2010 Seat Altea — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 8,844 MOT tests analysed for the 2010 Seat Altea, the most common recorded failure areas were suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes. Its pass rate of 73.6% was below the average for cars of a similar age (77.0%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 29.0% in the 150k+ group versus 20.6% in the 0-30k group.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 15.7% | 1,389 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 9.8% | 870 |
| 3 | Brakes | 8.9% | 790 |
| 4 | Tyres | 6.3% | 557 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.5% | 395 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.6% | 321 |
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 | 637 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 487 |
| 3 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 438 |
| 4 | Ball joint dust cover | 424 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 338 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 326 |
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 | 31.8% | 2,815 |
| 2 | Suspension | 30.9% | 2,728 |
| 3 | Brakes | 25.6% | 2,268 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.3% | 913 |
| 5 | Other defects | 10.2% | 902 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 9.3% | 827 |
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 | 63 | 20.6% |
| 30-60k | 667 | 19.9% |
| 60-90k | 2,544 | 25.6% |
| 90-120k | 2,961 | 27.2% |
| 120-150k | 1,721 | 27.4% |
| 150k+ | 884 | 29.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 7,541 | 26.2% |
| Petrol | 1,303 | 27.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,071 | 27.4% |
| 2022 | 1,922 | 24.9% |
| 2023 | 1,823 | 26.9% |
| 2024 | 1,633 | 27.0% |
| 2025 | 1,395 | 25.4% |
What to check before buying a 2010 Altea
Before buying a 2010 Seat Altea, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Suspension accounted for 15.7% of tests for this year.
- Suspension (15.7% 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 (9.8% 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 2010 Seat Alteas pass their MOT?
73.6% of the 8,844 2010 Seat Altea MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 26.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Seat Altea?
Suspension, recorded in 15.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (9.8%).
Does the 2010 Altea get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 20.6% in the 0-30k band to 29.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 8,844 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.