2004 SEAT Leon — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 11,284 MOT tests, the 2004 SEAT Leon recorded a 74.5% pass rate. Against small family cars of a similar age (28.0% fail rate), the 2004 Leon comes out 2.5pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 15.7% of all tests — 4.9 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, track rod end and rbt (sp) — headlamp aim alone was recorded 756 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 10.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 27.1% once past 150k — 2.7× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.2pp more often than petrol ones (27.5% vs 24.3%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 38.3% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 27.0% in 2021 to 24.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 15.7% | 1,767 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.8% | 1,218 |
| 3 | Suspension | 9.8% | 1,109 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 8.3% | 935 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.9% | 892 |
| 6 | Steering | 5.7% | 641 |
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 | 756 |
| 2 | Track rod end | 559 |
| 3 | Rbt (sp) | 540 |
| 4 | Catalyst emissions | 523 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 512 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 468 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 38.3% | 4,323 |
| 2 | Suspension | 29.3% | 3,306 |
| 3 | Tyres | 26.0% | 2,929 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 21.2% | 2,391 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 15.0% | 1,688 |
| 6 | Other defects | 14.2% | 1,605 |
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 | 40 | 10.0% |
| 30-60k | 340 | 20.6% |
| 60-90k | 1,350 | 22.7% |
| 90-120k | 2,803 | 25.5% |
| 120-150k | 3,186 | 25.6% |
| 150k+ | 3,560 | 27.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 6,940 | 24.3% |
| Diesel | 4,344 | 27.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,362 | 27.0% |
| 2022 | 2,664 | 25.1% |
| 2023 | 2,186 | 25.2% |
| 2024 | 1,701 | 24.7% |
| 2025 | 1,371 | 24.1% |
What to check before buying a 2004 Leon
On a 2004 Leon, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 15.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (15.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (10.8% 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.
- Suspension (9.8% 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.
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 2004 SEAT Leons pass their MOT?
74.5% of the 11,284 2004 SEAT Leon MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 25.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2004 SEAT Leon?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 15.7% of tests, followed by brakes (10.8%).
Does the 2004 Leon get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.0% in the 0-30k band to 27.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 11,284 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.