Make MOT checks
5 Audi MOT Checks Worth Doing Before Test Day
Practical owner checks for an Audi before its MOT, tied to what the test genuinely requires rather than to invented make-level statistics.
Published by the Serviced247 editorial teamLast reviewed 29 August 2026Reviewed on inspection-manual change
An Audi is tested to exactly the same standards as any other car of its class. There is no separate Audi MOT and no manufacturer-specific pass criteria. What does vary by make and model is which items are most worth your attention on the driveway the week before the test.
The five checks below are ordinary owner checks, chosen because they are within your control and they map directly onto MOT test items. They are not a statistical ranking of Audi failures.
Key takeaways
- These are owner checks, not a ranking of Audi failures - no such dataset is cited here.
- Complex adaptive lighting still has to meet ordinary MOT requirements for condition, colour and aim.
- Larger wheels and lower-profile tyres make tread and sidewall inspection more important, not less.
- A warning light left illuminated can be a failure in its own right.
- Your handbook and the DVSA inspection manual outrank anything on this page.
1. Lighting, including adaptive and matrix systems
Many Audis are fitted with sophisticated LED, xenon or matrix lighting. The test does not care how clever the system is: lamps must be present, secure, the correct colour, in good condition and correctly aimed, and any levelling or cleaning device fitted as original equipment must work.
Walk round with the lights on, then check indicators, hazards, brake lights including the high-level unit, rear fog, reversing and number-plate lamps. Look for condensation and cracks in the lens units.
Failed LED modules are usually a unit replacement rather than a bulb. Find that out before test day, not on the day.
2. Tyres, wheels and the pressure monitoring warning
Larger-diameter wheels with low-profile tyres are common across the range. They are more exposed to kerb damage and their tread wears unevenly if the geometry is out - which is exactly the pattern the tester is looking for.
Check tread across the full width, all the way round, against the 1.6mm minimum. Inspect inner sidewalls for bulges and cuts. Confirm tyre specification matches across each axle, and make sure no tyre pressure monitoring warning is illuminated.
3. Brake condition and warning systems
Brake performance is measured on a rolling road, so you cannot self-certify it. What you can do is act on symptoms: a long or spongy pedal, judder, pulling under braking, or an electronic parking brake that behaves oddly. On vehicles with ABS and stability control, a warning lamp that stays illuminated is itself a test item.
If your last certificate carried a brake advisory, assume that is this year's job and price it before the test rather than after a failure.
4. Windscreen, wipers and washers
Windscreen damage is judged by size and position, and damage in the driver's swept area is assessed most strictly. A stone chip repaired for a small fee this month is considerably cheaper than a screen replacement forced by a failure.
Fill the washer bottle, check both jets reach the glass, replace split or smearing blades, and clear anything obstructing the driver's view - including dash-mounted devices.
5. Dashboard warning lights and diesel emissions
Engine-management, airbag, ABS, brake and tyre-pressure warnings can all cause a failure. Get the cause diagnosed rather than the code cleared.
If yours is a diesel, take it for a sustained run at motorway speeds beforehand so the engine and after-treatment system are fully up to temperature. Visible smoke of any colour for a sustained period is a failure, and a missing or tampered particulate filter is a failure regardless of the smoke reading.
This is a practical pre-test checklist, not a statistical ranking. We do not hold DVSA failure data broken down by manufacturer, and we will not present one where none exists.
Beyond the checklist
Everything else the test covers - suspension wear, steering play, corrosion, exhaust security, seat belts, structure - needs a ramp. If your car is older or high-mileage, a pre-test inspection is usually money well spent. Keeping the manufacturer service schedule up to date is the other half of the job: Audi service explains what the schedule involves.
Booking the test
Any DVSA-authorised station authorised for your vehicle class can test an Audi. Serviced247 lists MOT test centres in England, Scotland and Wales from the DVSA register so you can contact authorised centres directly.
Serviced247 holds DVSA MOT-authorisation records only. We do not verify that any listed centre is a marque specialist, nor do we hold prices or availability.