2009 SEAT Altea — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 12,140 MOT tests, the 2009 SEAT Altea recorded a 72.7% pass rate. MPVs of a similar age fail at 27.1%, so the 2009 Altea sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (15.1%) and lighting & signalling (12.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, coil spring and joints — headlamp aim alone was recorded 911 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 18.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 28.8% once past 150k.
Fuel type barely separates them — diesel fails 27.2% of the time against 27.8% for petrol.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 32.3% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 26.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 28.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 15.1% | 1,829 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 12.5% | 1,520 |
| 3 | Brakes | 8.6% | 1,048 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.8% | 946 |
| 5 | Tyres | 6.3% | 768 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 5.5% | 664 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 911 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 864 |
| 3 | Joints | 693 |
| 4 | Ball joint dust cover | 511 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 496 |
| 6 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 467 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 32.3% | 3,925 |
| 2 | Tyres | 31.7% | 3,850 |
| 3 | Brakes | 25.9% | 3,146 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 15.4% | 1,870 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 11.0% | 1,335 |
| 6 | Other defects | 10.7% | 1,297 |
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 | 69 | 18.8% |
| 30-60k | 672 | 21.1% |
| 60-90k | 2,657 | 25.4% |
| 90-120k | 4,119 | 28.6% |
| 120-150k | 2,987 | 27.9% |
| 150k+ | 1,628 | 28.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 9,733 | 27.2% |
| Petrol | 2,407 | 27.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,905 | 26.3% |
| 2022 | 2,785 | 27.3% |
| 2023 | 2,501 | 27.4% |
| 2024 | 2,153 | 27.6% |
| 2025 | 1,796 | 28.5% |
What to check before buying a 2009 Altea
On a 2009 Altea, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 15.1% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (15.1% 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 (12.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (8.6% 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 2009 SEAT Alteas pass their MOT?
72.7% of the 12,140 2009 SEAT Altea MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 27.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2009 SEAT Altea?
Suspension, recorded in 15.1% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (12.5%).
Does the 2009 Altea get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 18.8% in the 0-30k band to 28.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 12,140 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.