All generations and engines together · 8,385 MOT tests in the 2025 data · typical mileage at age 7: 74k
Split by first-registration year. Cars registered in a changeover year can belong to either generation.
Computed from DVSA MOT results, all of Great Britain, 2025. Nothing here is opinion.
Share of tests where each item was recorded. The dark tick is the class average across all tracked models; bars are scaled within each group.
The rows that judge the model rather than its keeper. 3,324 tests in this band.
Tyres, pads and stone chips say more about how the car was driven and maintained than about how it was built.
Owner folklore from forums and the motoring press. Most of it never shows up in an MOT, which is why this section exists at all.
Adaptive air suspension is standard across the A8 range and the compressor and air struts are the parts owners complain about most, with the car sagging at one corner overnight, warning lights on the dash and rough ride quality replacing the usual wafting comfort. It shows up across D3, D4 and D5 cars and gets more common with age rather than one specific mileage. The measured MOT data backs this up: suspension is the standout fault category for the A8. A full set of struts plus compressor can run well into four figures if it is not caught early.
The early 3.0 TDI V6 fitted to the D3-generation A8 has a reputation for a rattly cold start caused by a stretched timing chain or worn tensioner. Audi itself says a couple of seconds of rattle on start-up is within spec, but owners and specialists report cases where it goes on to need the chain and tensioner replaced, and if ignored it can jump timing and damage the engine. It is not officially flagged as a design fault, but it comes up repeatedly on specialist and forum advice for buying an early A8 diesel.
On higher-mileage 3.0 TDI D4-generation cars, the Bosch CP4.2 injection pump can shed metal internally, and that debris then contaminates injectors, fuel lines and the tank. It shows up as a sudden loss of power or a car that will not restart. Because the whole fuel system needs flushing or replacing rather than just the pump, repair bills have been reported running into five figures in the worst cases, though a straightforward pump swap caught early is far cheaper.
All UK A8s are automatic, but this is worth flagging on its own: the 8-speed torque-converter automatic's mechatronic unit has been reported to fail from around 60,000 miles, and separately the wiring loom to the transmission control unit can corrode after water gets in, which Honest John has priced at close to £5,000 to put right. Symptoms are harsh or delayed shifts, warning lights, or the car defaulting to limp mode.
Some D4-generation diesels have been reported to weep AdBlue fluid or throw up SCR system warnings, which can eventually limit engine power or stop a restart if ignored. It is not clear how widespread this is versus normal AdBlue system ageing seen across most modern diesels, and owners disagree on whether it is an A8-specific weak point or just what happens to any high-mileage SCR diesel. Worth checking for AdBlue-related warning history rather than assuming it is unique to this car.
Built from the two sections above.
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