2006 Audi A8 — MOT failures & pass rate
2,579 MOT tests on the 2006 Audi A8 are in this dataset, and 83.6% of them passed. Executive cars of a similar age fail 23.7% of the time, so this is 7.2pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (7.9%) and tyres (5.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, position lamp and malfunction indicator lamp — pins and bushes alone was recorded 124 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 30-60k one: 17.1% versus 10.3%.
The diesel cars hold up better: 15.9% fail against 17.8% for petrol, a 1.9-point gap across 2,579 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 24.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 17.3% in 2021 to 14.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.9% | 203 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.3% | 136 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.7% | 120 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.6% | 118 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.9% | 101 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.8% | 97 |
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 | 124 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 94 |
| 3 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 77 |
| 4 | Washers | 70 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 60 |
| 6 | Linkage pins and bushes | 55 |
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 | 24.0% | 618 |
| 2 | Suspension | 22.1% | 571 |
| 3 | Brakes | 20.9% | 539 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 11.9% | 307 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 7.5% | 194 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.1% | 158 |
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 | 58 | 10.3% |
| 60-90k | 218 | 13.3% |
| 90-120k | 421 | 17.1% |
| 120-150k | 732 | 16.8% |
| 150k+ | 1,128 | 17.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 1,883 | 15.9% |
| Petrol | 696 | 17.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 689 | 17.3% |
| 2022 | 582 | 16.8% |
| 2023 | 518 | 17.9% |
| 2024 | 422 | 14.7% |
| 2025 | 368 | 14.1% |
What to check before buying a 2006 A8
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 7.9% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (7.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.3% 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.
- Brakes (4.7% 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 2006 Audi A8s pass their MOT?
83.6% of the 2,579 2006 Audi A8 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2006 Audi A8?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.9% of tests, followed by tyres (5.3%).
Does the 2006 A8 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.3% in the 30-60k band to 17.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,579 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.