2011 SEAT Exeo — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 9,970 MOT tests, the 2011 SEAT Exeo recorded a 77.5% pass rate. That is 2.9 percentage points worse than executive cars of a similar age, which fail at 19.6%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (10.7%) and suspension (9.2%) 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 position lamp — coil spring alone was recorded 616 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 30-60k one: 24.8% versus 13.2%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 28.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 19.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 26.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.7% | 1,070 |
| 2 | Suspension | 9.2% | 915 |
| 3 | Tyres | 7.1% | 713 |
| 4 | Brakes | 6.9% | 692 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.0% | 299 |
| 6 | Steering | 2.7% | 270 |
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 | 616 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 529 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 473 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 420 |
| 5 | Flexible brake hoses | 381 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 268 |
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 | 28.9% | 2,884 |
| 2 | Brakes | 27.7% | 2,765 |
| 3 | Suspension | 27.0% | 2,691 |
| 4 | Other defects | 16.2% | 1,612 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 8.0% | 795 |
| 6 | Steering | 6.6% | 662 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 205 | 13.2% |
| 60-90k | 1,388 | 19.2% |
| 90-120k | 2,870 | 21.4% |
| 120-150k | 2,732 | 23.6% |
| 150k+ | 2,759 | 24.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 9,848 | 22.5% |
| Petrol | 122 | 15.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,223 | 19.4% |
| 2022 | 2,128 | 21.0% |
| 2023 | 2,043 | 22.4% |
| 2024 | 1,870 | 24.4% |
| 2025 | 1,706 | 26.1% |
What to check before buying a 2011 Exeo
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 10.7% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (10.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (9.2% 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 (7.1% 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 2011 SEAT Exeos pass their MOT?
77.5% of the 9,970 2011 SEAT Exeo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 22.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 SEAT Exeo?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.7% of tests, followed by suspension (9.2%).
Does the 2011 Exeo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 13.2% in the 30-60k band to 24.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 9,970 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.