Common problems
SEAT Mii common problems
What MOT testers find on the SEAT Mii: the parts that fail or get advisories most often at each age, against all cars of the same age. From 72,945 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025.
MOT data updated
At 9 years, the most tested age
What stands out
- Seat belts and airbags fails show up on 2.1 of every 100 MOTs of a SEAT Mii at 9 years old (n=11,631), against 0.6 for all cars of that age (n=9,949,012).
- Suspension fails are less common: 3.1 per 100 MOTs against 7.9 for all cars at the same age.
- The fail item testers record most often at 9 years: wipers not clearing screen, on 2.2 per 100 MOTs (all cars 1.7).
- The most common advisory or minor defect: tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing, on 12.8 per 100 MOTs.
Problems by part at 9 years
How many of every 100 MOTs found a fail, or an advisory or minor defect, in each area. A test with faults in two areas counts in both.
| Area | Fails | All cars | Advisories | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lights and electrics | 7.9 | 9.2 | 0.5 | 4.5 |
| Brakes | 6.2 | 5.6 | 17.9 | 20.3 |
| Tyres | 3.9 | 6.7 | 24.3 | 25.8 |
| Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 3.9 | 4.0 | 2.8 | 3.7 |
| Suspension | 3.1 | 7.9 | 7.5 | 14.9 |
| Body and structure | 3.0 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 2.9 |
| Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 2.3 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 3.1 |
| Seat belts and airbags | 2.1 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Steering | 0.2 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 2.1 |
| Road wheels | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.7 |
| Number plates and VIN | 0.1 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 1.7 |
What testers fail most on the Mii at 9 years
| Item | Area | Per 100 MOTs | All cars | Typical repair (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wipers not clearing screen | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 2.2 | 1.7 | £15 to £30 per blade |
| Side/position light not working | Lights and electrics | 2.1 | 1.7 | £10 to £47 per lamp |
| Fuel cap/sealing device: ineffective | Body and structure | 2.0 | 0.1 | |
| Service brake performance: excessively binding | Brakes | 2.0 | 0.5 | £55 to £267 per wheel (rough guide) |
| Tyre tread below 1.6 mm | Tyres | 1.9 | 2.5 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Airbag (SRS) warning light on | Seat belts and airbags | 1.8 | 0.3 | diagnosis from £39 (rough guide) |
| Headlamp aim: too low | Lights and electrics | 1.5 | 1.1 | £16 to £39 per car (rough guide) |
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | Lights and electrics | 1.4 | 1.0 | £10 to £47 per lamp |
| Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits | Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 1.4 | 0.3 | |
| Suspension arm bush worn | Suspension | 1.2 | 1.1 | £92 to £237 per arm (rough guide) |
Early warnings: advisories and minor defects at 9 years
Advisories and minor defects are recorded, but the car still passes. Across all cars, a part with an advisory or minor defect failed at the next MOT 5.5 times in 100 (n=88,666,940 pairs of consecutive MOTs), against 0.3 times in 100 when the same part had none (n=12,936,860,350).
| Item | Area | Per 100 MOTs | All cars | If it needs replacing (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing | Tyres | 12.8 | 8.5 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge | Tyres | 12.8 | 16.4 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened | Brakes | 6.7 | 9.2 | £148 to £376 per axle (rough guide) |
| Brake pads: wearing thin | Brakes | 4.8 | 8.3 | £72 to £174 per axle (rough guide) |
| Suspension arm pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement | Suspension | 4.5 | 4.9 | £92 to £237 per arm (rough guide) |
| Service brake performance: binding but not excessively | Brakes | 3.4 | 1.1 | £55 to £267 per wheel (rough guide) |
| Brake discs: worn, but not excessively | Brakes | 2.8 | 2.7 | £148 to £376 per axle (rough guide) |
| Play in steering rack inner joint(s) | Other | 1.8 | 1.0 | |
| Windscreen: damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 1.6 | 2.2 | |
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge | Tyres | 1.5 | 2.1 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
Repair estimates are a guide for an independent garage: labour at the national median local garage rate (median £78 an hour from 65 garages, ONS price quotes) times estimated labour hours, plus a parts band. Labour hours and most parts bands are estimates, not quotes, and prices vary by model, engine and region. A warning light fault shows the cost of the diagnosis only.
How problems change with age
| Age | Tests (n) | Lights and electrics | Brakes | Tyres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 2,764 | 3.2 | 0.6 | 5.0 |
| 4 years | 3,962 | 3.4 | 1.7 | 4.0 |
| 5 years | 4,368 | 4.4 | 1.9 | 3.9 |
| 6 years | 6,298 | 6.0 | 3.3 | 4.0 |
| 7 years | 7,739 | 7.1 | 4.3 | 4.0 |
| 8 years | 9,577 | 6.8 | 5.0 | 3.8 |
| 9 years | 11,631 | 7.9 | 6.2 | 3.9 |
| 10 years | 11,177 | 8.6 | 6.9 | 4.3 |
| 11 years | 8,412 | 9.5 | 8.0 | 4.0 |
| 12 years | 5,281 | 10.7 | 8.0 | 4.5 |
| 13 years | 1,736 | 12.6 | 7.8 | 4.5 |
Mileage
At 9 years, SEAT Mii cars showing under 30,000 miles failed 14.2% of MOTs (n=1,916); the band that failed most, 60,000 to 90,000 miles, failed 28.9% (n=3,050). For pass and fail rates by age, see SEAT Mii MOT fail rates.
What to check on a viewing
On the SEAT Mii, testers most often record wipers not clearing screen; side/position light not working; fuel cap/sealing device: ineffective. Look at these first, then the areas below.
Lights and electrics
- With someone outside, try every light: dipped and main beam, indicators, brake lights, fog lights and number plate lamps.
- Check that the warning lights come on with the ignition and go out once the engine runs.
- Look for misted, cracked or yellowed headlamp lenses.
Brakes
- On the test drive the car should stop in a straight line without pulling, juddering or grinding.
- Look at the discs through the wheels for a deep lip, heavy rust or scoring.
- Check that the handbrake or electronic parking brake holds the car on a slope.
- Ask when the pads, discs and brake fluid were last changed, and for the receipts.
Tyres
- Check the tread across the full width of all four tyres, and the spare if there is one.
- Look for cuts, bulges and cracking in the sidewalls.
- Wear on one edge only can point to worn suspension or the tracking being out.
Ask for the car's MOT history and service record: advisories that repeat from one year to the next show what has been left. GOV.UK MOT history.
Questions
What are the most common problems on the SEAT Mii?
At 9 years, the age with the most MOT tests (11,631), the fail items testers record most often on the SEAT Mii are wipers not clearing screen (2.2 per 100 MOTs), side/position light not working (2.1 per 100 MOTs), fuel cap/sealing device: ineffective (2.0 per 100 MOTs). The most common advisories or minor defects are tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (12.8) and tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (12.8).
Which parts of the SEAT Mii fail more often than on other cars?
At 9 years: seat belts and airbags (2.1 per 100 MOTs against 0.6 for all cars). Compared with 9,949,012 MOTs of all cars the same age.
SEAT Mii problems by area
More on the SEAT Mii
Other SEAT models
The all cars figures cover all class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans) tested at the same age.
Looking at a SEAT Mii?
These figures describe the model, not the car in front of you. Found one you might buy? See what the VetTheCar Buying Report covers, or use the tools that work without a registration.
See a sample report Car tools · MOT fail rates by model · Compare models by MOT record
Repair estimates: ONS consumer price quotes for local garage labour (09/2025 to 08/2026), the MOT inspection manual for defect wording, and estimated labour hours and parts bands. Not affiliated with or endorsed by ONS.
Source
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 28 September 2026.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources