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MOT statistics · 2023 tests

Saab 9-5 MOT pass rate, common failures and mileage

In 2023, 69.9% of 9,273 MOT tests on the Saab 9-5 ended in a pass, 6.5 points below the 76.5% average for all cars.

Pass rate
69.9%
All cars 76.5%
Tests
9,273
Initial MOTs in 2023
Mileage at 12
103k
Median; middle half 79k to 131k

Pass rate and mileage by age

Each row covers the Saab 9-5 MOT tests at that age. Mileage shows the median and the middle half of odometer readings, from the 25th to the 75th percentile.

AgePass rateMileage
12610 tests
76.7%
103,000 · 79k to 131k
13635 tests
73.5%
107,000 · 81k to 135k
14800 tests
70.5%
115,000 · 93k to 143k
151,132 tests
68.9%
119,000 · 95k to 145k
161,234 tests
68.1%
125,000 · 101k to 151k
171,111 tests
69.7%
121,000 · 97k to 149k
18979 tests
65.1%
127,000 · 101k to 157k
19781 tests
67.7%
131,000 · 99k to 161k
20502 tests
67.7%
125,000 · 101k to 155k
21454 tests
71.6%
121,000 · 91k to 149k
22378 tests
74.9%
121,000 · 91k to 151k
23285 tests
70.5%
121,000 · 91k to 153k
9-5 pass rateAll cars at that ageMiddle half of mileages

Most common MOT failures and advisories

How often each item came up, per 100 MOT tests on the Saab 9-5. Advisories are things the tester noted that did not fail the car, often wear that will need attention soon. Follow an item to see what it means and how serious it is.

Failures

Side and tail lights
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
5.8in 100 tests
Warning lights
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
3.9in 100 tests
Brake performance
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
2.3in 100 tests
Headlight aim
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
2.3in 100 tests
Corrosion near mountings
The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mo
2.0in 100 tests
Brake pipes
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
2.0in 100 tests
Wiper blades
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
1.9in 100 tests
Tyre tread
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
1.8in 100 tests

Advisories and minor defects

Engine oil leaks
Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
21.3in 100 tests
Brake discs
Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured
11.2in 100 tests
Brake pipes
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
9.8in 100 tests
Number plates
Number plate inscription missing or illegible
7.1in 100 tests
Tyres
A tyre seriously damaged
7.1in 100 tests
Coil springs
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
6.7in 100 tests
Sub-frame
A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded
6.2in 100 tests
Brake pads
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
6.2in 100 tests

What to check on a used 9-5

The parts that come up most often in Saab 9-5 MOTs, and how to look at them on a viewing.

  1. Oil leaks
    Look under the engine and gearbox, and at the ground where the car was parked, for fresh oil.
  2. Brake discs and pads
    Ask when the discs and pads were last replaced, and look through the wheel for a raised lip on the edge of the disc.
  3. Brake pipes and hoses
    Look underneath at the metal brake pipes for heavy rust, and at the rubber hoses for cracks or bulges.
  4. Number plates
    Check the plates are clean, legal and match the registration on the V5C logbook.
  5. Tyres
    Check the tread across the full width of every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts and bulges in the sidewalls.

Check a specific 9-5

Fleet averages only go so far. Enter the registration to see that car's own MOT history, mileage record and current condition, free.

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Questions

What is the MOT pass rate of the Saab 9-5?
In 2023, 69.9% of 9,273 initial MOT tests on the Saab 9-5 ended in a pass, against 76.5% for all cars and light vans.
What fails most often on a Saab 9-5 MOT?
The most common failures were side and tail lights (5.8 in 100 tests), warning lights (3.9 in 100 tests), brake performance (2.3 in 100 tests).
What is a normal mileage for a 12-year-old Saab 9-5?
At 12 years old, the median Saab 9-5 at its MOT had covered 103,000 miles, and the middle half had between 79,000 and 131,000 miles.
What do MOT testers most often advise on a Saab 9-5?
The most common advisories were engine oil leaks (21.3 in 100 tests), brake discs (11.2 in 100 tests), brake pipes (9.8 in 100 tests).

Other Saab models

Overall MOT pass rate in 2023. Compare all Saab models or see every make.

9-367.0%9-569.9%

How these figures are made. We counted every initial MOT test (not retests) of cars and light vans in Great Britain in 2023 from the DVSA anonymised MOT dataset, 33,842,940 tests in all. Pass rate is the share of initial tests that ended in a pass, counting faults fixed during the test. Age is whole years from first registration to the test, so a car having its first MOT a few weeks early counts as 2.

Like-for-like pass rates average each model's pass rate at ages 3 to 10 with the same age mix for every model, so a model is not flattered by a young fleet or penalised by an old one. Models are grouped by the first word of the DVSA model name, and names that cover several models are left out.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. RegTail's analysis of the DVSA anonymised MOT dataset, 2023 tests.