2010 · 14 years old at test · Diesel mostly

2010 Audi A3 MOT pass rate and common faults

23,813 MOT tests in 2024. 63.2% passed first time, compared with 59.6% for all cars the same age.

106Above average
Passed first time63.2%
Failed or needed repairs36.8%
Typical mileage at test113,000

Most common reasons for failing

Share of all 23,813 tests where this item caused a failure.

  1. Coil spring: fractured or broken5.5%
  2. Linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt3.7%
  3. Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm3.5%
    1,291 marked dangerous
  4. Service brake performance: excessively binding2.7%
  5. Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements2.5%
  6. Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt2.5%
  7. Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick2.4%
    699 marked dangerous
  8. Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction2.3%
  9. Suspension arms - ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt2.2%
  10. Tyres - condition: has ply or cords exposed2.2%
    702 marked dangerous

Problem areas

Failure items found per 100 tests, by part of the car.

  1. Suspension22.0%
  2. Brakes16.8%
  3. Lights & electrics15.1%
  4. Tyres10.0%
  5. Emissions & leaks5.0%
  6. Body & chassis4.9%
  7. Visibility (wipers, screen, mirrors)4.1%
  8. Seat belts & airbags1.7%

Most common advisories

Not failures yet, but things the tester warned about.

  1. Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm19.9%
  2. Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened11.6%
  3. Suspension arms - pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn10.9%
  4. Suspension arm: corroded and seriously weakened10.0%
  5. Sub-frame: corroded and seriously weakened8.5%

What this means if you are buying one

This model year does better than most cars its age, so it is a reasonable used buy on MOT record alone. Before buying, check the area that fails most: coil spring: fractured or broken. Then look up the car's own MOT history on GOV.UK with its number plate, and look for repeat advisories.

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Questions

What is the MOT pass rate for a 2010 Audi A3?

In 2024, 63.2% of 2010 Audi A3 cars passed their MOT first time, across 23,813 tests. The average for all 14-year-old cars was 59.6%.

What are the most common MOT failures on a 2010 Audi A3?

The most common failure reasons were coil spring: fractured or broken; linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt; tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. The biggest problem area was suspension.

Is the 2010 Audi A3 reliable at MOT time?

Its MOT Rank score is 106, which is above average for a car of its age (100 means exactly average).