Audi A3 - 2005
396.6 faults per 100 tests
Year average for all cars of 2005 is 377.4 faults per 100 tests
Dataset: MOT tests in Great Britain (period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-09-10) for Audi A3, model year 2005.
Sample size: 8,213 cars, 17,567 tests and 69,666 recorded faults.
0%
More faults compared to the average car of same model year
More faults compared to the average car of same model year
Quick summary
Total: 8,213 cars
The 2005 Audi A3 has an overall defect rate of 397 defects per 100 vehicles, which is slightly higher than the yearly average of 376 defects per 100 cars, indicating a 5.6% increase in issues. Notably, the model demonstrates a significant advantage in steering defects, with only 8% experiencing problems compared to the average of 22%. However, it shows a considerable downside in the wheels, suspensions, and axles category, where the defect rate is 373%, exceeding the average of 311%. Mileage trends indicate that defects increase with age, particularly in vehicles with over 124,000 miles, where the defect rate reaches 515 per 100.
Cars by mileage segment
Total: 8,213 cars
Categories
Brakes
▲ 8.5% better
145.0 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 158.5 / 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
▲ 64.3% better
8.0 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 22.4 / 100 tests
- A steering ball joint: with excessive wear or free play
- EPS MIL indicating a system malfunction
- Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover: damaged or deteriorated
- 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
▲ 0.7% better
28.2 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 28.4 / 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
▲ 3.2% better
106.6 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 110.1 / 100 tests
- Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements
- 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
- 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
▼ 18.8% worse
373.0 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 314.1 / 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
▼ 15.1% worse
70.8 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 61.5 / 100 tests
- 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
- 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
Equipment
▲ 23.3% better
9.9 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 12.9 / 100 tests
- An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (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
- ESC 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
Other
▼ 10.7% worse
51.7 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 46.7 / 100 tests
- Engine MIL inoperative or indicating a malfunction
- Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
- 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
- Engine MIL inoperative or indicating a malfunction
Fault rate by mileage segment
Model
Year average
* Metric: faults per 100 tests.
Most common faults (Top 10)
A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 7,357
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 5,998
A suspension component: excessively damaged or corroded
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 4,385
Brake disc or drum: insecure, fractured or otherwise likely to fail
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 3,377
Fluid: leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 2,718
A spring: or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 2,484
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot: severely deteriorated
MINOR
Occurrences: 2,322
A tyre: with a lump, bulge or tear … or with cords exposed or damaged
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 2,320
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: 2,210
Flexible brake hose: excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 1,593
Serious faults (Top 10)
A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
FAIL
Occurrences: 1,353
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot: missing, split, insecure or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt
FAIL
Occurrences: 1,154
A suspension joint dust cover: missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc.
FAIL
Occurrences: 851
Beam image obviously incorrect
FAIL
Occurrences: 766
A tyre: with a lump, bulge or tear … or with cords exposed or damaged
FAIL
Occurrences: 617
A spring: or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
FAIL
Occurrences: 587
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
FAIL
Occurrences: 548
Flexible brake hose: excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched
FAIL
Occurrences: 487
Stop lamp(s): all missing or inoperative
FAIL
Occurrences: 433
A shock absorber damaged … or showing signs of severe leakage
FAIL
Occurrences: 426