Used car guide

2020 SEAT Tarraco diesel: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the diesel SEAT Tarraco first registered in 2020 (diesel cars only): we looked at the 3,025 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

3,025MOTs of 2020 diesel cars, done in 2023–2025
87%pass first time (all 2020 cars: 87%)
9,000typical miles a year
3.7×the usual rate for suspension arm bushes and joints

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2020 SEAT Tarraco diesel?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2020 SEAT Tarraco diesel than on all cars registered in 2020.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints3.7× usual
    SEAT Tarraco
    4.1% All 2020 cars
    1.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.1%, against 0.2% of all 2020 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.

  • Airbag warning light23× usual
    SEAT Tarraco
    2.3% All 2020 cars
    0.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.3%, against 0.1% of all 2020 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.

Common 2020 SEAT Tarraco diesel MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2020 SEAT Tarraco diesel MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    27% 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
    18% 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
    6% 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
    5% of testsRough price £15–£250

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

  • Seats and seatbelts
    5% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

  • Suspension
    5% 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.

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2020 SEAT Tarraco diesel

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

  1. Any recent work on the suspension arm bushes and joints? (Flagged at MOT 3.7× as often on the 2020 SEAT Tarraco diesel as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the airbag warning light? (Flagged at MOT 23× as often on the 2020 SEAT Tarraco diesel as on other cars the same age.)
  3. 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, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the SEAT Tarraco compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2024–Too new for MOT data
2023–Too new for MOT data
2022958Tyres 29%
20212,234Tyres 27%
201912,475Tyres 31%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of SEAT Tarraco cars first registered in 2020. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score