2001 Audi A8 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2001 Audi A8 passed 79.9% of its 621 recorded MOT tests. Executive cars of a similar age fail 24.0% of the time, so this is 3.9pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (9.7%) and lighting & signalling (9.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, washers and headlamp aim — pins and bushes alone was recorded 37 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2001 A8 fails 22.5% of the time in the 60-90k band and 21.8% at 150k+, a spread of only 0.7 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 30.6% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 22.0% in 2021 to 19.6% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 9.7% | 60 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 9.5% | 59 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.2% | 45 |
| 4 | Visibility | 7.2% | 45 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.3% | 33 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.0% | 25 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pins and bushes | 37 |
| 2 | Washers | 31 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 29 |
| 4 | Joints | 26 |
| 5 | Wipers | 23 |
| 6 | Coil spring | 21 |
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 | 30.6% | 190 |
| 2 | Brakes | 26.9% | 167 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 23.7% | 147 |
| 4 | Tyres | 20.8% | 129 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.4% | 71 |
| 6 | Other defects | 6.9% | 43 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 60-90k | 80 | 22.5% |
| 90-120k | 114 | 21.1% |
| 120-150k | 192 | 17.2% |
| 150k+ | 206 | 21.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 159 | 22.0% |
| 2022 | 153 | 22.2% |
| 2023 | 112 | 18.8% |
| 2024 | 105 | 16.2% |
| 2025 | 92 | 19.6% |
What to check before buying a 2001 A8
On a 2001 A8, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 9.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (9.7% 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 (9.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.2% 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.
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 A8s pass their MOT?
79.9% of the 621 2001 Audi A8 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2001 Audi A8?
Suspension, recorded in 9.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (9.5%).
Does the 2001 A8 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 22.5% in the 60-90k band to 21.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 621 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.