2014 Audi Q7 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2014 Audi Q7 passed 87.9% of its 18,195 recorded MOT tests. That is 2.9 percentage points better than large SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 15.0%. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (6.3%) and lighting & signalling (3.5%) 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 headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 470 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.2% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 17.9% once past 150k — 2.2× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 24.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 11.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 13.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.3% | 1,151 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 3.5% | 643 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.9% | 522 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.3% | 413 |
| 5 | Steering | 0.7% | 134 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.6% | 117 |
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 | 470 |
| 2 | Wipers | 242 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 239 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 237 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 232 |
| 6 | Washers | 213 |
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 | 24.1% | 4,376 |
| 2 | Brakes | 15.6% | 2,830 |
| 3 | Other defects | 9.5% | 1,725 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 6.4% | 1,164 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.1% | 745 |
| 6 | Suspension | 3.6% | 654 |
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 | 158 | 8.2% |
| 30-60k | 2,997 | 9.9% |
| 60-90k | 7,659 | 11.8% |
| 90-120k | 5,380 | 12.8% |
| 120-150k | 1,603 | 14.3% |
| 150k+ | 392 | 17.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,727 | 11.3% |
| 2022 | 3,654 | 11.2% |
| 2023 | 3,644 | 11.9% |
| 2024 | 3,616 | 12.4% |
| 2025 | 3,554 | 13.7% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Q7
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 6.3% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (6.3% 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 (3.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (2.9% 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 2014 Audi Q7s pass their MOT?
87.9% of the 18,195 2014 Audi Q7 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Audi Q7?
Tyres, recorded in 6.3% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (3.5%).
Does the 2014 Q7 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.2% in the 0-30k band to 17.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 18,195 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.