2001 Audi A6 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 1,911 MOT tests, the 2001 Audi A6 recorded a 74.1% pass rate. Executive cars of a similar age fail 24.1% of the time, so this is 1.8pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 15.4% of all tests — 5.5 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, joints and headlamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 164 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2001 A6 fails 23.7% of the time in the 30-60k band and 26.3% at 150k+, a spread of only 2.6 points.
Split by fuel, petrol examples fail 5.3pp more often than diesel ones (28.6% vs 23.3%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 37.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 27.8% in 2021 to 26.2% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 15.4% | 294 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.9% | 189 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 9.7% | 186 |
| 4 | Suspension | 9.3% | 178 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.3% | 101 |
| 6 | Tyres | 5.3% | 101 |
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 | 164 |
| 2 | Joints | 143 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 122 |
| 4 | Ball joint | 79 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 77 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 72 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 37.5% | 717 |
| 2 | Suspension | 36.4% | 695 |
| 3 | Tyres | 25.9% | 495 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 23.4% | 448 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 16.0% | 306 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 15.2% | 291 |
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 | 38 | 23.7% |
| 60-90k | 130 | 21.5% |
| 90-120k | 334 | 27.5% |
| 120-150k | 364 | 25.0% |
| 150k+ | 1,034 | 26.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 961 | 23.3% |
| Petrol | 947 | 28.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 636 | 27.8% |
| 2022 | 494 | 26.9% |
| 2023 | 325 | 22.8% |
| 2024 | 246 | 23.2% |
| 2025 | 210 | 26.2% |
What to check before buying a 2001 A6
On a 2001 A6, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 15.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (15.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (9.9% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Body, structure & corrosion (9.7% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
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 2001 Audi A6s pass their MOT?
74.1% of the 1,911 2001 Audi A6 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 25.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2001 Audi A6?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 15.4% of tests, followed by brakes (9.9%).
Does the 2001 A6 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 23.7% in the 30-60k band to 26.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,911 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.