2019 Audi A8 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2019 Audi A8 passed 94.7% of its 3,235 recorded MOT tests. Against executive cars of a similar age (10.2% fail rate), the 2019 A8 comes out 5.0pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (3.3%) and lighting & signalling (0.9%) 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 headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 49 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2019 A8 fails 4.6% of the time in the 0-30k band and 2.6% at 150k+, a spread of only 2.0 points.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 15.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 3.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 5.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.3% | 106 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 0.9% | 29 |
| 3 | Visibility | 0.9% | 29 |
| 4 | Brakes | 0.9% | 28 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.3% | 9 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.3% | 8 |
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 | 49 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 27 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 19 |
| 4 | Washers | 18 |
| 5 | Wipers | 14 |
| 6 | Registration plates | 11 |
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 | 15.3% | 494 |
| 2 | Brakes | 8.8% | 284 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.0% | 129 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.1% | 67 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.7% | 21 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 15 |
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 | 1,049 | 4.6% |
| 30-60k | 1,467 | 5.7% |
| 60-90k | 485 | 5.6% |
| 90-120k | 141 | 7.1% |
| 120-150k | 54 | 3.7% |
| 150k+ | 39 | 2.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 2,753 | 5.6% |
| Petrol | 482 | 3.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 98 | 3.1% |
| 2022 | 820 | 5.5% |
| 2023 | 788 | 5.0% |
| 2024 | 774 | 5.9% |
| 2025 | 755 | 5.0% |
What to check before buying a 2019 A8
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 3.3% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (3.3% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (0.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (0.9% 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 2019 Audi A8s pass their MOT?
94.7% of the 3,235 2019 Audi A8 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 5.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 Audi A8?
Tyres, recorded in 3.3% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (0.9%).
Does the 2019 A8 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 4.6% in the 0-30k band to 2.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,235 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.