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Audi A3 - 2003

423.6 faults per 100 tests
Year average for all cars of 2003 is 380.4 faults per 100 tests
Dataset: MOT tests in Great Britain (period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-09-10) for Audi A3, model year 2003. Sample size: 1,685 cars, 3,569 tests and 15,117 recorded faults.
0%
More faults compared to the average car of same model year

Quick summary

Total: 1,685 cars

The 2003 Audi A3 has an overall defect rate of 424 defects per 100 vehicles, which is 12% higher than the average car of the same year, at 378 defects per 100. Notably, as mileage increases, the defect rate for this model also rises sharply, particularly in the highest mileage bracket of over 124,000 miles, where it reaches 550 defects per 100. A significant area of concern for this model lies in the "Lights & Electrics" category, where its defect rate is 140, compared to an average of 102. In contrast, no standout categories indicate better performance compared to the average.

Cars by mileage segment

Total: 1,685 cars

More model years for Audi A3

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

Other models from Audi

Audi A1 Audi A2 Audi A3 Audi A4 Audi A5 Audi A6 Audi A7 Audi A8 Audi ALLROAD Audi E-TRON Audi Q2 Audi Q3 Audi Q4 Audi Q5 Audi Q7 Audi Q8 Audi R8 Audi RS4 Audi S3 Audi S4 Audi TT

Categories

Brakes
▼ 8.5% worse
183.7 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 169.3 / 100 tests
  • Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
  • Flexible brake hose: excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched
  • Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
  • Brake disc or drum: insecure, fractured or otherwise likely to fail
  • Brake lining or pad: worn below 1.5mm
Steering
▼ 14.7% worse
28.9 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 25.2 / 100 tests
  • Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover: damaged or deteriorated
  • A steering ball joint: with excessive wear or free play
  • Free play in the steering, measured at the rim of the steering wheel is: excessive
  • Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover: missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc.
  • A steering ball joint: with excessive wear or free play
Visibility
▼ 2.3% worse
30.5 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 29.8 / 100 tests
  • Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured: but not adversely affecting driver’s view
  • Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
  • Obligatory mirror or device: slightly damaged or loose
  • Wiper blade: missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
  • Wiper blade: defective
Lights & Electrics
▼ 36.2% worse
140.0 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 102.8 / 100 tests
  • Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements
  • A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative: when rear registration plate has 2 or more lamps or light sources
  • Beam image obviously incorrect
  • Headlamp reflector or lens: slightly defective
  • Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow
Wheels & Suspension
▼ 10.7% worse
334.3 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 302.1 / 100 tests
  • A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
  • A suspension component: excessively damaged or corroded
  • A tyre: with a lump, bulge or tear … or with cords exposed or damaged
  • Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
  • A spring: or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
Body/Structure
▲ 4.1% better
62.5 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 65.2 / 100 tests
  • A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot: severely deteriorated
  • Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that: the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced
  • Exhaust system has a major leak or is insecure
  • A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot: missing, split, insecure or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt
  • Exhaust system has a major leak or is insecure
Equipment
▲ 11.0% better
12.1 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 13.6 / 100 tests
  • A seat belt: webbing or flexible stalk significantly stretched or weakened
  • is significantly reduced or The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a ’prescribed area’): inadequately repaired
  • An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction
  • ESC MIL indicates a system malfunction
  • is significantly reduced or The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a ’prescribed area’): inadequately repaired
Other
▼ 4.6% worse
55.1 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 52.7 / 100 tests
  • Fluid: leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
  • Emissions levels exceed default limits
  • Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer’s specified limits
  • Engine MIL inoperative or indicating a malfunction
  • Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer

Fault rate by mileage segment

Model    Year average
0 550 0–31,000 mi 31,000–62,000 62,000–93,000 93,000–124,000 124,000+
* Metric: faults per 100 tests.

Most common faults (Top 10)

A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 1,204
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 1,139
A suspension component: excessively damaged or corroded
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 860
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 846
Brake disc or drum: insecure, fractured or otherwise likely to fail
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 800
Fluid: leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 591
A spring: or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 572
A tyre: with a lump, bulge or tear … or with cords exposed or damaged
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 513
Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 408
Exhaust system has a major leak or is insecure
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 340

Serious faults (Top 10)

A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
FAIL
Occurrences: 242
Beam image obviously incorrect
FAIL
Occurrences: 160
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot: missing, split, insecure or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt
FAIL
Occurrences: 117
A spring: or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
FAIL
Occurrences: 112
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover: missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc.
FAIL
Occurrences: 106
A tyre: with a lump, bulge or tear … or with cords exposed or damaged
FAIL
Occurrences: 106
Lamp: missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than a half not functioning
FAIL
Occurrences: 99
A suspension joint dust cover: missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc.
FAIL
Occurrences: 83
Exhaust system has a major leak or is insecure
FAIL
Occurrences: 79
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
FAIL
Occurrences: 78