Used car guide

2010 Audi A1: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2010 Audi A1s, from 1,350 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

1,350MOT tests in 2025
65%pass first time (all 2010 cars: 59%)
6,900typical miles a year
1.7×the usual rate for suspension arm bushes and joints

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2010 Audi A1s than on all cars registered in 2010.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints1.7× usual
    Audi A1
    18.7% All 2010 cars
    11%

    Failed outright at MOT: 5%, against 2.2% of all 2010 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

  • Drive shaft (CV) joints2.1× usual
    Audi A1
    10.5% All 2010 cars
    5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 5%, against 2.3% of all 2010 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: Drive slowly on full steering lock in both directions and listen for clicking. Look for split rubber boots behind the front wheels.

  • Link ball joint covers2.5× usual
    Audi A1
    7% All 2010 cars
    2.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.6%, against 1.6% of all 2010 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

  • Front strut mounts and bushes3.4× usual
    Audi A1
    2.7% All 2010 cars
    0.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.1%, against 0.1% of all 2010 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £120–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Anti-lock braking system2.8× usual
    Audi A1
    2.5% All 2010 cars
    0.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.5%, against 0.9% of all 2010 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: On a quiet road, brake firmly from about 30mph. The car should stop straight without pulling.

Better than most

Number plate lights: 2.4% here, against 9% of all 2010 cars. Headlights: 1.9% here, against 6.8% of all 2010 cars.

By area

The share of 2010 Audi A1 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    46% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Tyres
    34% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Brakes
    30% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Lights and electrics
    19% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Driveshafts and joints
    11% of testsRough price £60–£350

    At the viewing: On full steering lock, drive slowly and listen for clicking from the front wheels.

  • Exhaust and emissions
    9% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

    At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.

Known faults

Reported by owners, mechanics and buying guides for this model and age. Check which engine the car has, as some apply to one engine only.

  • Blocked DPF and rising oil (1.6 TDI)
    1.6 TDI diesel

    The 1.6 diesel's particulate filter needs high-speed runs to clean itself. Interrupted cleaning can also put fuel into the oil, so the oil level rises.

    At the viewing: Ask how the car is used, and check the dipstick: oil above the top mark or smelling of diesel is a bad sign.

    If it needs doing: DPF clean or regeneration, about £160–£500. ClickMechanic

    Source: What Car?: used Audi A1 2010-2018 advice

  • Bluetooth and small electrical faults
    All engines

    Phone pairing can drop out and there are some niggly electrical faults.

    At the viewing: Pair your own phone on the test drive.

    Source: What Car?: used Audi A1 2010-2018 advice

  • Kerbed alloys
    All engines

    A1s spend a lot of time in towns, so kerbed or cracked wheels are common.

    At the viewing: Check each wheel rim for scuffs and cracks.

    Source: What Car?: used Audi A1 2010-2018 advice

Looking at a Audi A1?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2023957Tyres 16%
202215,010Tyres 27%
202114,095Tyres 29%
202013,360Tyres 30%
201920,494Tyres 30%
201819,886Tyres 33%
201722,867Tyres 33%
201625,403Tyres 33%
201523,475Tyres 34%
201422,877Tyres 34%
201322,183Tyres 35%
201218,224Tyres 36%
201115,712Suspension 43%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2010 Audi A1s registered in 2010. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score