Fault File
All models / All cars / Saloons & estates / SEAT Exeo

SEAT Exeo

All generations and engines together · 4,066 MOT tests in the 2025 data

Reliability verdict

Not enough recent tests to rate this saloon or estate. Watch suspension and brakes. Not enough recent MOT data to call this one yet.

What owners report

Reported

Owner folklore from forums and the motoring press, with how well each report stands up. Most of it never shows up in an MOT, which is why this section exists at all.

Diesel emissions recall aftermath (EA189 NOx fix)

Confirmed pattern

The 2.0 TDI shares the EA189 engine family caught up in the VW Group NOx recall, and the mandatory software fix applied at dealers has caused real-world side effects for some owners: engine management light on within a day or two of the update, flashing glow-plug light, cold-morning limp mode, and fuel economy dropping 5-10%. One owner also reported the car cutting out at speed and refusing to restart after the fix. Because this stems from an official recall, it is free to have looked at, but chasing the software gremlins afterwards has taken some owners several trips back to the dealer.

Diesel (2.0 TDI) only, reported at various ages post-recall · sources: Honest John (Exeo car-by-car, owner-reported cases)

Multitronic CVT automatic: oil cooler and fluid contamination

DisputedAutomatics only

The 143PS 2.0 TDI could be had with the Multitronic CVT auto from 2010/2011. At least one documented case saw the transmission's integrated oil cooler fail at a low 32,000 miles, letting coolant mix with the transmission fluid; repair quotes ranged from around £1,000 up to £10,000 depending on how much damage the contamination had done. It is not a widely repeated fault in the way a DSG mechatronic failure is on other VAG cars, but it is expensive enough that any auto should have its transmission fluid condition checked.

One documented case at 32k miles, repair £1,000-£10,000 · source: Honest John (Exeo car-by-car)

Piezo injector long-term wear

Disputed

The 2.0 TDI CR engine's move to piezo-controlled injectors from the older pump-duse system improved economy and refinement, but reviewers flagged it as a possible long-term weak point even when the car was still fairly new, and injector condition is one of the things that can be knocked about by the emissions-fix software changes above. There is no clear pattern of widespread injector failure reported yet, more a standing question mark that owners and reviewers keep raising rather than a confirmed fault.

Concern flagged from new, no firm failure pattern established · source: Honest John (Exeo car-by-car review)

ABS/ESP brake pressure sensor fault

Emerging

A standard VAG-group ATE Teves Mk60 brake pressure sensor, the same part used across contemporary VW, Audi and SEAT models, has been reported to fail on at least one 2009 Exeo. It is a shared component with a track record of sensor faults elsewhere in the range, so treat any warning light on the dash (ABS, ESP, or brake system) as worth investigating rather than a bespoke Exeo problem.

Reported on early (2009) cars · source: Honest John (Exeo car-by-car)

Audi A4-based mechanicals: reassuring but not cheap to fix

Worth knowing

The Exeo is a re-bodied, Barcelona-built version of the previous-generation Audi A4, and reviewers repeatedly point to that as the reason it drives well and holds together mechanically: proven engines, solid build, and a re-engineered front end for sharper handling. The trade-off is that servicing and replacement parts follow Audi pricing rather than mainstream SEAT pricing, so routine jobs (clutches, suspension components, injectors) tend to cost more out of warranty than the badge suggests.

Applies across the range · sources: Honest John, Carbuyer, Auto Express

What to check on this car

Ranked from this model’s own MOT record, then from what owners report.

Saveable checklist

From this model’s MOT record

The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.

Bushes and ball jointsRuns high on this model Drive slowly over broken tarmac with the windows down and listen for clonks from either end. Back at the car, have someone rock the steering wheel while you rest a hand on each front wheel; play you can feel through the tyre is a worn joint.Recorded on 22.3% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 9.0%
Underneath, with a torchRuns high on this model Get down and look at the sills, the subframes and the rear suspension mounting points. Flaking scale and bubbling matter; light surface rust does not. On older cars this is the one check that finds the fault that scraps them.Recorded on 10.5% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 4.3%
Brake pipes underneathRuns high on this model Follow the metal brake lines with a torch where they run along the sills and over the rear axle. White crust or flaking metal means they are corroding, and the online MOT history usually shows the same advisory creeping up for years before the fail.Recorded on 9.8% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 0.2%
Steering playRuns high on this model With the engine running and the car parked, waggle the wheel lightly about the straight-ahead. The wheels should respond almost at once. A dead zone before anything happens means wear in the rack or the track rod ends.Recorded on 9.4% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 1.7%
Rubber boots and gaitersRuns high on this model On full steering lock, look in behind each front wheel at the concertina rubber boots on the driveshafts and steering rack. Splits, or grease flung around the arch, mean dirt is getting into a joint that costs far more than the boot protecting it.Recorded on 9.1% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 0.9%
Coil springsRuns high on this model Look through the wheel spokes at the bottom coil of each spring; when springs snap it is usually there, and the break is visible. Step back and check the car sits level too. A dropped corner is often a broken spring.Recorded on 7.9% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 3.2%
DampersRuns high on this model Look for oil misting on the damper body behind each wheel, then push down hard on each corner of the car. It should settle in one bounce. A floaty or crashy ride on the test drive is the same fault felt from the driver's seat.Recorded on 6.7% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 2.7%

Worth doing on any used car

These judge the seller’s upkeep rather than the model, and they are where the haggling money is.

Tyres, all fourRuns high on this model Check the tread across the full width of each tyre, inner edge included, and look for cracking and mismatched brands. A set of decent tyres is £500 or more on most cars, which makes this the easiest money to take off a price. If the pressure warning light is on, budget for sensors too.Recorded on 36.2% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 20.9%
Pads and discsRuns high on this model Look through the wheel spokes at the brake disc. A pronounced lip on its outer edge, or a rusty and scored face, means discs and pads are due all round, a few hundred pounds on most cars. A haggling point rather than a reason to walk away.Recorded on 19.7% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 11.4%
Windscreen and wipersRuns high on this model Scan the glass in daylight for chips, especially in the driver's line of sight where even a small one can fail the MOT. Run the washers and check the wipers clear without smearing.Recorded on 5.3% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 2.6%

Because of what owners report

Drawn from the reports above rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.

Check the MOT and service history for any recent emissions software update or ECU reflash on diesel cars. If it was done recently, drive it cold and watch for the glow-plug light or limp mode in the first few miles.
On a cold start, watch the dash for a flashing glow-plug light or engine management light. Recurring warnings, especially on diesels that have had the NOx recall fix, point to the software/limp-mode issue.
If it's a Multitronic automatic, check the transmission fluid condition and ask for a service history showing fluid changes. Milky or discoloured fluid suggests oil cooler contamination, an expensive repair.
Check for ABS, ESP or brake warning lights, and test the brakes for consistent pedal feel. A warning light or spongy pedal can point to the known Mk60 brake pressure sensor fault.
Ask when the injectors were last tested or serviced, and check for a rough idle or hard cold starts. Uneven running or hesitation can flag early piezo injector wear.
Get a quote for a full service and a clutch or suspension job before buying, not after. Because it shares Audi mechanicals, parts cost more than the SEAT badge suggests.
Read through the full MOT history rather than just the pass/fail. Repeated advisories on the same item mean a problem is being deferred, not fixed.

Open the saveable checklist, tick it off at the car

The MOT data

Measured

Computed from DVSA MOT results, all of Great Britain, 2025. Nothing here is opinion.

How this model wears

SEAT ExeoClass average, all tracked models

What testers flag

Share of tests where each item was recorded. The dark tick is the class average across all tracked models; bars are scaled within each group.

Faults with the car itself

The rows that judge the model rather than its keeper. 4,066 tests in this band.

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
Advisory
34.1%class 11.7%
A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded
Advisory
13.9%class 7.4%
A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched
Advisory
9.8%class 0.2%
Play in steering rack inner joint(s)
Advisory
9.4%class 1.7%
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated
Minor
9.1%class 0.9%
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
Fail
7.9%class 3.2%
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
Advisory
6.7%class 2.7%
A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched
Fail
5.2%class 0.0%
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
Advisory
5.2%class 5.0%
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
Fail
5.1%class 3.5%

Wear, upkeep and luck

Tyres, pads and stone chips say more about how the car was driven and maintained than about how it was built.

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
Advisory
39.9%class 23.4%
Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured
Advisory
19.7%class 11.4%
A tyre seriously damaged
Advisory
6.7%class 9.7%
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
Advisory
6.6%class 7.3%
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
Minor
5.3%class 2.6%
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
Minor
5.1%class 3.3%
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
Fail
4.2%class 2.6%
Number plate inscription missing or illegible
Advisory
3.7%class 2.3%

Others in its class

Same segment (Saloons & estates), best MOT record first. Compare before you shortlist.

Audi A88.6%Porsche Panamera9.4%Lexus IS9.6%BMW 7 Series10.0%Mercedes S-Class10.8%Jaguar XJ12.9%See all Saloons & estatesreliability ranked