2012 Audi A8 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 4,131 MOT tests, the 2012 Audi A8 recorded a 91.0% pass rate. Against executive cars of a similar age (18.3% fail rate), the 2012 A8 comes out 9.3pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (3.8%) and lighting & signalling (2.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, brake pads and washers — tread depth alone was recorded 102 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2012 A8 fails 8.9% of the time in the 0-30k band and 10.4% at 150k+, a spread of only 1.5 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 19.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 7.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 10.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.8% | 157 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.3% | 96 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.9% | 78 |
| 4 | Suspension | 1.8% | 73 |
| 5 | Brakes | 1.5% | 63 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.3% | 52 |
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 | 102 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 44 |
| 3 | Washers | 42 |
| 4 | Wipers | 40 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 39 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 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 | 19.4% | 801 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.8% | 488 |
| 3 | Suspension | 9.8% | 407 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.2% | 257 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 4.9% | 203 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.3% | 179 |
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 | 45 | 8.9% |
| 30-60k | 382 | 5.2% |
| 60-90k | 1,025 | 8.5% |
| 90-120k | 1,185 | 9.7% |
| 120-150k | 859 | 9.6% |
| 150k+ | 635 | 10.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 3,784 | 9.1% |
| Petrol | 337 | 8.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 882 | 7.4% |
| 2022 | 874 | 8.9% |
| 2023 | 853 | 9.5% |
| 2024 | 785 | 9.2% |
| 2025 | 737 | 10.6% |
What to check before buying a 2012 A8
On a 2012 A8, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 3.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (3.8% 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 (2.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (1.9% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 2012 Audi A8s pass their MOT?
91.0% of the 4,131 2012 Audi A8 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Audi A8?
Tyres, recorded in 3.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (2.3%).
Does the 2012 A8 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.9% in the 0-30k band to 10.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,131 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.