2013 Audi S4 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2013 Audi S4 passed 91.0% of its 335 recorded MOT tests. Against executive cars of a similar age (17.3% fail rate), the 2013 S4 comes out 8.3pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.2%) and lighting & signalling (3.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, pins and bushes and brake pads — headlamp aim alone was recorded 11 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 4.9% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 10.3% once past 120-150k — 2.1× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 18.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 3.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 11.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.2% | 14 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 3.9% | 13 |
| 3 | Suspension | 2.7% | 9 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 1.2% | 4 |
| 5 | Brakes | 1.2% | 4 |
| 6 | Visibility | 0.6% | 2 |
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 | 11 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 8 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 6 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 5 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 4 |
| 6 | Headlamp levelling device | 4 |
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 | 18.5% | 62 |
| 2 | Suspension | 14.0% | 47 |
| 3 | Brakes | 12.2% | 41 |
| 4 | Other defects | 3.6% | 12 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.3% | 11 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.7% | 9 |
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 | 61 | 4.9% |
| 60-90k | 148 | 10.1% |
| 90-120k | 70 | 11.4% |
| 120-150k | 39 | 10.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 61 | 3.3% |
| 2022 | 56 | 8.9% |
| 2023 | 62 | 8.1% |
| 2024 | 75 | 12.0% |
| 2025 | 81 | 11.1% |
What to check before buying a 2013 S4
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 4.2% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (4.2% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (3.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (2.7% 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.
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 2013 Audi S4s pass their MOT?
91.0% of the 335 2013 Audi S4 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 Audi S4?
Tyres, recorded in 4.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (3.9%).
Does the 2013 S4 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 4.9% in the 30-60k band to 10.3% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 335 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.