Saab 9-3: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Saab 9-3 fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 8.6 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 36,609 individual Saab 9-3 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 68.1% first-time pass rate means roughly 32 in every 100 Saab 9-3s presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is worse than average, so budget for remedial work and treat a fresh 12-month MOT as a genuine selling point rather than a given. The average Saab 9-3 tested had covered 115,138 miles and was built around 2007.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Saab 9-3 sits 8.6 points below the national average, ranked 1,801 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, assume the mechanical side needs more than the visible accident damage, and pad your repair estimate accordingly.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Saab 9-3 rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see the median recorded closing bid for a damaged Saab 9-3: £250 at UK salvage auction, from 9 ended listings, not independently confirmed sales.

Most common MOT failures on a Saab 9-3

1. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 6.7% of tests (2.94x the national rate for this defect)
2. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 2.6% of tests (2.59x the national rate for this defect)
3. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 2.4% of tests (2.36x the national rate for this defect)
4. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 2.4% of tests (1.88x the national rate for this defect)
5. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 3.2% of tests (1.76x the national rate for this defect)
6. A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED, 2% of tests (1.64x the national rate for this defect)
7. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 2.5% of tests (1.46x the national rate for this defect)
8. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 3.1% of tests (1.33x the national rate for this defect)
9. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 6.6% of tests (1.32x the national rate for this defect)
10. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 2.8% of tests (1.3x the national rate for this defect)

From 36,584 DVSA-tracked Saab 9-3 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 4.29% of these flagged Saab 9-3 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Saab 9-3

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a Saab 9-3 before it actually fails on it.

1. A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded, 7.4% of tests (5.79x the national rate for this advisory)
2. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 19.4% of tests (3.75x the national rate for this advisory)
3. Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow, 3.3% of tests (2.97x the national rate for this advisory)
4. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 8.3% of tests (2.91x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
5. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 15.5% of tests (2.79x the national rate for this advisory)
6. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 6.5% of tests (2.43x the national rate for this advisory)
7. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 9% of tests (1.9x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
8. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 3.2% of tests (1.6x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
9. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 5.9% of tests (1.52x the national rate for this advisory)
10. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 18.2% of tests (1.48x the national rate for this advisory)

From 36,584 DVSA-tracked Saab 9-3 tests, 2024.

Saab 9-3 pass rate by model year

From its 1999 to its 2011 model year, the Saab 9-3's first-time pass rate has fallen 1.2 points, from 72.6% to 71.4%, an unusual pattern where even its newest years fail more than its oldest. First-time pass rate for each Saab 9-3 year:

• 1998 Saab 9-3 - 70.9% first-time pass, 292 tests
• 1999 Saab 9-3 - 72.6% first-time pass, 508 tests
• 2000 Saab 9-3 - 71.4% first-time pass, 660 tests
• 2001 Saab 9-3 - 71% first-time pass, 751 tests
• 2002 Saab 9-3 - 69.2% first-time pass, 819 tests
• 2003 Saab 9-3 - 68.1% first-time pass, 907 tests
• 2004 Saab 9-3 - 66% first-time pass, 2,184 tests
• 2005 Saab 9-3 - 67.3% first-time pass, 3,365 tests
• 2006 Saab 9-3 - 65.9% first-time pass, 5,244 tests
• 2007 Saab 9-3 - 67.4% first-time pass, 6,628 tests
• 2008 Saab 9-3 - 69.3% first-time pass, 5,720 tests
• 2009 Saab 9-3 - 69.7% first-time pass, 3,612 tests
• 2010 Saab 9-3 - 71.5% first-time pass, 3,272 tests
• 2011 Saab 9-3 - 71.4% first-time pass, 2,196 tests

Saab 9-3 by fuel type

The Saab 9-3's two most-tested fuel types split by 2.7 points: petrol passes first time 69.8% of the time (20,130 tests) against 67.1% for diesel (16,174 tests).

• Petrol Saab 9-3 - 69.8% first-time pass, 20,130 tests
• Diesel Saab 9-3 - 67.1% first-time pass, 16,174 tests

Other Saab models

• Saab 9-5 - 70.2%
• Saab 900 - 69.3%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Volkswagen Eos - 68.3%
• Suzuki Grand Vitara - 68.2%
• Citroen Relay - 68.2%
• Fiat Qubo - 68.1%
• Ford Fusion - 68%
• Honda Accord - 68%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences
• Do you need an HPI check on a car you know is a write-off?

Embed this data

Run a site about the Saab 9-3? Embed the real DVSA pass-rate badge free, linked back to this page.

<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/saab-9-3"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/saab-9-3.svg" width="340" height="92" alt="Saab 9-3 MOT Pass Rate: 68.1% - Salvage Prophet"></a>

Run a garage or parts site? Embed the Saab 9-3's top real failure reason instead, linked back here.

<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/saab-9-3"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/failure/saab-9-3.svg" width="340" height="106" alt="Saab 9-3 most common MOT failure: A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened (6.7% of tests) - Salvage Prophet"></a>

All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate