2015 Audi Q5 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2015 Audi Q5 passed 87.9% of its 59,892 recorded MOT tests. Mid-size SUVs of a similar age fail 15.8% of the time, so this is 3.7pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, body, structure & corrosion and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.3%) and body, structure & corrosion (3.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are joints, headlamp aim and pins and bushes — joints alone was recorded 2,028 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.3% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 17.1% once past 150k — 2.3× the risk.
Split by fuel, petrol examples fail 3.3pp more often than diesel ones (15.1% vs 11.8%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 22.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 9.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 13.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.3% | 2,586 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.3% | 1,995 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.4% | 1,451 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.1% | 1,289 |
| 5 | Brakes | 2.1% | 1,230 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.6% | 950 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joints | 2,028 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 1,273 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 1,270 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 1,193 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 1,083 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 865 |
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 | 22.9% | 13,721 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.1% | 9,633 |
| 3 | Suspension | 12.4% | 7,416 |
| 4 | Other defects | 9.4% | 5,605 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.2% | 2,534 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.9% | 1,113 |
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 | 1,771 | 7.3% |
| 30-60k | 18,034 | 9.6% |
| 60-90k | 25,097 | 12.8% |
| 90-120k | 11,285 | 14.1% |
| 120-150k | 2,983 | 14.6% |
| 150k+ | 721 | 17.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 55,698 | 11.8% |
| Petrol | 4,194 | 15.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 11,913 | 9.9% |
| 2022 | 12,009 | 11.2% |
| 2023 | 12,098 | 12.5% |
| 2024 | 12,019 | 13.3% |
| 2025 | 11,853 | 13.4% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Q5
On a 2015 Q5, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 4.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (4.3% 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.
- Body, structure & corrosion (3.3% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
- Lighting & signalling (2.4% 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 2015 Audi Q5s pass their MOT?
87.9% of the 59,892 2015 Audi Q5 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Audi Q5?
Tyres, recorded in 4.3% of tests, followed by body, structure & corrosion (3.3%).
Does the 2015 Q5 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.3% in the 0-30k band to 17.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 59,892 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.