Know Your MOT
18.4%fail rate

Audi S4 Avant common MOT failures and failure rate

What a Audi S4 Avant fails its MOT on, from real DVSA test data, and the part that resolves each item.

Based on 8,076 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 18.4% of MOT tests recorded on the Audi S4 Avant in DVSA data end in a failure. The same handful of items account for most of them.

Its most common failure is tyres, which makes up 28.0% of the Audi S4 Avant's failures, followed by tyres, suspension, lamps & electrical, other. Each item below links to the part that resolves it. Confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying, and have safety-critical work done by a competent mechanic.

What it fails on, and why

Tyres28.0% of failures

Tyres fail for tread below the 1.6mm legal limit across the central three-quarters, uneven or exposed-cord wear, or sidewall damage. The tester inspects all four; a single illegal tyre is a fail.

Suspension26.0% of failures

Suspension failures usually mean a worn or snapped coil spring, a leaking shock absorber, or play in a lower arm ball joint or bush. The tester checks for corrosion, fractures and excessive movement. A broken front spring is one of the most common failures on higher-mileage cars and is a straightforward replacement.

Lamps & electrical23.8% of failures

Lighting is the single most common MOT failure and the cheapest to put right. A blown headlight, brake-light or number-plate bulb, a cracked lens, or a headlamp beam that points too high or low will all fail. Most are a two-minute bulb swap.

Other11.2% of failures

This covers a range of smaller items, from a non-working horn to a warning light left on.

Brakes9.2% of failures

Brake failures cover worn pads and discs, an imbalance between wheels, corroded or scored discs, or a binding caliper. Braking efficiency is measured on a rolling road, so a spongy or pulling brake shows up as a low reading.

Exhaust & emissions7.9% of failures

Exhaust failures cover leaks, insecure mountings and emissions over the limit. A blowing exhaust, a failed lambda reading or a diesel that smokes beyond the limit will fail.

Failure rate by year

How the MOT failure rate varies by the car's year of first registration (older examples generally fail more as wear sets in).

200021.9% fail · 114 tests
200324.4% fail · 1,226 tests
200422.2% fail · 1,475 tests
200517.1% fail · 1,047 tests
200617.1% fail · 791 tests
200717.9% fail · 390 tests
200820.3% fail · 187 tests
200913.5% fail · 657 tests
201014.9% fail · 980 tests
201111.8% fail · 524 tests
201212.3% fail · 431 tests

The parts that fix each

If your car has just failed, you have 10 working days to fix the items and get a free partial retest. These are the usual parts; confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying.

For the tyres failure: Audi S4 Avant tyresSearch Amazon for Audi S4 Avant tyresaffiliate searchFind Audi S4 Avant tyres on eBayaffiliate
For the suspension failure: Audi S4 Avant suspension springs and shock absorbersSearch Amazon for Audi S4 Avant suspension springs and shock absorbersaffiliate searchFind Audi S4 Avant suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate
For the lamps & electrical failure: Audi S4 Avant headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Audi S4 Avant headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Audi S4 Avant headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the brakes failure: Audi S4 Avant brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Audi S4 Avant brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind Audi S4 Avant brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the exhaust & emissions failure: Audi S4 Avant exhaustSearch Amazon for Audi S4 Avant exhaustaffiliate searchFind Audi S4 Avant exhaust on eBayaffiliate

Other models

Audi A3 MOT failures21.7% failure rateAudi A4 MOT failures23.8% failure rateAudi A6 MOT failures21.4% failure rateFord Fiesta MOT failures27.1% failure rate

Sources: DVSA MOT History API: MOT test results and defect data · DVSA MOT testing data for Great Britain