2007 Audi S3 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2007 Audi S3 passed 81.4% of its 1,974 recorded MOT tests. Small family cars of a similar age fail 27.0% of the time, so this is 8.4pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (8.7%) and lighting & signalling (8.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, coil spring and joints — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 87 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2007 S3 fails 12.1% of the time in the 30-60k band and 16.0% at 150k+, a spread of only 3.8 points.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 23.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 20.1% in 2021 to 18.2% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 8.7% | 172 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 8.3% | 163 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 6.0% | 118 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.6% | 110 |
| 5 | Tyres | 4.2% | 82 |
| 6 | Brakes | 3.6% | 72 |
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 | 87 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 84 |
| 3 | Joints | 82 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 80 |
| 5 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 58 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 43 |
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 | 23.6% | 465 |
| 2 | Suspension | 19.4% | 384 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 16.3% | 321 |
| 4 | Brakes | 14.6% | 288 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 10.2% | 202 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 8.5% | 168 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 66 | 12.1% |
| 60-90k | 312 | 14.7% |
| 90-120k | 787 | 18.7% |
| 120-150k | 636 | 22.0% |
| 150k+ | 163 | 16.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 453 | 20.1% |
| 2022 | 422 | 17.3% |
| 2023 | 387 | 19.1% |
| 2024 | 377 | 18.0% |
| 2025 | 335 | 18.2% |
What to check before buying a 2007 S3
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 8.7% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (8.7% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (8.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (6.0% 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
How many 2007 Audi S3s pass their MOT?
81.4% of the 1,974 2007 Audi S3 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2007 Audi S3?
Suspension, recorded in 8.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (8.3%).
Does the 2007 S3 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.1% in the 30-60k band to 16.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,974 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.