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Before you buy a used Seat Exeo.

2009–2013 · Petrol / Diesel · 2 engines

Taken only from Testigo's sourced sheets. Use it to question the seller and on the test drive: it does not confirm that any particular car is affected.

Seat Exeo, real photo of this generation
Vauxford · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo source

The essentials.

Typical faults by engine

The period and mileage are those mentioned by each sheet's sources. They are not a maintenance interval and do not predict that any particular car will fail.

All versions

Sheets the catalogue links to all 2 of its engines.

  • A/C not cooling: N280 valveClimate control
    Period mentioned
    2006–2026
    Mileage mentioned
    The sheet does not mention a mileage.

    Applies if: Only if fitted with the air conditioning system described.

1.8 TSI (EA888)

Petrol

2.0 TDI (EA189)

Diesel

  • Cracked EGR coolerCooling / EGR
    Period mentioned
    Approx. 2010–2020
    Mileage mentioned
    The sheet does not mention a mileage.

Which engine has the fewest documented faults?

Documented faults and recalls by engine for the Seat Exeo
EngineDocumented faults
1.8 TSI (EA888)Petrol31 with conditions
2.0 TDI (EA189)DieselFewest documented21 with conditions

According to the data we have, the engine with the fewest documented faults is the 2.0 TDI (EA189) (Diesel).

By fuel type, the one with the fewest documented faults is: Diesel.

We only count the sourced sheets we have. An engine with fewer is not guaranteed to be more reliable: it may have been studied less or sold in smaller numbers.

Official recalls: ask before you pay

We have no official recalls on record for this model. Our list is not complete: ask anyway, with the chassis number.

  1. Ask the seller for the chassis number (VIN): it has 17 characters, appears in the car's documents and can usually also be seen at the base of the windscreen.
  2. Ask an official Seat dealer, or the brand's official website if it lets you check by chassis number, whether each recall has been done or is still outstanding for that VIN.
  3. Manufacturer recalls are normally carried out free of charge by the official service network. If one is outstanding, ask for it to be done before you close the sale.

On the test drive: what to look and listen for

Taken from each sheet's symptoms and checks. You can tick off what you have already looked at: it is saved only in this browser.

0 of 4 checked

Engine

  • Look out for: Very high oil consumption (over 1 litre per 1,000 km), low oil warning, bluish smoke, oil-fouled spark plugs.

    Ask them to check: Controlled oil consumption test over 1,000 km, compression or leak-down test and a PCV valve check.

Timing system

  • Look out for: Metallic rattle for a few seconds on a cold start, engine light for camshaft/crankshaft correlation; in the worst case the engine won't start after a loud noise.

    Ask them to check: An inspection plug on the lower timing cover shows the tensioner position. Listen to a cold start.

Cooling / EGR

  • Look out for: Coolant level drops with no visible leak, white smoke with a sweet smell, rising temperature or engine light. In severe cases the engine hydrolocks.

    Ask them to check: Cooling system pressure test and check for coolant in the intake or manifold.

Climate control

  • Look out for: The air does not cool or cools intermittently (for example only at motorway speed), and sometimes the compressor rattles with the A/C on. Codes 01232 (N280 valve), P2612 or 00898.

    Ask them to check: Read the codes and N280 control current with VCDS or ODIS, measure its resistance (about 10 ohms) and check the connector and wiring before replacing parts. If the valve or compressor is replaced, the whole circuit must be flushed.

OBD codes worth looking for

If they let you read the fault memory with an OBD reader, these are the codes mentioned in this model's sheets:

P001601232P261200898

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from these Testigo sheets and their original sources. Sources are not checked in real time.

More Seat buying guides

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