Used car guide

2021 Audi A3: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2021 Audi A3s, from 20,621 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

20,621MOT tests in 2025
89%pass first time (all 2021 cars: 87%)
8,500typical miles a year
3.6×the usual rate for shock absorbers

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2021 Audi A3s than on all cars registered in 2021.

  • Shock absorbers3.6× usual
    Audi A3
    6.1% All 2021 cars
    1.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.9%, against 0.3% of all 2021 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.

Better than most

Brake pads: 2.7% here, against 6.8% of all 2021 cars.

By area

The share of 2021 Audi A3 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    30% 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
    8% 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.

  • Suspension
    7% 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.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    4% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Lights and electrics
    2% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Seats and seatbelts
    2% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2023951Tyres 21%
202217,771Tyres 32%
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%
20042,576Suspension 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 2021 Audi A3s registered in 2021. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score