2008 SEAT Altea — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2008 SEAT Altea passed 71.5% of its 15,125 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as MPVs of a similar age (28.1% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (15.6%) and lighting & signalling (13.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, headlamp aim and joints — coil spring alone was recorded 1,143 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 16.4% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 29.4% once past 150k.
Fuel type barely separates them — diesel fails 28.4% of the time against 29.2% for petrol.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 32.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 15.6% | 2,364 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 13.0% | 1,960 |
| 3 | Brakes | 8.9% | 1,346 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.8% | 1,328 |
| 5 | Tyres | 6.5% | 985 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 5.4% | 819 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 1,143 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 1,107 |
| 3 | Joints | 929 |
| 4 | Stop lamp | 662 |
| 5 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 661 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 660 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 32.6% | 4,934 |
| 2 | Suspension | 32.4% | 4,894 |
| 3 | Brakes | 27.4% | 4,142 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 18.8% | 2,847 |
| 5 | Other defects | 11.8% | 1,790 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 11.7% | 1,774 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 55 | 16.4% |
| 30-60k | 615 | 23.6% |
| 60-90k | 2,549 | 26.0% |
| 90-120k | 5,168 | 29.0% |
| 120-150k | 4,308 | 29.6% |
| 150k+ | 2,426 | 29.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 12,711 | 28.4% |
| Petrol | 2,414 | 29.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,008 | 28.6% |
| 2022 | 3,523 | 28.1% |
| 2023 | 3,101 | 28.9% |
| 2024 | 2,529 | 28.8% |
| 2025 | 1,964 | 28.0% |
What to check before buying a 2008 Altea
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 15.6% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (15.6% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Lighting & signalling (13.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (8.9% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2008 SEAT Alteas pass their MOT?
71.5% of the 15,125 2008 SEAT Altea MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 28.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2008 SEAT Altea?
Suspension, recorded in 15.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (13.0%).
Does the 2008 Altea get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 16.4% in the 0-30k band to 29.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 15,125 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.