Audi A5 Car CheckFull history check, MOT history and common problems
Free Audi A5 vehicle check by reg: MOT history, mileage and tax. Buying one? The full car history check shows outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, stolen markers, keepers and plate changes.
- 83% MOT pass rate
- 3,390 A5s checked
- 18.2% had outstanding finance
Audi A5 reg check
Full Audi A5 history check from £3.99
The MOT record is free, and it only shows the car's condition on test day. What a seller may not mention is in the full Audi A5 car check:
Of the 33 Audi A5 vehicles checked with a full CarCheckUp report, 18.2% had outstanding finance recorded and 15.2% an insurance write-off record.
- Outstanding finance: lender and agreement
- Insurance write-off: Cat S, N, C or D
- Police stolen marker
- High risk register
- Previous keepers and last change
- Plate and colour changes
- Scrapped, imported or exported
- Mileage anomaly check
£3.99 a report in the 5-report bundle, £11.99 for a single report; unused reports never expire. Shown on screen straight away and sent by email. No subscription. Start with the free check: you only pay for the full report.
Free Audi A5 MOT History and Mileage Data
What the MOT records of 3,237 Audi A5 vehicles show. The full check above covers what the MOT doesn't.
- 83%of MOT tests passedUK average 77%
- 8,400typical miles a year
- 3.6%have a mileage anomalyan MOT reading lower than an earlier one
- 33,201MOT tests analysed
- 2010–2016built (middle half)
- 59%diesel; 40% petrol
Audi A5 common problems: most common MOT failures and advisories
The defects MOT testers record most often on the Audi A5, as a share of all its MOT tests (the same defect on any wheel or side counts once): the A5's known weak points. Check these on the car you're viewing, or on your own before its next MOT.
Top 13 Audi A5 MOT failures
Reasons the car failed its MOT.
- Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.8%
- Tyre has ply or cords exposed1.4%
- Brake pad less than 1.5 mm thick1.3%
- Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction1.0%
- Headlamp aim too low1.0%
- Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak1.0%
- Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid0.9%
- Coil spring fractured or broken0.9%
- Headlamp not working on dipped beam0.8%
- Headlamp aim too high0.8%
Show all 13
- Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords0.8%
- Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively0.7%
- Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak0.5%
Top 20 Audi A5 MOT advisories
Wear the tester noted: not a failure yet, but money to budget for.
- Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge9.5%
- Brake pad wearing thin7.6%
- Tyre worn close to the legal limit4.2%
- Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened3.4%
- Shock absorbers has light misting of oil2.7%
- Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect2.1%
- Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement2.0%
- Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing1.7%
- Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view1.6%
- Shock absorber has a light misting of oil1.6%
Show all 20
- Nail in tyre1.6%
- Oil leak, but not excessive1.6%
- Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt1.5%
- Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread1.1%
- Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened1.1%
- Brake disc worn, but not excessively1.0%
- Tyre has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords0.9%
- Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated0.8%
- Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources0.8%
- Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A'0.7%
- Tyres: 39% of failed tests
- Lights and indicators: 30% of failed tests
- Suspension: 22% of failed tests
- Brakes: 14% of failed tests
- Windscreen and wipers: 13% of failed tests
- Tyres advisory: 26% of tests
- Brakes advisory: 15% of tests
- Suspension advisory: 14% of tests
Based on the DVSA MOT histories of all 3,237 Audi A5 vehicles with an MOT checked on CarCheckUp since March 2023 (33,201 tests, retests included). Updated 2 October 2026. Every MOT test and advisory for one car is in the free MOT history check, and our free mileage check flags a lower reading. Market-wide figures: UK Used Car Risk Report. How we calculate these figures. MOT and DVLA data: contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Audi A5 versions
Every Audi A5 version checked on CarCheckUp counts on this page, grouped by the word after "A5" in the DVLA record. Pass rates where at least 300 vehicles were checked.
| Version | Vehicles | MOT pass rate | Top failure area |
|---|---|---|---|
| A5 (no version recorded) | 3,106 | 83% | Tyres |
A5 S
|
112 | – | – |
A5 Sport
|
13 | – | – |
Key history checks before buying a used Audi A5
All of these are in every full report, with 150+ more data points.
Outstanding finance
A Audi on hire purchase, PCP or a logbook loan may still belong to the lender. Buying it can lead to a dispute over who owns it. Outstanding finance check
Insurance write-off (Cat S, N, C, D)
Shows if an insurer declared the car a total loss. Cat S and N cars can return to the road, but the record lowers the value and can affect insurance. Write-off check
Police stolen marker
Checks the Police National Computer. A stolen car can be taken back, leaving you without the car or your money. Stolen car check
High risk register
Shows if a finance company, insurer or the police has registered an interest in the A5. Find out why before you buy.
Mileage anomaly check & MOT history
Free: every MOT mileage reading compared for drops, with advisories and failures. Free mileage check
Previous keepers & plate changes
How many keepers the car has had and when, plus number plate changes that can separate a car from its history. Previous owners check
More free and full vehicle checks for a Audi A5
Full Audi A5 car check from £3.99 a report
Finance, write-off, stolen, keepers, plate changes and 150+ data points on the Audi A5 you're looking at. The MOT history and mileage come free.
Check a A5 by reg → See a sample reportAudi A5 MOT questions
How do I check a used Audi A5 for outstanding finance or a write-off?
Run a full car history check on its registration. Of the 33 Audi A5 vehicles checked with a full CarCheckUp report, 18.2% had outstanding finance recorded and 15.2% an insurance write-off record. The report also shows stolen markers, keepers, plate and colour changes.
Is a Audi A5 car check free?
The MOT history, mileage anomaly check, tax and DVLA details of any Audi A5 are free. The full car history check (finance, write-off, stolen, keepers and 150+ data points) is paid, from £3.99 a report.
What is the most common MOT failure on the Audi A5?
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm: found at 2.8% of the Audi A5 MOT tests we analysed. By area, tyres items appear in 39% of failed tests.
What is the Audi A5 MOT pass rate?
83% of 33,201 MOT tests on 3,237 Audi A5 vehicles checked on CarCheckUp were passed (retests included). The UK average across all vehicles we checked is 77%.
What are the common problems with the Audi A5?
Going by its MOT records, the Audi A5's most common failures are tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (2.8% of tests); tyre has ply or cords exposed (1.4% of tests); brake pad less than 1.5 mm thick (1.3% of tests). The full list of the top 20 MOT failures and advisories is on this page.
What is the most common MOT advisory on the Audi A5?
Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge: noted at 9.5% of tests. An advisory is not a failure, but it is wear to budget for.
How many miles a year is a Audi A5 typically driven?
About 8,400 miles a year (the median, from MOT mileage readings). 3.6% have a mileage anomaly: an MOT reading lower than an earlier one.
More Audi car checks and guides
- Audi A3 car check
- Audi A4 car check
- Audi A6 car check
- Audi A1 car check
- Audi TT car check
- Audi Q5 car check
- Audi Q3 car check
- All Audi models