2014 Audi Q3 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 81,344 MOT tests, the 2014 Audi Q3 recorded an 84.1% pass rate. That is 2.8 percentage points better than small SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 18.7%. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (8.2%) and tyres (5.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, pins and bushes and tread depth — coil spring alone was recorded 4,125 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.6% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 24.1% once past 150k — 3.2× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 11.9% fail against 16.9% for diesel, a 5.0-point gap across 81,344 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 25.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 12.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 8.2% | 6,635 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.3% | 4,331 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 3.4% | 2,742 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.7% | 2,178 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.5% | 2,050 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.7% | 1,364 |
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 | 4,125 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 3,194 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 2,980 |
| 4 | Wipers | 1,505 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 1,480 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 1,230 |
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 | 25.8% | 21,002 |
| 2 | Suspension | 23.2% | 18,876 |
| 3 | Brakes | 20.4% | 16,558 |
| 4 | Other defects | 9.1% | 7,410 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.4% | 2,750 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.5% | 1,198 |
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 | 2,728 | 7.6% |
| 30-60k | 22,634 | 11.7% |
| 60-90k | 32,809 | 16.3% |
| 90-120k | 17,084 | 19.7% |
| 120-150k | 4,758 | 21.8% |
| 150k+ | 1,322 | 24.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 64,421 | 16.9% |
| Petrol | 16,923 | 11.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 15,826 | 12.4% |
| 2022 | 15,954 | 13.9% |
| 2023 | 16,348 | 16.0% |
| 2024 | 16,442 | 17.4% |
| 2025 | 16,774 | 19.6% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Q3
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 8.2% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (8.2% 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.
- Tyres (5.3% 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 (3.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£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 2014 Audi Q3s pass their MOT?
84.1% of the 81,344 2014 Audi Q3 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Audi Q3?
Suspension, recorded in 8.2% of tests, followed by tyres (5.3%).
Does the 2014 Q3 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.6% in the 0-30k band to 24.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 81,344 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.