Audi Quattro MOT pass rate & common failures
3,128 MOT tests on the Audi Quattro (1981–2021) give it an 86.7% pass rate. That is 8.2 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 21.6%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 8.2% of all tests — 3.4 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, washers and position lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 135 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 14.5% once past 150k.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 15.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 16.8% in 2021 to 10.9% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Quattro model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 33 | 84.9% | 15.2% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1983 | 149 | 89.9% | 10.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1984 | 218 | 87.6% | 12.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1985 | 332 | 85.5% | 14.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1986 | 329 | 87.2% | 12.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1987 | 251 | 92.0% | 8.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1988 | 397 | 89.2% | 10.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1989 | 262 | 85.9% | 14.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1990 | 294 | 92.9% | 7.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1991 | 101 | 90.1% | 9.9% | Suspension |
| 1992 | 42 | 76.2% | 23.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1993 | 36 | 75.0% | 25.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1995 | 51 | 86.3% | 13.7% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2002 | 79 | 65.8% | 34.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 47 | 74.5% | 25.5% | Brakes |
| 2004 | 72 | 79.2% | 20.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 31 | 93.5% | 6.5% | Tyres |
| 2006 | 30 | 73.3% | 26.7% | Suspension |
| 2008 | 59 | 74.6% | 25.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 46 | 87.0% | 13.0% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.2% | 256 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.7% | 148 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 4.1% | 128 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.8% | 119 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.4% | 107 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.1% | 98 |
| 7 | Steering | 1.2% | 37 |
| 8 | Tyres | 1.1% | 34 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 135 |
| 2 | Washers | 90 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 86 |
| 4 | Non catalyst emissions | 77 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 54 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 53 |
| 7 | Stop lamp | 47 |
| 8 | Joints | 44 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 15.9% | 498 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.0% | 438 |
| 3 | Tyres | 9.5% | 296 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.6% | 206 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 6.5% | 202 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 5.9% | 184 |
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 | 182 | 8.8% |
| 30-60k | 230 | 10.0% |
| 60-90k | 582 | 11.5% |
| 90-120k | 828 | 13.5% |
| 120-150k | 671 | 14.9% |
| 150k+ | 606 | 14.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 2,960 | 12.9% |
| Diesel | 166 | 21.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 697 | 16.8% |
| 2022 | 663 | 12.7% |
| 2023 | 622 | 14.3% |
| 2024 | 589 | 11.0% |
| 2025 | 557 | 10.9% |
What to check before buying a Audi Quattro
- Lighting & signalling (8.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (4.7% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (4.1% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Audi Quattro?
86.7% of the 3,128 Audi Quattro MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 13.3% fail rate, across model years 1981–2021.
What does the Audi Quattro most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.2% of tests, then brakes (4.7%).
How much does mileage affect Quattro MOT results?
Fail rates run at 8.8% for cars in the 0-30k band and 14.5% for 150k+, a 5.7-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,128 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.