2012 Audi Q7 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 13,305 MOT tests, the 2012 Audi Q7 recorded an 86.7% pass rate. Against large SUVs of a similar age (17.8% fail rate), the 2012 Q7 comes out 4.5pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.8%) and lighting & signalling (4.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, headlamp and headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 309 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2012 Q7 fails 15.5% of the time in the 0-30k band and 16.5% at 150k+, a spread of only 1.0 points.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 25.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 13.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 14.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.8% | 773 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 4.5% | 593 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.0% | 526 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.3% | 300 |
| 5 | Steering | 1.4% | 188 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.4% | 188 |
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 | 309 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 222 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 190 |
| 4 | Wipers | 166 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 161 |
| 6 | Steering rack | 157 |
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 | 25.2% | 3,347 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 17.1% | 2,275 |
| 3 | Brakes | 15.3% | 2,034 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.9% | 1,182 |
| 5 | Suspension | 6.9% | 912 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 6.0% | 795 |
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 | 58 | 15.5% |
| 30-60k | 843 | 8.3% |
| 60-90k | 3,923 | 12.7% |
| 90-120k | 5,315 | 13.9% |
| 120-150k | 2,407 | 14.0% |
| 150k+ | 759 | 16.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 13,138 | 13.4% |
| Petrol | 167 | 10.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,769 | 13.0% |
| 2022 | 2,701 | 12.1% |
| 2023 | 2,665 | 13.2% |
| 2024 | 2,649 | 13.9% |
| 2025 | 2,521 | 14.6% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Q7
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 5.8% of tests. Start there.
- 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 (4.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (4.0% 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 2012 Audi Q7s pass their MOT?
86.7% of the 13,305 2012 Audi Q7 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Audi Q7?
Tyres, recorded in 5.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (4.5%).
Does the 2012 Q7 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 15.5% in the 0-30k band to 16.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 13,305 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.