2015 SEAT Altea — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2015 SEAT Altea passed 84.0% of its 2,772 recorded MOT tests. That is 1.1 percentage points better than MPVs of a similar age, which fail at 17.1%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (7.8%) and suspension (6.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, shock absorbers and coil spring — headlamp aim alone was recorded 168 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 10.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 18.2% once past 150k.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 26.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 12.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.8% | 216 |
| 2 | Suspension | 6.8% | 187 |
| 3 | Tyres | 5.5% | 151 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.8% | 106 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.9% | 53 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.7% | 48 |
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 | 168 |
| 2 | Shock absorbers | 94 |
| 3 | Coil spring | 75 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 67 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 58 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 47 |
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 | 26.5% | 734 |
| 2 | Brakes | 21.2% | 588 |
| 3 | Suspension | 16.9% | 467 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.5% | 207 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.0% | 112 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 3.7% | 102 |
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 | 210 | 10.0% |
| 30-60k | 1,060 | 12.6% |
| 60-90k | 954 | 18.0% |
| 90-120k | 378 | 21.4% |
| 120-150k | 92 | 23.9% |
| 150k+ | 77 | 18.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 552 | 12.1% |
| 2022 | 551 | 13.6% |
| 2023 | 551 | 15.6% |
| 2024 | 560 | 17.5% |
| 2025 | 558 | 21.0% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Altea
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 7.8% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (7.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (6.8% 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.
- Tyres (5.5% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
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 2015 SEAT Alteas pass their MOT?
84.0% of the 2,772 2015 SEAT Altea MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 SEAT Altea?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.8% of tests, followed by suspension (6.8%).
Does the 2015 Altea get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.0% in the 0-30k band to 18.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,772 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.