Used car guide

2015 SEAT Altea: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2015 SEAT Alteas, from 444 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

Small sample: only 444 of these were MOT tested in 2025, so treat the percentages as rough. The known faults below don't depend on it.

444MOT tests in 2025
67%pass first time (all 2015 cars: 72%)
7,700typical miles a year
15.2×the usual rate for suspension arm

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2015 SEAT Alteas than on all cars registered in 2015.

  • Suspension arm15.2× usual
    SEAT Altea
    18.2% All 2015 cars
    1.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.8%, against 0.1% of all 2015 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

  • Shock absorbers2.8× usual
    SEAT Altea
    14.6% All 2015 cars
    5.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 5.4%, against 1.1% of all 2015 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.

  • Headlight aim2.6× usual
    SEAT Altea
    6.8% All 2015 cars
    2.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 6.8%, against 2.6% of all 2015 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £20–£60 our estimate

    At the viewing: Park facing a wall at night or in a garage and check both headlight beams sit level. Aim is a cheap adjustment.

By area

The share of 2015 SEAT Altea MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    40% 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.

  • Tyres
    37% 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.

  • Brakes
    24% 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
    18% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    10% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Exhaust and emissions
    5% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

    At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
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%
2005416Suspension 55%
2004163Suspension 48%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2015 SEAT Alteas registered in 2015. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score