2007 Audi S4 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 564 MOT tests, the 2007 Audi S4 recorded an 80.7% pass rate. Against executive cars of a similar age (23.2% fail rate), the 2007 S4 comes out 3.9pp better. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (8.7%) and lighting & signalling (5.9%) 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, coil spring and pins and bushes — ball joint dust cover alone was recorded 26 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 12.1% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 36.1% once past 150k — 3.0× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 24.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 20.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 23.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 8.7% | 49 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.9% | 33 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.6% | 26 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 3.4% | 19 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.0% | 17 |
| 6 | Brakes | 2.3% | 13 |
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 | 26 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 21 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 16 |
| 4 | Joints | 15 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 11 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 10 |
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 | 24.1% | 136 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 23.2% | 131 |
| 3 | Tyres | 21.3% | 120 |
| 4 | Brakes | 15.1% | 85 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 8.9% | 50 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.2% | 46 |
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 | 58 | 12.1% |
| 60-90k | 212 | 17.9% |
| 90-120k | 174 | 21.3% |
| 120-150k | 77 | 16.9% |
| 150k+ | 36 | 36.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 128 | 20.3% |
| 2022 | 122 | 21.3% |
| 2023 | 105 | 14.3% |
| 2024 | 105 | 17.1% |
| 2025 | 104 | 23.1% |
What to check before buying a 2007 S4
On a 2007 S4, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 8.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- 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 (5.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (4.6% 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 2007 Audi S4s pass their MOT?
80.7% of the 564 2007 Audi S4 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2007 Audi S4?
Suspension, recorded in 8.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (5.9%).
Does the 2007 S4 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.1% in the 30-60k band to 36.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 564 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.