Used car guide

2009 SEAT Leon: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2009 SEAT Leons, from 4,056 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

4,056MOT tests in 2025
60%pass first time (all 2009 cars: 58%)
7,600typical miles a year
2.8×the usual rate for drive shaft (cv) joints

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2009 SEAT Leons than on all cars registered in 2009.

  • Drive shaft (CV) joints2.8× usual
    SEAT Leon
    14.6% All 2009 cars
    5.3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 5.7%, against 2.4% of all 2009 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.

  • Suspension arm2.8× usual
    SEAT Leon
    10.9% All 2009 cars
    3.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.9%, against 0.4% of all 2009 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.

  • Sub-frame1.9× usual
    SEAT Leon
    14.5% All 2009 cars
    7.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.1%, against 0.4% of all 2009 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.

  • Shock absorbers1.7× usual
    SEAT Leon
    12.8% All 2009 cars
    7.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.9%, against 2% of all 2009 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.

  • Ball joint dust cover2× usual
    SEAT Leon
    8.7% All 2009 cars
    4.4%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.6%, against 1.8% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

Better than most

Rigid brake pipes: 1.4% here, against 7.5% of all 2009 cars. Suspension arm bushes and joints: 5.5% here, against 11.1% of all 2009 cars.

By area

The share of 2009 SEAT Leon MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    53% 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
    33% 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
    32% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Driveshafts and joints
    15% of testsRough price £60–£350

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

  • Exhaust and emissions
    15% 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.

Looking at a SEAT Leon?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20223,531Tyres 33%
202111,126Tyres 30%
202013,607Tyres 30%
201919,238Tyres 30%
201820,936Tyres 30%
201718,077Tyres 30%
201615,606Tyres 31%
201516,770Suspension 32%
201418,128Suspension 34%
201311,070Suspension 37%
20128,104Suspension 46%
20115,816Suspension 51%
20105,030Suspension 53%
20083,709Suspension 51%
20073,235Suspension 52%
20062,060Suspension 51%
20051,262Suspension 47%
20041,106Suspension 44%
2003851Suspension 45%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2009 SEAT Leons registered in 2009. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score