2011 Audi A6 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2011 Audi A6 passed 81.8% of its 43,566 recorded MOT tests. Against executive cars of a similar age (19.7% fail rate), the 2011 A6 comes out 1.5pp better. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (7.5%) and lighting & signalling (6.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, coil spring and headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 1,625 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 10.7% in the 0-30k band and 20.2% in the 150k+ band, a 9.5-point spread.
The petrol cars hold up better: 14.3% fail against 18.3% for diesel, a 4.0-point gap across 43,566 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 26.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 16.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 18.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 7.5% | 3,291 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 6.7% | 2,931 |
| 3 | Tyres | 6.7% | 2,917 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.0% | 1,305 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.9% | 1,285 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.3% | 1,021 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 1,625 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 1,332 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 1,290 |
| 4 | Linkage pins and bushes | 1,228 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 1,064 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 880 |
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 | 26.4% | 11,518 |
| 2 | Suspension | 21.7% | 9,440 |
| 3 | Brakes | 17.7% | 7,711 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 10.3% | 4,510 |
| 5 | Other defects | 8.0% | 3,496 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.5% | 2,396 |
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 | 112 | 10.7% |
| 30-60k | 1,403 | 12.1% |
| 60-90k | 5,810 | 16.6% |
| 90-120k | 12,204 | 17.4% |
| 120-150k | 12,003 | 18.5% |
| 150k+ | 12,029 | 20.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 42,518 | 18.3% |
| Petrol | 1,048 | 14.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 9,288 | 16.9% |
| 2022 | 9,164 | 17.8% |
| 2023 | 8,904 | 18.7% |
| 2024 | 8,389 | 19.0% |
| 2025 | 7,821 | 18.9% |
What to check before buying a 2011 A6
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 (6.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (6.7% 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 2011 Audi A6s pass their MOT?
81.8% of the 43,566 2011 Audi A6 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Audi A6?
Suspension, recorded in 7.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (6.7%).
Does the 2011 A6 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.7% in the 0-30k band to 20.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 43,566 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.