Audi S3 MOT pass rate & common failures
The Audi S3 appears in 27,830 MOT tests spanning model years 1999–2025, and 86.3% of them passed. Small family cars of a similar age fail 18.9% of the time, so this is 5.2pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and tyres.
Best and worst S3 years
Ranked across S3 years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Not every year is equal — 93.1% of 2021 examples pass against 79.4% of 2002 ones.
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (4.9%) and suspension (4.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, headlamp aim and tread depth — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 905 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 22.4% versus 6.8%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 19.3% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 16.2% in 2021 to 11.6% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every S3 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 329 | 72.6% | 27.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 547 | 76.8% | 23.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 685 | 78.0% | 22.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 1,086 | 79.4% | 20.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 724 | 75.8% | 24.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 145 | 75.2% | 24.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 1,974 | 81.4% | 18.6% | Suspension |
| 2008 | 1,682 | 82.8% | 17.2% | Suspension |
| 2009 | 1,603 | 82.1% | 17.9% | Suspension |
| 2010 | 2,126 | 81.8% | 18.2% | Suspension |
| 2011 | 1,710 | 82.9% | 17.1% | Suspension |
| 2012 | 1,007 | 84.4% | 15.6% | Suspension |
| 2013 | 1,208 | 89.1% | 10.9% | Suspension |
| 2014 | 3,876 | 89.5% | 10.5% | Tyres |
| 2015 | 806 | 91.6% | 8.4% | Tyres |
| 2016 | 424 | 89.9% | 10.1% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 288 | 92.0% | 8.0% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 169 | 90.5% | 9.5% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 90 | 92.2% | 7.8% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 1,978 | 92.5% | 7.5% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 3,448 | 93.1% | 6.9% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 1,840 | 92.0% | 8.0% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 75 | 97.3% | 2.7% | Brakes |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 4.9% | 1,369 |
| 2 | Suspension | 4.8% | 1,338 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.5% | 1,266 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 3.4% | 935 |
| 5 | Brakes | 3.1% | 868 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.2% | 607 |
| 7 | Visibility | 1.7% | 477 |
| 8 | Steering | 0.6% | 166 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 905 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 836 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 684 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 678 |
| 5 | Joints | 374 |
| 6 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 349 |
| 7 | Brake pads | 307 |
| 8 | Headlamp | 304 |
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 | 19.3% | 5,359 |
| 2 | Brakes | 15.0% | 4,163 |
| 3 | Suspension | 12.5% | 3,490 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.4% | 1,770 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.7% | 1,573 |
| 6 | Other defects | 5.3% | 1,476 |
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 | 5,188 | 6.8% |
| 30-60k | 6,128 | 9.3% |
| 60-90k | 6,370 | 13.8% |
| 90-120k | 5,550 | 18.2% |
| 120-150k | 3,095 | 21.4% |
| 150k+ | 1,491 | 22.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 27,794 | 13.7% |
| Diesel | 36 | 22.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,237 | 16.2% |
| 2022 | 4,165 | 15.9% |
| 2023 | 4,876 | 14.6% |
| 2024 | 6,447 | 12.6% |
| 2025 | 8,105 | 11.6% |
What to check before buying a Audi S3
- Lighting & signalling (4.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (4.8% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Tyres (4.5% 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.
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 S3?
86.3% of the 27,830 Audi S3 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 13.7% fail rate, across model years 1999–2025.
What does the Audi S3 most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 4.9% of tests, then suspension (4.8%).
Which S3 years are best and worst for MOT results?
2021 has the best pass rate at 93.1% and 2002 the weakest at 79.4%, from 3,448 and 1,086 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect S3 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 6.8% for cars in the 0-30k band and 22.4% for 150k+, a 15.6-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 27,830 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.