2004 SEAT Toledo — MOT failures & pass rate
808 MOT tests on the 2004 SEAT Toledo are in this dataset, and 75.0% of them passed. That is 3.0 percentage points better than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 28.0%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 17.2% of tests against 11.9% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, pins and bushes and stop lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 53 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2004 Toledo fails 17.0% of the time in the 60-90k band and 20.9% at 150k+, a spread of only 3.9 points.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 41.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 26.2% in 2021 to 23.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 17.2% | 139 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.9% | 96 |
| 3 | Suspension | 10.8% | 87 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 6.6% | 53 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.3% | 51 |
| 6 | Tyres | 5.5% | 44 |
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 | 53 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 42 |
| 3 | Stop lamp | 40 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 39 |
| 5 | Rbt (sp) | 37 |
| 6 | Coil spring | 36 |
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 | 41.1% | 332 |
| 2 | Suspension | 32.0% | 259 |
| 3 | Tyres | 27.0% | 218 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 20.2% | 163 |
| 5 | Other defects | 14.7% | 119 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 13.9% | 112 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 60-90k | 94 | 17.0% |
| 90-120k | 207 | 29.9% |
| 120-150k | 205 | 29.8% |
| 150k+ | 287 | 20.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 587 | 24.4% |
| Petrol | 221 | 26.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 275 | 26.2% |
| 2022 | 195 | 24.6% |
| 2023 | 152 | 24.3% |
| 2024 | 108 | 25.0% |
| 2025 | 78 | 23.1% |
What to check before buying a 2004 Toledo
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 17.2% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (17.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (11.9% 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.
- Suspension (10.8% 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 Toledos pass their MOT?
75.0% of the 808 2004 SEAT Toledo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 25.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2004 SEAT Toledo?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 17.2% of tests, followed by brakes (11.9%).
Does the 2004 Toledo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 17.0% in the 60-90k band to 20.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 808 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.