Used car guide

2015 Audi A4: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2015 Audi A4s, from 16,061 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

16,061MOT tests in 2025
74%pass first time (all 2015 cars: 72%)
9,600typical miles a year
2.2×the usual rate for suspension arm bushes and joints

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2015 Audi A4s than on all cars registered in 2015.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints2.2× usual
    Audi A4
    15.6% All 2015 cars
    7.1%
    Rough price £100–£300

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

  • Shock absorbers1.8× usual
    Audi A4
    9.5% All 2015 cars
    5.2%
    Rough price £150–£400

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

  • Drive shaft (CV) joints2.6× usual
    Audi A4
    5.4% All 2015 cars
    2.1%
    Rough price £60–£350

    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.

  • Headlamp aim1.7× usual
    Audi A4
    4.5% All 2015 cars
    2.6%
    Rough price £20–£60

    At the viewing: Park facing a wall at night or in a garage and check both headlight beams sit level. Aim is a cheap adjustment.

  • Sub-frame2× usual
    Audi A4
    3.2% All 2015 cars
    1.6%
    Rough price £300–£1,000

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

Better than most

Coil springs: 2.5% here, against 5.4% of all 2015 cars.

By area

The share of 2015 Audi A4 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    31% 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.

  • Suspension
    28% 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.

  • Brakes
    20% 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
    10% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    7% of testsRough price £15–£250

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

  • Driveshafts and joints
    5% of testsRough price £60–£350

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

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.

Looking at a Audi A4?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20205,843Tyres 29%
201912,714Tyres 30%
201813,510Tyres 28%
201721,037Tyres 28%
201621,704Tyres 29%
201416,500Tyres 32%
201315,547Suspension 34%
201212,883Suspension 37%
201113,173Suspension 45%
201012,092Suspension 45%
200911,511Suspension 47%
200813,145Suspension 52%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2015 Audi A4s registered in 2015. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score