Common problems
Audi A1 common problems
What MOT testers find on the Audi A1: the parts that fail or get advisories most often at each age, against all cars of the same age. From 865,891 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025.
MOT data updated
At 8 years, the most tested age
What stands out
- Suspension fails show up on 8.1 of every 100 MOTs of a Audi A1 at 8 years old (n=95,968), against 6.1 for all cars of that age (n=10,440,457).
- Lights and electrics fails are less common: 4.6 per 100 MOTs against 7.3 for all cars at the same age.
- The fail item testers record most often at 8 years: suspension arm bush worn, on 4.0 per 100 MOTs (all cars 0.9).
- The most common advisory or minor defect: tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge, on 16.5 per 100 MOTs.
Problems by part at 8 years
How many of every 100 MOTs found a fail, or an advisory or minor defect, in each area. A test with faults in two areas counts in both.
| Area | Fails | All cars | Advisories | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 8.1 | 6.1 | 12.8 | 11.8 |
| Tyres | 7.3 | 6.3 | 27.9 | 25.2 |
| Lights and electrics | 4.6 | 7.3 | 0.9 | 3.4 |
| Brakes | 4.2 | 4.8 | 21.7 | 19.1 |
| Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 2.0 | 3.7 | 2.8 | 3.4 |
| Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 1.4 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 2.3 |
| Body and structure | 1.0 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 2.2 |
| Seat belts and airbags | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.3 |
| Number plates and VIN | 0.3 | 0.3 | 2.1 | 1.4 |
| Steering | 0.2 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 1.5 |
| Road wheels | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.7 |
What testers fail most on the A1 at 8 years
| Item | Area | Per 100 MOTs | All cars | Typical repair (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension arm bush worn | Suspension | 4.0 | 0.9 | £92 to £237 per arm (rough guide) |
| Tyre tread below 1.6 mm | Tyres | 2.8 | 2.3 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Coil spring broken | Suspension | 2.5 | 2.1 | £64 to £236 per spring (rough guide) |
| Brake pads under 1.5 mm | Brakes | 2.0 | 2.0 | £72 to £174 per axle (rough guide) |
| Tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords | Tyres | 1.5 | 1.3 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Tyre with cords exposed | Tyres | 1.3 | 1.2 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn | Brakes | 1.0 | 0.6 | £148 to £376 per axle (rough guide) |
| Headlamp aim: too low | Lights and electrics | 0.9 | 1.0 | £16 to £39 per car (rough guide) |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 0.8 | 1.1 | £2 to £14 per car (rough guide) |
| Tyre condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure | Tyres | 0.7 | 0.5 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
Early warnings: advisories and minor defects at 8 years
Advisories and minor defects are recorded, but the car still passes. Across all cars, a part with an advisory or minor defect failed at the next MOT 5.5 times in 100 (n=88,666,940 pairs of consecutive MOTs), against 0.3 times in 100 when the same part had none (n=12,936,860,350).
| Item | Area | Per 100 MOTs | All cars | If it needs replacing (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge | Tyres | 16.5 | 15.7 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened | Brakes | 13.3 | 8.6 | £148 to £376 per axle (rough guide) |
| Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing | Tyres | 9.1 | 8.6 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Suspension arm pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement | Suspension | 8.9 | 4.0 | £92 to £237 per arm (rough guide) |
| Brake pads: wearing thin | Brakes | 8.6 | 8.6 | £72 to £174 per axle (rough guide) |
| Brake discs: worn, but not excessively | Brakes | 2.8 | 2.7 | £148 to £376 per axle (rough guide) |
| Tyre condition: has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords | Tyres | 2.7 | 1.4 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge | Tyres | 2.2 | 2.1 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Nail in tyre | Other | 2.2 | 1.9 | |
| Windscreen: damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 2.1 | 2.1 |
Repair estimates are a guide for an independent garage: labour at the national median local garage rate (median £78 an hour from 65 garages, ONS price quotes) times estimated labour hours, plus a parts band. Labour hours and most parts bands are estimates, not quotes, and prices vary by model, engine and region. A warning light fault shows the cost of the diagnosis only.
How problems change with age
| Age | Tests (n) | Suspension | Tyres | Lights and electrics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 64,380 | 0.1 | 5.2 | 1.1 |
| 4 years | 68,542 | 0.4 | 5.2 | 1.6 |
| 5 years | 77,150 | 1.8 | 5.8 | 2.0 |
| 6 years | 89,609 | 4.1 | 6.5 | 2.9 |
| 7 years | 92,946 | 6.9 | 7.0 | 3.8 |
| 8 years | 95,968 | 8.1 | 7.3 | 4.6 |
| 9 years | 95,113 | 9.9 | 7.8 | 5.8 |
| 10 years | 87,857 | 10.9 | 8.0 | 7.0 |
| 11 years | 80,837 | 12.4 | 8.3 | 8.7 |
| 12 years | 58,890 | 14.0 | 8.2 | 10.0 |
| 13 years | 36,045 | 14.7 | 8.2 | 10.8 |
| 14 years | 17,199 | 16.8 | 7.9 | 11.6 |
| 15 years | 1,355 | 15.9 | 7.3 | 11.1 |
Mileage
At 8 years, Audi A1 cars showing under 30,000 miles failed 12.2% of MOTs (n=9,945); the band that failed most, 90,000 to 120,000 miles, failed 31.1% (n=6,444). For pass and fail rates by age, see Audi A1 MOT fail rates.
What to check on a viewing
On the Audi A1, testers most often record suspension arm bush worn; tyre tread below 1.6 mm; coil spring broken. Look at these first, then the areas below.
Suspension
- Listen for knocks or clonks over speed bumps and rough roads on the test drive.
- Push down hard on each corner: the car should settle at once rather than keep bouncing.
- Look behind the wheels for broken or heavily rusted coil springs and split rubber bushes.
- Check that the car sits level and that no tyre is worn on one edge only.
Tyres
- Check the tread across the full width of all four tyres, and the spare if there is one.
- Look for cuts, bulges and cracking in the sidewalls.
- Wear on one edge only can point to worn suspension or the tracking being out.
Lights and electrics
- With someone outside, try every light: dipped and main beam, indicators, brake lights, fog lights and number plate lamps.
- Check that the warning lights come on with the ignition and go out once the engine runs.
- Look for misted, cracked or yellowed headlamp lenses.
Ask for the car's MOT history and service record: advisories that repeat from one year to the next show what has been left. GOV.UK MOT history.
Questions
What are the most common problems on the Audi A1?
At 8 years, the age with the most MOT tests (95,968), the fail items testers record most often on the Audi A1 are suspension arm bush worn (4.0 per 100 MOTs), tyre tread below 1.6 mm (2.8 per 100 MOTs), coil spring broken (2.5 per 100 MOTs). The most common advisories or minor defects are tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (16.5) and brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (13.3).
Which parts of the Audi A1 fail more often than on other cars?
At 8 years: suspension (8.1 per 100 MOTs against 6.1 for all cars); tyres (7.3 per 100 MOTs against 6.3 for all cars). Compared with 10,440,457 MOTs of all cars the same age.
Audi A1 problems by area
More on the Audi A1
Other Audi models
The all cars figures cover all class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans) tested at the same age.
Looking at a Audi A1?
These figures describe the model, not the car in front of you. Found one you might buy? See what the VetTheCar Buying Report covers, or use the tools that work without a registration.
See a sample report Car tools · MOT fail rates by model · Compare models by MOT record
Repair estimates: ONS consumer price quotes for local garage labour (09/2025 to 08/2026), the MOT inspection manual for defect wording, and estimated labour hours and parts bands. Not affiliated with or endorsed by ONS.
Source
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 28 September 2026.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources