2011 Audi Q7 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2011 Audi Q7 passed 86.1% of its 10,398 recorded MOT tests. Against large SUVs of a similar age (19.2% fail rate), the 2011 Q7 comes out 5.3pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.8%) and lighting & signalling (5.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, wipers and washers — tread depth alone was recorded 352 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2011 Q7 fails 14.7% of the time in the 0-30k band and 16.1% at 150k+, a spread of only 1.4 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 25.3% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 12.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 15.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.8% | 606 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.3% | 555 |
| 3 | Brakes | 3.9% | 410 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.1% | 320 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.9% | 202 |
| 6 | Steering | 1.6% | 169 |
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 | 352 |
| 2 | Wipers | 179 |
| 3 | Washers | 173 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 171 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 141 |
| 6 | Rear fog lamp | 138 |
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 | 25.3% | 2,626 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 20.0% | 2,084 |
| 3 | Brakes | 17.8% | 1,849 |
| 4 | Other defects | 10.1% | 1,053 |
| 5 | Suspension | 9.4% | 975 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 8.5% | 886 |
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 | 34 | 14.7% |
| 30-60k | 431 | 10.4% |
| 60-90k | 2,549 | 13.8% |
| 90-120k | 4,016 | 14.1% |
| 120-150k | 2,379 | 13.5% |
| 150k+ | 989 | 16.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 10,269 | 14.0% |
| Petrol | 125 | 9.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,182 | 12.9% |
| 2022 | 2,180 | 13.3% |
| 2023 | 2,111 | 13.6% |
| 2024 | 2,013 | 15.1% |
| 2025 | 1,912 | 15.0% |
What to check before buying a 2011 Q7
On a 2011 Q7, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (5.8% 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 (5.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (3.9% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
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 2011 Audi Q7s pass their MOT?
86.1% of the 10,398 2011 Audi Q7 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Audi Q7?
Tyres, recorded in 5.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (5.3%).
Does the 2011 Q7 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 14.7% in the 0-30k band to 16.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 10,398 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.