Seat Altea Xl
From 1,755 MOT tests. Below average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc and a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc. The top issue, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, caused 102 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 102 |
| a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 97 |
| a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 68 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 67 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 57 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 46 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 40 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 40 |
| significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake | 37 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 37 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 22.8% of Altea Xl failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 35.7% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £110.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 76.9% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a tyre cords visible or damaged |
| 2013 | 76% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2012 | 73.1% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2011 | 73.7% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
4 earlier years
| 2010 | 64.4% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated |
| 2009 | 66.7% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2008 | 62% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2007 | 65.8% | a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
Typical mileage
Half of all Altea Xls tested had between 89,575 and 159,187 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 123,502 median miles, the Altea Xl has 0.025 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Seat models
| Seat Ibiza | 74.7% |
| Seat Leon | 80.8% |
| Seat Ateca | 89.9% |
| Seat Arona | 87.2% |
| Seat Alhambra | 78.8% |
Common questions
What is the Seat Altea Xl MOT pass rate?
The Seat Altea Xl has a 69.4% MOT pass rate based on 1,755 real MOT tests. This is below the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Seat Altea Xl?
The most common MOT failure on the Seat Altea Xl is the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, which caused 102 failures. Other common issues include a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc.
What is the typical mileage of a Seat Altea Xl at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Seat Altea Xl is 123,502 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 89,575 and 159,187 miles.
Buying a used Altea Xl?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 69.4% pass rate and an average repair bill of £110 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.