2011 Audi A8 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 4,223 MOT tests, the 2011 Audi A8 recorded a 91.0% pass rate. Against executive cars of a similar age (19.6% fail rate), the 2011 A8 comes out 10.5pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (3.6%) and lighting & signalling (2.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, headlamp aim and washers — tread depth alone was recorded 108 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2011 A8 fails 7.6% of the time in the 30-60k band and 9.4% at 150k+, a spread of only 1.8 points.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 20.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 8.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 10.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.6% | 152 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.8% | 120 |
| 3 | Suspension | 2.3% | 95 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.8% | 75 |
| 5 | Brakes | 1.6% | 69 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.1% | 46 |
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 | 108 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 59 |
| 3 | Washers | 52 |
| 4 | Ball joint | 51 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 43 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 34 |
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 | 20.2% | 854 |
| 2 | Suspension | 13.3% | 563 |
| 3 | Brakes | 11.9% | 504 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.1% | 259 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 4.8% | 201 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 4.5% | 191 |
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 | 317 | 7.6% |
| 60-90k | 820 | 9.2% |
| 90-120k | 1,187 | 9.0% |
| 120-150k | 973 | 9.3% |
| 150k+ | 897 | 9.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 4,014 | 9.2% |
| Petrol | 209 | 4.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 974 | 8.2% |
| 2022 | 914 | 8.1% |
| 2023 | 841 | 10.5% |
| 2024 | 763 | 8.1% |
| 2025 | 731 | 10.5% |
What to check before buying a 2011 A8
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 3.6% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (3.6% 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 (2.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (2.3% 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 2011 Audi A8s pass their MOT?
91.0% of the 4,223 2011 Audi A8 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Audi A8?
Tyres, recorded in 3.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (2.8%).
Does the 2011 A8 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.6% in the 30-60k band to 9.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,223 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.