2011 Audi Q5 2.0L Diesel · YP11 LCY

A clearly recurring pattern of rear tyre wear advisories defines the mechanical profile of this Audi Q5, with nearside and offside rear tyres flagged at the legal tread limit on three separate occasions across 2019, 2021 and 2025. The most recent test on 17 December 2025 recorded another pass, but the same dual rear axle tyre advisory reappeared, suggesting either a persistent geometry issue at the rear or a driving characteristic that consistently loads the rears unevenly. With no advisories recorded on the 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2024 tests, the vehicle has otherwise maintained a clean pass record with no recorded failures or mechanical defects, though the tyre pattern alone warrants close scrutiny before purchase. The repetition of the advisory across non-consecutive years points to a chassis or alignment characteristic that has not been resolved between tests. Recorded mileage of 129,834 miles across approximately fifteen years equates to an average annual accumulation of around 8,600 miles, which is broadly typical for a vehicle of this age and segment. The testing history shows annual MOT entries from 2018 through 2025 with no significant gaps, consistent with continuous road use rather than extended periods off the road. This level of consistent use means that consumable items such as brake pads, discs, tyres, suspension bushes and drive belts have all been worked regularly, and while this prevents issues associated with long-term standing, it also brings the vehicle closer to the kind of mileage at which major drivetrain and suspension refurbishment becomes a realistic prospect. For a prospective buyer, the principal area of concern is the persistent rear tyre edge wear, which on a Q5 often points to worn rear suspension bushes, weak coil springs, or slight geometry deviation caused by tired trailing arms or subframe mount deterioration. On a test drive, listen for clonking or knocking from the rear suspension over uneven surfaces, particularly over speed bumps and potholes, and pay attention to whether the vehicle settles noticeably lower on one corner at standstill. Inspect the rear tyres physically for feathering or one-sided wear across both the inner and outer edges, as this would indicate camber or tracking issues rather than simple age-related tread loss. Uneven rear tyre wear combined with any rear-end instability, drifting through corners, or a sense of the body rolling unevenly would suggest the suspension components require replacement. Given the consistent annual mileage and the absence of any brake, exhaust or corrosion advisories across the recorded history, the braking system, underbody and structural areas have not been flagged and therefore appear to have held up without MOT-relevant deterioration so far. However, at this mileage the Q5 is known for wear on front control arm bushes, anti-roll bar drop links and rear diff mount components, so a thorough inspection on a lift is advisable even though none of these items have yet triggered advisories. During the road test, check for vibration through the steering at speed, any pulling to one side under braking, and hesitation or judder from the automatic gearbox, as none of these would be MOT-tested items but would be relevant at this accumulated mileage. Confirm the date stamps and condition of all four tyres fitted at the time of viewing, and request evidence of any geometry work or rear suspension component replacement that may have been carried out to address the recurring advisory.