2012 Audi A4 2.0L Diesel · CE62 AAX

The most recent MOT test on 8 April 2026 resulted in a pass with no defects recorded, and this is mirrored by a clean pass at the previous examination on 28 April 2025. Looking at the broader trend, the vehicle's roadworthiness pattern is best described as stable to improving, with the most recent two tests free of any advisories whatsoever. The most concerning entry in the history is the 19 January 2024 failure, which categorised a nearside rear tyre as dangerous due to tread depth below the legal 1.6mm minimum and recorded inoperative headlamp cleaning devices as major defects. That failure was addressed and the vehicle passed the following day, though the suspension arm advisories raised at that time and again on the 20 January 2024 pass demonstrate that component wear was noted but not at a level requiring failure. Since then, two clean passes suggest the suspension items and any other worn components have either been attended to or have not deteriorated to a recordable extent within DVSA criteria. The recorded mileage of 132,422 miles against an age of approximately 14 years equates to an annualised usage of around 9,459 miles, which is broadly typical for a vehicle of this vintage and consistent with regular but modest daily use. There is no evidence in the supplied history of extended standing periods or of unusually rapid mileage accumulation between tests, indicating that the vehicle has been in consistent service. At this overall odometer reading, the mechanical focus should rightly shift towards mid-to-late-life wear items rather than catastrophic component failure, particularly within the engine, drivetrain, suspension, and braking systems. The front tyre wear advisory in January 2024 and the nearside rear tyre dangerous failure both indicate that this vehicle has experienced uneven or accelerated tyre wear, which is worth investigating as a symptom rather than treating as an isolated consumable replacement. Given the recurring suspension arm bush advisories recorded at the January 2024 tests, a prospective buyer should make these items a primary physical inspection point. The advisories specified that the rear suspension arm pins or bushes were worn but not yet resulting in excessive movement, and given the typical deterioration rate of rubber and hydromount components on an A4 of this age and mileage, further progression over the intervening two and a half years is highly plausible. On a test drive, listen for clonking or knocking noises from the front and rear suspension over speed humps, uneven road surfaces, and during sharp low-speed direction changes, and feel for vagueness or wandering from the steering which can accompany worn rear arm bushes. Inspect the tyres closely for uneven inner or outer shoulder wear, as this can indicate suspension geometry issues stemming from worn bushes or tired coil springs, and verify the rear brake discs visually for lip formation and surface corrosion, which was flagged on the January 2023 advisory when both rear discs were noted as pitted or scored. Additional inspection priorities appropriate to a 14-year-old Audi A4 with this mileage profile include a thorough check of tyre sidewalls for perishing and cracking, which can occur on vehicles of this age regardless of tread depth, particularly on tyres fitted some years ago. The 12V battery should be load-tested, as units of this age frequently suffer reduced capacity that manifests as slow cranking in cold conditions or random electrical faults. Brake caliper slide pins and handbrake mechanism should be examined for binding, given the standing periods that any urban-used vehicle will inevitably experience, and the brake fluid should be assumed to be due for replacement on a calendar basis regardless of mileage. Verify the completeness of the service book stamps and that the cam belt and water pump replacement schedule appropriate to the engine variant has been observed, as timing belt service is a time-and-mileage-interval item that is critical on Audi engines of this generation and represents a substantial future liability if unconfirmed.