Audi S6 MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 29 model years and 2,203 tests, the Audi S6 passes its MOT 87.0% of the time. Against all cars of a similar age (18.2% fail rate), the S6 comes out 5.2pp better. Its most common failure areas are tyres, lighting & signalling and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.8%) and lighting & signalling (4.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, catalyst emissions and malfunction indicator lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 52 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 5.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 22.6% once past 150k — 4.4× the risk.
The diesel cars hold up better: 6.3% fail against 17.9% for petrol, a 11.6-point gap across 2,202 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 16.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 19.9% in 2021 to 8.8% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every S6 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 87 | 82.8% | 17.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 41 | 68.3% | 31.7% | Brakes |
| 2002 | 37 | 75.7% | 24.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 225 | 77.8% | 22.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 225 | 78.7% | 21.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 135 | 79.3% | 20.7% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2009 | 35 | 85.7% | 14.3% | Tyres |
| 2010 | 60 | 83.3% | 16.7% | Tyres |
| 2012 | 125 | 88.8% | 11.2% | Tyres |
| 2013 | 134 | 89.5% | 10.4% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2014 | 70 | 91.4% | 8.6% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 451 | 94.5% | 5.5% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 276 | 91.7% | 8.3% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 118 | 94.1% | 5.9% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 85 | 95.3% | 4.7% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.8% | 105 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 4.2% | 93 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 3.6% | 79 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.9% | 65 |
| 5 | Brakes | 2.5% | 56 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.7% | 38 |
| 7 | Visibility | 1.5% | 34 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.2% | 27 |
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 | 52 |
| 2 | Catalyst emissions | 50 |
| 3 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 46 |
| 4 | Pins and bushes | 42 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 34 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 32 |
| 7 | Joints | 31 |
| 8 | Linkage pins and bushes | 28 |
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 | 16.9% | 373 |
| 2 | Suspension | 14.2% | 312 |
| 3 | Brakes | 12.2% | 269 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 7.9% | 175 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.6% | 145 |
| 6 | Other defects | 5.9% | 129 |
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 | 315 | 5.1% |
| 30-60k | 618 | 6.0% |
| 60-90k | 418 | 14.6% |
| 90-120k | 397 | 19.4% |
| 120-150k | 309 | 20.1% |
| 150k+ | 146 | 22.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 1,268 | 17.9% |
| Diesel | 934 | 6.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 277 | 19.9% |
| 2022 | 377 | 14.6% |
| 2023 | 464 | 13.4% |
| 2024 | 520 | 12.3% |
| 2025 | 565 | 8.8% |
What to check before buying a Audi S6
- Tyres (4.8% 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 (4.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (3.6% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Audi S6?
87.0% of the 2,203 Audi S6 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 13.0% fail rate, across model years 1996–2024.
What does the Audi S6 most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 4.8% of tests, then lighting & signalling (4.2%).
How much does mileage affect S6 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 5.1% for cars in the 0-30k band and 22.6% for 150k+, a 17.5-point difference.
Is the diesel or petrol S6 more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the diesel fails 6.3% of the time against 17.9% for the petrol. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,203 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.