2012 Audi Q3 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 40,857 MOT tests, the 2012 Audi Q3 recorded an 81.2% pass rate. Against small SUVs of a similar age (22.3% fail rate), the 2012 Q3 comes out 3.5pp better. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 10.0% of tests against 5.8% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, tread depth and headlamp aim — coil spring alone was recorded 3,310 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 10.4% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 23.6% once past 150k — 2.3× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 15.8% fail against 19.5% for diesel, a 3.7-point gap across 40,857 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 27.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 16.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 10.0% | 4,071 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.8% | 2,377 |
| 3 | Tyres | 5.4% | 2,220 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.9% | 1,169 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.7% | 1,101 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.7% | 1,086 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 3,310 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 1,655 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 1,205 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 1,034 |
| 5 | Wipers | 762 |
| 6 | Individual direction indicators | 665 |
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 | 27.1% | 11,054 |
| 2 | Brakes | 21.1% | 8,641 |
| 3 | Suspension | 16.0% | 6,540 |
| 4 | Other defects | 9.5% | 3,867 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 3.8% | 1,563 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.6% | 1,491 |
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 | 558 | 10.4% |
| 30-60k | 5,359 | 13.4% |
| 60-90k | 14,309 | 17.4% |
| 90-120k | 12,742 | 20.5% |
| 120-150k | 5,733 | 22.7% |
| 150k+ | 2,151 | 23.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 33,810 | 19.5% |
| Petrol | 7,047 | 15.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 8,029 | 16.4% |
| 2022 | 8,114 | 17.2% |
| 2023 | 8,244 | 19.4% |
| 2024 | 8,207 | 19.9% |
| 2025 | 8,263 | 21.2% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Q3
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 10.0% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (10.0% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (5.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.4% 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.
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 Q3s pass their MOT?
81.2% of the 40,857 2012 Audi Q3 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Audi Q3?
Suspension, recorded in 10.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (5.8%).
Does the 2012 Q3 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.4% in the 0-30k band to 23.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 40,857 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.