Used car guide

2013 Audi A6: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2013 Audi A6s, from 10,013 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

10,013MOT tests in 2025
79%pass first time (all 2013 cars: 66%)
10,000typical miles a year
4.2×the usual rate for anti-roll bar link bushes

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2013 Audi A6s than on all cars registered in 2013.

  • Anti-roll bar link bushes4.2× usual
    Audi A6
    2.1% All 2013 cars
    0.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.7%, against 0.1% of all 2013 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£280 (pair of drop links) Checkatrade

    At the viewing: Drive slowly over bumps and listen for a knock or rattle from the front. Worn anti-roll bar links are a cheap fix.

Better than most

Coil springs: 3.2% here, against 8.7% of all 2013 cars. Track rod ends: 0.3% here, against 4.8% of all 2013 cars.

By area

The share of 2013 Audi A6 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.

  • Suspension
    25% 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
    17% 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
    11% 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
    8% of testsRough price £15–£250

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

  • Exhaust and emissions
    3% 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.

Looking at a Audi A6?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2023613Tyres 12%
20224,100Tyres 25%
20214,607Tyres 23%
20203,476Tyres 23%
20198,744Tyres 25%
20188,079Tyres 27%
20179,212Tyres 26%
201612,939Tyres 26%
201511,038Tyres 27%
201410,360Tyres 29%
20127,674Tyres 31%
20116,524Suspension 36%
20106,176Suspension 40%
20093,830Suspension 41%
20084,690Suspension 49%
20074,436Suspension 46%
20062,407Suspension 48%
20051,375Suspension 47%
2004807Suspension 48%
2003574Suspension 50%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2013 Audi A6s registered in 2013. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score