2010 Audi A8 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2010 Audi A8 passed 88.9% of its 2,794 recorded MOT tests. That is 9.6 percentage points better than executive cars of a similar age, which fail at 20.7%. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.1%) and lighting & signalling (3.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, malfunction indicator lamp and headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 80 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 5.8% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 11.1% once past 150k.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 19.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 10.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.1% | 115 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 3.7% | 103 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.5% | 97 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.7% | 76 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 2.4% | 66 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.1% | 60 |
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 | 80 |
| 2 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 62 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 51 |
| 4 | Pins and bushes | 50 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 49 |
| 6 | Ball joint | 38 |
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 | 19.1% | 534 |
| 2 | Tyres | 18.8% | 525 |
| 3 | Brakes | 14.6% | 408 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.9% | 165 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 4.4% | 124 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.2% | 117 |
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 | 121 | 5.8% |
| 60-90k | 480 | 12.3% |
| 90-120k | 760 | 10.7% |
| 120-150k | 758 | 11.7% |
| 150k+ | 659 | 11.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 2,613 | 11.2% |
| Petrol | 181 | 10.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 639 | 10.6% |
| 2022 | 612 | 10.1% |
| 2023 | 560 | 9.8% |
| 2024 | 516 | 13.2% |
| 2025 | 467 | 12.4% |
What to check before buying a 2010 A8
On a 2010 A8, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 4.1% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (4.1% 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 (3.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (3.5% 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.
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 A8s pass their MOT?
88.9% of the 2,794 2010 Audi A8 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Audi A8?
Tyres, recorded in 4.1% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (3.7%).
Does the 2010 A8 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.8% in the 30-60k band to 11.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,794 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.