Does the Audi A3 fail the MOT on brakes more than it should?

The Audi A3 records 8.89 brakes failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 11.21 expected for a car of the same age mix: less than expected for its class and age (−2.32, 95% interval −2.36 to −2.27). It ranks 468 of 712 models on brakes (1 = most failures above expected).

Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · all models on brakes · check a Audi A3 by registration

What exactly fails on brakes?

The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Audi A3 is “a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm”, recorded 49,853 times in 2019–2024.

Audi A3: most frequent brakes defect wordings, 2019–2024 (30+ items each)
DVSA defect wording	Items	Per 100 tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm	49,853	2.04
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake	31,706	1.30
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement	21,251	0.87
Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn	15,057	0.62
Warning device shows system malfunction	11,292	0.46

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 2,442,554 (initial tests) · Method: failure items (major and minor) grouped by DVSA's defect tree; wordings with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV

If a Audi A3 gets a brakes advisory, how often does it fail next time?

10.0% of Audi A3 MOTs with a brakes advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12.1 months and 6,220 miles later (356,647 advisories followed).

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 356,647 (advisories followed) · Method: the same vehicles followed to their next ordinary MOT · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV

Other pages for this model

Does the Audi A3 fail the MOT on brakes more than it should?

What exactly fails on brakes?

If a Audi A3 gets a brakes advisory, how often does it fail next time?

Related pages

Other pages for this model