Used car guide

2004 Audi A3: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2004 Audi A3s, from 2,576 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

2,576MOT tests in 2025
54%pass first time (all 2004 cars: 58%)
6,300typical miles a year
2.2×the usual rate for suspension arm bushes and joints

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2004 Audi A3s than on all cars registered in 2004.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints2.2× usual
    Audi A3
    20.8% All 2004 cars
    9.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.3%, against 2% of all 2004 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) joints2.6× usual
    Audi A3
    17.7% All 2004 cars
    6.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 6.6%, against 2.9% of all 2004 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.

  • Sub-frame2.5× usual
    Audi A3
    15.8% All 2004 cars
    6.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.2%, against 0.3% of all 2004 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

  • Number plate lights1.7× usual
    Audi A3
    13.5% All 2004 cars
    8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.5%, against 2.2% of all 2004 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £5–£40 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the number plate lights work and the plates are clean and legal.

  • Engine warning light2.4× usual
    Audi A3
    7.4% All 2004 cars
    3.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 7.4%, against 3.1% of all 2004 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

Better than most

Rigid brake pipes: 3.4% here, against 17.1% of all 2004 cars.

By area

The share of 2004 Audi A3 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    54% 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.

  • Lights and electrics
    45% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Brakes
    36% 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.

  • Tyres
    36% 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.

  • Driveshafts and joints
    18% of testsRough price £60–£350

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

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    15% of testsRough price £80–£600

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

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.

  • Flywheel recall (2003 to 2005)
    Early cars

    Early cars were recalled because the flywheel could fail.

    At the viewing: Ask for proof the flywheel was replaced.

    If it needs doing: Clutch and dual-mass flywheel, about £650–£1,200. ClickMechanic

    Source: What Car?: common Audi A3 (2003-2012) problems

Looking at a Audi A3?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2023951Tyres 21%
202217,771Tyres 32%
202120,621Tyres 30%
202015,780Tyres 29%
201920,857Tyres 29%
201826,892Tyres 29%
201733,712Tyres 29%
201638,712Tyres 30%
201541,485Tyres 30%
201438,607Tyres 31%
201326,952Tyres 33%
201224,856Suspension 41%
201120,520Suspension 46%
201023,082Suspension 49%
200920,114Suspension 49%
200816,251Suspension 51%
200712,204Suspension 52%
20069,748Suspension 55%
20056,094Suspension 54%
20031,234Suspension 52%
2002966Suspension 51%
2001725Suspension 48%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2004 Audi A3s registered in 2004. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score