2006 Audi S4 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2006 Audi S4 passed 80.7% of its 836 recorded MOT tests. Executive cars of a similar age fail 23.8% of the time, so this is 4.5pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (9.3%) and lighting & signalling (7.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint dust cover, pins and bushes and headlamp aim — ball joint dust cover alone was recorded 42 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 14.7% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 22.1% once past 150k.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 32.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 9.3% | 78 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 7.2% | 60 |
| 3 | Tyres | 5.5% | 46 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 4.3% | 36 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.2% | 27 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.0% | 25 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint dust cover | 42 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 40 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 37 |
| 4 | Joints | 33 |
| 5 | Catalyst emissions | 28 |
| 6 | Washers | 20 |
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 | 32.1% | 268 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 22.9% | 191 |
| 3 | Tyres | 20.3% | 170 |
| 4 | Brakes | 19.3% | 161 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 9.3% | 78 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 7.9% | 66 |
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 | 75 | 14.7% |
| 60-90k | 237 | 16.0% |
| 90-120k | 278 | 20.5% |
| 120-150k | 133 | 22.6% |
| 150k+ | 104 | 22.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 174 | 17.8% |
| 2022 | 187 | 21.9% |
| 2023 | 169 | 16.6% |
| 2024 | 164 | 22.6% |
| 2025 | 142 | 16.9% |
What to check before buying a 2006 S4
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 9.3% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (9.3% 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 (7.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.5% 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
How many 2006 Audi S4s pass their MOT?
80.7% of the 836 2006 Audi S4 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2006 Audi S4?
Suspension, recorded in 9.3% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (7.2%).
Does the 2006 S4 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 14.7% in the 30-60k band to 22.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 836 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.