Audi S5 MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 17 model years and 10,366 tests, the Audi S5 passes its MOT 85.9% of the time. That is 4.3 percentage points better than executive cars of a similar age, which fail at 18.4%. Its most common failure areas are tyres, suspension and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (6.3%) and suspension (4.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, tread depth and coil spring — headlamp aim alone was recorded 283 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 20.3% versus 8.6%.
Split by fuel, petrol examples fail 5.1pp more often than diesel ones (14.9% vs 9.9%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 20.9% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every S5 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 684 | 82.8% | 17.3% | Suspension |
| 2008 | 1,694 | 82.6% | 17.4% | Suspension |
| 2009 | 948 | 82.8% | 17.2% | Tyres |
| 2010 | 1,645 | 84.3% | 15.7% | Tyres |
| 2011 | 1,244 | 86.3% | 13.7% | Tyres |
| 2012 | 866 | 87.4% | 12.6% | Tyres |
| 2013 | 664 | 87.2% | 12.8% | Tyres |
| 2014 | 571 | 88.3% | 11.7% | Tyres |
| 2015 | 81 | 87.6% | 12.3% | Tyres |
| 2016 | 42 | 85.7% | 14.3% | Suspension |
| 2017 | 214 | 92.1% | 7.9% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 106 | 90.6% | 9.4% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 839 | 88.7% | 11.3% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 442 | 90.7% | 9.3% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 297 | 92.6% | 7.4% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.3% | 648 |
| 2 | Suspension | 4.4% | 454 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 3.7% | 386 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 2.7% | 278 |
| 5 | Brakes | 2.1% | 215 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.8% | 185 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.9% | 97 |
| 8 | Other defects | 0.7% | 71 |
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 | 283 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 228 |
| 3 | Coil spring | 218 |
| 4 | Pins and bushes | 202 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 158 |
| 6 | Catalyst emissions | 153 |
| 7 | Brake pads | 147 |
| 8 | Wipers | 110 |
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 | 20.9% | 2,172 |
| 2 | Suspension | 18.7% | 1,940 |
| 3 | Brakes | 12.9% | 1,337 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.2% | 640 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.6% | 581 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.7% | 383 |
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 | 911 | 8.6% |
| 30-60k | 2,265 | 10.3% |
| 60-90k | 3,267 | 14.4% |
| 90-120k | 2,698 | 16.9% |
| 120-150k | 1,015 | 18.6% |
| 150k+ | 202 | 20.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 8,757 | 14.9% |
| Diesel | 1,607 | 9.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,847 | 14.6% |
| 2022 | 1,803 | 14.2% |
| 2023 | 2,003 | 13.8% |
| 2024 | 2,268 | 14.7% |
| 2025 | 2,445 | 13.6% |
What to check before buying a Audi S5
- Tyres (6.3% 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.
- Suspension (4.4% 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 (3.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 S5?
85.9% of the 10,366 Audi S5 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 14.1% fail rate, across model years 2007–2023.
What does the Audi S5 most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 6.3% of tests, then suspension (4.4%).
How much does mileage affect S5 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 8.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 20.3% for 150k+, a 11.7-point difference.
Is the diesel or petrol S5 more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the diesel fails 9.9% of the time against 14.9% for the petrol. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 10,366 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.