Used car guide

2005 SEAT Altea: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2005 SEAT Alteas, from 416 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

Small sample: only 416 of these were MOT tested in 2025, so treat the percentages as rough. The known faults below don't depend on it.

416MOT tests in 2025
53%pass first time (all 2005 cars: 58%)
6,400typical miles a year
2.4×the usual rate for drive shaft (cv) joints

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2005 SEAT Alteas than on all cars registered in 2005.

  • Drive shaft (CV) joints2.4× usual
    SEAT Altea
    17.8% All 2005 cars
    7.3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 8.2%, against 3.2% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: Drive slowly on full steering lock in both directions and listen for clicking. Look for split rubber boots behind the front wheels.

  • Sub-frame2× usual
    SEAT Altea
    13.9% All 2005 cars
    6.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0%, against 0.3% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

  • Engine warning light3.3× usual
    SEAT Altea
    9.1% All 2005 cars
    2.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 9.1%, against 2.8% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

By area

The share of 2005 SEAT Altea MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    55% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Brakes
    41% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Lights and electrics
    39% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Tyres
    38% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Driveshafts and joints
    18% of testsRough price £60–£350

    At the viewing: On full steering lock, drive slowly and listen for clicking from the front wheels.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    15% of testsRough price £80–£600

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

Looking at a SEAT Altea?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2015444Suspension 40%
2014691Suspension 37%
20131,151Suspension 40%
20121,390Suspension 44%
20111,125Suspension 45%
20101,071Suspension 49%
20091,196Suspension 52%
20081,290Suspension 52%
20071,444Suspension 54%
2006829Suspension 52%
2004163Suspension 48%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2005 SEAT Alteas registered in 2005. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score