Pass rate, every year
74.9% Below average
137,430 tests across 13 model years, 2000–2012.
−6.1 pts vs the national average
Saab 9-3 MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics
Best year to buy
2012 82.1%
The strongest of the 13 years on record. See the 2012 page →
Worst year to buy
2006 73.3%
8.8 points below the 2012 peak. See the 2006 page →
The Saab 9-3 MOT pass rate is 74.9%, −6.1 percentage points below the UK average. That is 137,430 DVSA MOT tests recorded between 2000 and 2012. This page lists the most common Saab 9-3 MOT failures by category, names the best and worst model years, and finishes with a pre-MOT checklist you can run at home.
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MOT pass rates are national — type your postcode to see how Saab 9-3 MOT pass rates does in your corner of the country.
Saab 9-3 MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average
The Saab 9-3 passed on its first attempt in 68.2%, and its overall record sits −6.1 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Saab 9-3 in the 2023–2025 data: 137,430 tests across 13 model years (2000–2012). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.
| Measure | This model |
|---|---|
| Tests analysed | 137,430 |
| Overall pass rate | 74.9% |
| Passed on first attempt | 68.2% |
| Average mileage at test | 111,147 mi |
| Model years covered | 2000–2012 (13 years) |
| Versus UK national average | −6.1 pts below |
Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.
Most Common Saab 9-3 MOT Problems by Failure Category
Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Saab 9-3, the Suspension section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.
| Inspection section | Share of failures |
|---|---|
| Suspension | 33% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 28% |
| Visibility | 15% |
| Brakes | 10% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 10% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 3% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 0% |
| Tyres | 0% |
Shares are over the Saab 9-3's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.
Suspension
Around 33% of the recorded Saab 9-3 failures fall in the Suspension section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Coil spring fractured or broken" (5.1%), "Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (2.9%), "Linkage ball joint dust cover ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (0.4%) among the Saab 9-3's suspension faults.
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Around 28% of the recorded Saab 9-3 failures fall in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (3.9%), "Headlamp lens slightly defective" (2.3%), "Position lamp not working" (1.7%) among the Saab 9-3's lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment faults.
Visibility
Around 15% of the recorded Saab 9-3 failures fall in the Visibility section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (4.0%), "Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively" (0.3%) among the Saab 9-3's visibility faults.
Top Recorded Saab 9-3 DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions
The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Saab 9-3, each with how many of the model's 137,430 tests it was noted on.
- "Coil spring fractured or broken" (Major) — noted on about 7,038 Saab 9-3 tests, 5.1% of the model's MOT record.
- "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 5,513 Saab 9-3 tests, 4.0% of the model's MOT record.
- "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (Minor) — noted on about 5,387 Saab 9-3 tests, 3.9% of the model's MOT record.
- "Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 3,984 Saab 9-3 tests, 2.9% of the model's MOT record.
- "Headlamp lens slightly defective" (Minor) — noted on about 3,097 Saab 9-3 tests, 2.3% of the model's MOT record.
- "Rbt (sp) efficiency below requirements" (Major) — noted on about 2,409 Saab 9-3 tests, 1.8% of the model's MOT record.
What 9-3 fails on more than most
4 failure items are recorded at least 1.5 times the UK rate on this model.
| Failure item | This model | UK | × UK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brake hose ferrule corroded | 4.9% | 1.0% | 4.9× | £25–£70 |
| Shock absorbers damaged to the extent that it does not function | 1.8% | 0.4% | 4.5× | £30–£75 |
| Sub-frame corroded | 10.5% | 2.4% | 4.4× | £180–£450 |
| Service brake fluctuating | 2.2% | 1.0% | 2.2× | £60–£150 |
Rates are a share of this model's own tests (137,430 for the top row), so a big seller cannot outrank a rare one. The UK figure is the same item's share of every test in our data. Items 9-3 records at or below the UK rate are not listed — this is where it is unusual, not a full inventory. All failure items · parts and costs
Best and Worst Saab 9-3 Model Years by Pass Rate
The strongest Saab 9-3 model year on record is 2012 (82.1% across 614 tests), and the weakest is 2006 (73.3%). The gap between them is 8.8 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.
Saab 9-3 reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 1.2 points a year across the most recent model years shown above.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 9-3 | 614 | 82.1% |
| 2011 9-3 | 8,798 | 76.3% |
| 2010 9-3 | 12,870 | 76.3% |
| 2009 9-3 | 13,749 | 76.1% |
| 2008 9-3 | 21,878 | 75.3% |
| 2007 9-3 | 25,648 | 74.5% |
| 2006 9-3 | 20,490 | 73.3% |
| 2005 9-3 | 13,072 | 73.6% |
| 2004 9-3 | 8,501 | 73.5% |
| 2003 9-3 | 3,514 | 74.6% |
| 2002 9-3 | 3,053 | 76.5% |
| 2001 9-3 | 2,805 | 75.8% |
| 2000 9-3 | 2,438 | 76.6% |
Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.
Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Saab 9-3 Owners
These checks follow this Saab 9-3's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Saab 9-3.
-
the coil springs — “coil spring fractured or broken”
Look up inside each wheel arch with a torch, all the way round the spring. A snapped spring usually breaks at the very bottom coil, where a quick glance will not reach.
-
the windscreen — “windscreen damaged”
Check the driver’s side of the screen within the swept area for chips and cracks; anything larger than 10mm in the driver’s central view is a fail. Most chips can be resin-repaired for far less than a new screen.
-
the lights — “registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources”
Switch everything on and walk round the car: both headlamps on dip and main, every indicator, both brake lights, reverse, fog and the two number-plate lamps. A bulb is a few pounds and a five-minute job.
Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Saab 9-3. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions: Saab 9-3 MOT & Reliability
What is the Saab 9-3 MOT pass rate?
74.9% of the 137,430 recorded Saab 9-3 MOT tests ended in a pass, −6.1 percentage points below the national average. 68.2% of those passed on the first attempt.
Which Saab 9-3 model years pass the MOT most often?
2012 is the strongest Saab 9-3 year on record at 82.1%, while 2006 is the weakest at 73.3%. The year-by-year table below lists every model year with at least 50 recorded tests.
What are the most common Saab 9-3 MOT failures?
The most recorded Saab 9-3 failures are "Coil spring fractured or broken" and "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" — together around 9% of tests, mostly in the Suspension section.