | 3,430 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.1% | 3,223 |
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 | 375 | 12.8% |
| 30-60k | 3,518 | 13.1% |
| 60-90k | 13,596 | 17.5% |
| 90-120k | 20,077 | 20.1% |
| 120-150k | 15,221 | 21.4% |
| 150k+ | 10,797 | 22.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 39,386 | 21.0% |
| Petrol | 24,315 | 17.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 13,506 | 18.2% |
| 2022 | 13,447 | 19.4% |
| 2023 | 12,993 | 20.5% |
| 2024 | 12,265 | 20.2% |
| 2025 | 11,490 | 21.0% |
What to check before buying a 2010 A5
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 7.9% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (7.9% 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.
- Tyres (7.6% 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 (7.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 A5s pass their MOT?
80.2% of the 63,701 2010 Audi A5 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Audi A5?
Suspension, recorded in 7.9% of tests, followed by tyres (7.6%).
Does the 2010 A5 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.8% in the 0-30k band to 22.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 63,701 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.