Audi A4 Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Audi A4 fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 491,535 MOT tests across 27 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: premium | Fuel: Petrol, Diesel
83%
Audi A4 pass rate
90%
Audi average
82%
All-model average
The Audi A4 has an average MOT pass rate of 83%, which is 7 points below the Audi average and 1 point above the average across all models in our data. Newer Audi A4s pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 12 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Audi A4 Fails Its MOT On
Of the 63,590 MOT tests on the Audi A4 that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Suspension
38%Cars and vans the same age: 35% · Typical repair £150-£600
Lights and electrics
30%Cars and vans the same age: 41% (the A4 fails on this less often) · Typical repair £15-£200
Tyres
27%Cars and vans the same age: 21% (the A4 fails on this more often) · Typical repair £50-£300
Brakes
18%Cars and vans the same age: 24% (the A4 fails on this less often) · Typical repair £80-£450
Body, chassis and structure
17%Cars and vans the same age: 13% · Typical repair £200-£1200
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Coil spring: fractured or broken (16% of failed tests, suspension)
- Drive shaft CV boot split or insecure (12% of failed tests, body, chassis and structure)
- Tyre tread depth below the 1.6mm limit (11% of failed tests, tyres)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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Audi A4 Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each A4 year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
No year passed 3 or more points less often than other cars of the same age.
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
Audi A4 Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
| Year | Fuel | Engine | Pass Rate | Fail Rate | All Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Petrol | 2.0L | 96% | 4% | - |
| 2020 | Diesel | 2.0L | 92% | 8% | 92% (0) |
| 2019 | Diesel | 2.0L | 91% | 9% | 91% (0) |
| 2018 | Diesel | 2.0L | 89% | 11% | 89% (0) |
| 2017 | Diesel | 2.0L | 88% | 12% | 87% (+1) |
| 2016 | Diesel | 2.0L | 85% | 14% | 86% (-1) |
| 2015 | Diesel | 2.0L | 85% | 15% | 84% (+1) |
| 2014 | Diesel | 2.0L | 84% | 15% | 82% (+2) |
| 2013 | Diesel | 2.0L | 84% | 16% | 80% (+4) |
| 2012 | Diesel | 2.0L | 83% | 17% | 79% (+4) |
| 2011 | Diesel | 3.0L | 82% | 18% | 77% (+5) |
| 2010 | Diesel | 2.0L | 80% | 19% | 75% (+5) |
| 2009 | Diesel | 2.0L | 79% | 20% | 75% (+4) |
| 2008 | Diesel | 2.0L | 78% | 21% | 74% (+4) |
| 2007 | Petrol | 1.8L | 77% | 22% | 73% (+4) |
| 2006 | Petrol | 1.8L | 76% | 23% | 73% (+3) |
| 2005 | Petrol | 1.8L | 75% | 23% | 73% (+2) |
| 2004 | Diesel | 2.5L | 74% | 25% | 72% (+2) |
| 2003 | Diesel | 2.5L | 74% | 26% | 72% (+2) |
| 2002 | Diesel | 2.5L | 72% | 26% | 73% (-1) |
| 2001 | Diesel | 2.5L | 74% | 25% | 73% (+1) |
| 2000 | Petrol | 2.4L | 76% | 23% | 74% (+2) |
| 1999 | Petrol | 2.4L | 76% | 23% | 75% (+1) |
| 1998 | Petrol | 2.4L | 75% | 24% | 76% (-1) |
| 1997 | Petrol | 1.8L | 74% | 26% | - |
| 1996 | Petrol | 1.8L | 77% | 21% | - |
| 1995 | Petrol | 1.8L | 61% | 37% | - |
Audi A4 Running Costs
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Audi A4 FAQ
What are the most common Audi A4 problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Audi A4 that failed at the first attempt most often failed on suspension (38% of the 63,590 failed tests), lights and electrics (30%) and tyres (27%). The single most common fault was "Coil spring: fractured or broken" (16%). Across 491,535 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 83% ended in a pass.
Is the Audi A4 reliable?
The Audi A4 has an average MOT pass rate of 83%, from 491,535 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed within 2 points of other cars of the same age, so about average for its age.
Which Audi A4 years should I avoid?
No Audi A4 year with 1,000+ tests passed 3 or more points less often than all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). The years that passed most often for their age were the 2011 (82% of 26,901 tests passed, against 77% for all 2011 cars), the 2010 (80% of 25,855 tests passed, against 75% for all 2010 cars) and the 2013 (84% of 32,559 tests passed, against 80% for all 2013 cars). A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common Audi A4 faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on an Audi A4 typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
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Other Audi Models
Common problems pages for other Audi models