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Audi A3 - 2004

411.1 faults per 100 tests
Year average for all cars of 2004 is 384.6 faults per 100 tests
Dataset: MOT tests in Great Britain (period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-09-10) for Audi A3, model year 2004. Sample size: 3,575 cars, 7,661 tests and 31,497 recorded faults.
0%
More faults compared to the average car of same model year

Quick summary

Total: 3,575 cars

The 2004 Audi A3 has an overall defect rate of 411 per 100 vehicles, which is 8% higher than the average for cars of the same year. Notably, it shows a significant trend in defects related to mileage, with the highest rate of issues occurring in vehicles with less than 31,000 miles. While the A3 performs better than average in steering defects, with a 44% lower rate, it faces more challenges in lights and electrics, with a 22% higher rate of defects compared to its peers. Overall, this model presents a mixed picture, excelling in some areas while struggling in others.

Cars by mileage segment

Total: 3,575 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
▲ 10.1% better
147.6 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 164.2 / 100 tests
  • Brake disc or drum: insecure, fractured or otherwise likely to fail
  • Brake lining or pad: worn below 1.5mm
  • Brake disc or drum: significantly and obviously worn
  • Flexible brake hose: excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched
  • Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
Steering
▲ 43.4% better
14.1 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 24.9 / 100 tests
  • 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
  • Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover: damaged or deteriorated
  • A steering ball joint: with excessive wear or free play
  • EPS MIL indicating a system malfunction
Visibility
▲ 3.8% better
28.2 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 29.3 / 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
▼ 19.7% worse
131.5 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 109.9 / 100 tests
  • Headlamp reflector or lens: slightly defective
  • Beam image obviously incorrect
  • A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative: when rear registration plate has 2 or more lamps or light sources
  • Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow
  • Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements
Wheels & Suspension
▼ 17.6% worse
368.1 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 312.9 / 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
▼ 2.7% worse
65.3 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 63.6 / 100 tests
  • A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot: missing, split, insecure or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt
  • Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that: the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced
  • A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot: severely deteriorated
  • Exhaust system has a major leak or is insecure
  • Exhaust system has a major leak or is insecure
Equipment
▲ 12.3% better
12.1 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 13.8 / 100 tests
  • An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction
  • 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
  • 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
▼ 9.5% worse
55.3 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 50.5 / 100 tests
  • Engine MIL inoperative or indicating a malfunction
  • Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer’s specified limits
  • Fluid: leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
  • Smoke opacity levels exceed the manufacturer’s specified limit
  • Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer

Fault rate by mileage segment

Model    Year average
0 646 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: 2,894
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 2,625
A suspension component: excessively damaged or corroded
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 2,223
Brake disc or drum: insecure, fractured or otherwise likely to fail
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 1,577
A spring: or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 1,181
Fluid: leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 1,111
A tyre: with a lump, bulge or tear … or with cords exposed or damaged
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 1,103
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot: severely deteriorated
MINOR
Occurrences: 857
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative: when rear registration plate has 2 or more lamps or light sources
MINOR
Occurrences: 780
Flexible brake hose: excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 721

Serious faults (Top 10)

Beam image obviously incorrect
FAIL
Occurrences: 529
A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
FAIL
Occurrences: 446
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot: missing, split, insecure or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt
FAIL
Occurrences: 438
A suspension joint dust cover: missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc.
FAIL
Occurrences: 367
A spring: or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
FAIL
Occurrences: 297
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
FAIL
Occurrences: 275
Engine MIL inoperative or indicating a malfunction
FAIL
Occurrences: 267
A tyre: with a lump, bulge or tear … or with cords exposed or damaged
FAIL
Occurrences: 230
Flexible brake hose: excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched
FAIL
Occurrences: 212
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
FAIL
Occurrences: 193