Audi A8 MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Audi A8 MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Audi A8 passed on its first attempt in 89.4%, and its overall record sits +9.2 percentage points above the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Audi A8 in the 2023–2025 data: 36,134 tests across 23 model years (2000–2022). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.

Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.

Most Common Audi A8 MOT Problems by Failure Category

Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Audi A8, the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.

Shares are over the Audi A8's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Top Recorded Audi A8 DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Audi A8, each with how many of the model's 36,134 tests it was noted on.

• "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 1,056 Audi A8 tests, 2.9% of the model's MOT record.
• "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (Minor) — noted on about 778 Audi A8 tests, 2.2% of the model's MOT record.
• "Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 432 Audi A8 tests, 1.2% of the model's MOT record.
• "Malfunction indicator lamp inoperative or indicates a malfunction" (Major) — noted on about 372 Audi A8 tests, 1.0% of the model's MOT record.
• "Pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn" (Major) — noted on about 318 Audi A8 tests, 0.9% of the model's MOT record.
• "Position lamp with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning" (Minor) — noted on about 312 Audi A8 tests, 0.9% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Audi A8 Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Audi A8 model year on record is 2021 (95.0% across 524 tests), and the weakest is 2000 (74.8%). The gap between them is 20.2 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.

Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Audi A8 Owners

These checks follow this Audi A8's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Audi A8.

• the windscreen — “windscreen damaged”

  Check the driver’s side of the screen within the swept area for chips and cracks; anything larger than 10mm in the driver’s central view is a fail. Most chips can be resin-repaired for far less than a new screen.

• the lights — “registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources”

  Switch everything on and walk round the car: both headlamps on dip and main, every indicator, both brake lights, reverse, fog and the two number-plate lamps. A bulb is a few pounds and a five-minute job.

• the suspension joints — “pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn”

  With the car parked on level ground, rock the top of each front wheel in and out while someone watches the suspension arm. Clunks, or rubber boots split and greasy, are what testers record here.

Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Audi A8. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions: Audi A8 MOT & Reliability