What are the most common problems with a SEAT Tarraco?

At MOT, brake pads and suspension arm bushes and joints are flagged more often than on other cars the same age.

What should I ask the seller before buying a used SEAT Tarraco?

Any recent work on the brake pads? (Flagged at MOT 4.9× as often on the SEAT Tarraco as on other cars the same age.) Any recent work on the suspension arm bushes and joints? (Flagged at MOT 3.1× as often on the SEAT Tarraco as on other cars the same age.) Any recent work on the airbag warning light? (Flagged at MOT 31× as often on the SEAT Tarraco as on other cars the same age.) Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Used car guide · 2019–2024

SEAT Tarraco common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used SEAT Tarraco, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 21,950 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

21,950MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model

13,147on the UK register

2021best year at its MOT

Pick the year

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019

What usually goes wrong with a SEAT Tarraco?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the SEAT Tarraco in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Common SEAT Tarraco MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, in more than one year. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

Brake pads
up to 4.9× usual

Stands out on cars registered in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Rough price £75–£175 (one axle) ClickMechanic

At the viewing: Listen for squealing or grinding when braking, and look through the wheel at how much pad is left.
Suspension arm bushes and joints
up to 3.1× usual

Stands out on cars registered in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

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.
Airbag warning light
up to 31× usual

Stands out on cars registered in 2019 and 2020.

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.

SEAT Tarraco MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2021 SEAT Tarraco did best (88% passed first time, 1 point above all 2021 cars) and the 2022 did worst (87%, 2 points below all 2022 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

Year	Pass first time	All cars that year	MOT tests
2022	87%	89% -2	962
2021	88%	87% +1	2,242
2020	86%	87% -1	6,271
2019	84%	85% -1	12,475

Questions to ask the seller before buying a SEAT Tarraco

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

Any recent work on the brake pads? (Flagged at MOT 4.9× as often on the SEAT Tarraco as on other cars the same age.)
Any recent work on the suspension arm bushes and joints? (Flagged at MOT 3.1× as often on the SEAT Tarraco as on other cars the same age.)
Any recent work on the airbag warning light? (Flagged at MOT 31× as often on the SEAT Tarraco as on other cars the same age.)
Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a SEAT Tarraco?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score