Saab 9-5 common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 6,787 initial MOT tests on the Saab 9-5 in Great Britain, and 65.6% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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Saab 9-5 at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 6,787
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 65.6%
Failed at firstIncluding 5.9% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 34.4%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 8.0%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 4,759 off the road (SORN): 5,514

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

Failure areas

Where the 9-5 fails its MOT

The share of initial tests in 2025 with at least one fail or PRS item in each part of the MOT. A test can fail in more than one area, so these do not add up to the fail rate.

1Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
16.4%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
2Suspension
11.8%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
3Brakes
10.0%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
4Noise, emissions and leaks
7.1%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
5Tyres
6.5%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
6Body, chassis and structure
5.3%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
7Visibility
3.9%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
8Seat belts and airbags
2.2%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
9Steering
1.5%
Steering rack, joints and linkages, power steering, the steering wheel and columnAll cars and vans: 2.0%
10Registration plates and VIN
0.5%
Number plates and the vehicle identification numberAll cars and vans: 0.3%

This modelAll cars and vans

Parts

The parts that fail most

Share of initial tests with a fail or PRS item on each part, 2025.

Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks6.4%
Position lampsLamps and electrics5.6%
Brake performanceBrakes5.5%
HeadlampsLamps and electrics5.2%
ConditionTyres4.7%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics4.6%
Anti-roll barsSuspension3.8%
Suspension armsSuspension3.3%

By age

Pass rate by year first used

Older cars fail more often, so compare a car with others of its year. Cars up to 25 years old; years with fewer than 250 tests are left out.

First used	Tests	Passed first time	Dangerous defect
2011	298	72.8%	4.7%
2010	573	70.2%	5.9%
2009	576	70.0%	7.5%
2008	770	67.5%	7.8%
2007	867	65.5%	9.5%
2006	799	61.0%	9.6%
2005	784	62.8%	9.1%
2004	603	65.5%	7.8%
2003	378	62.2%	6.9%
2002	356	57.9%	10.1%
2001	283	67.1%	7.4%

Mileage

9-5 mileage by age

The median reading at the test: half the cars of that age had covered more, half less. Estimated from 1,000-mile bands, for cars up to 25 years old.

A car well above or below the typical figure is not a problem in itself, but the readings should rise steadily from one MOT to the next. A fall, or a long gap, is worth asking about.

Check a car's mileage record

Age at test	Median mileage	Readings
14 years	109,800 miles	493
15 years	114,000 miles	586
16 years	119,900 miles	625
17 years	123,700 miles	853
18 years	130,100 miles	808
19 years	124,200 miles	773
20 years	129,100 miles	678
21 years	125,800 miles	499
22 years	131,000 miles	352
23 years	120,000 miles	328
24 years	122,400 miles	261

Checking a particular 9-5?

Averages tell you what to look at. The registration tells you about this car: every MOT since 2005 with its failures and advisories, each mileage reading, and whether it is taxed.

Questions

Saab 9-5: common questions

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

What is the most common MOT failure on the Saab 9-5?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the Saab 9-5 was lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 16.4% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 10.8% for all cars and vans. Next came suspension (11.8%) and brakes (10.0%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the Saab 9-5?

65.6% of 6,787 initial MOT tests on the Saab 9-5 in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 5.9% passed after small repairs made at the test station within the hour (PRS). Across all cars and vans, 72.1% passed first time.

Does a lower pass rate mean the Saab 9-5 is unreliable?

Not on its own. MOT results depend on age, mileage and upkeep as much as on design, so a model with many older cars on the road will usually fail more often. The table by year compares cars of a similar age. What matters most is the record of the car you are looking at, so check its MOT history before you buy.

What counts as a dangerous defect?

One the tester judges to be a direct and immediate risk to road safety, or to have a serious impact on the environment. The car fails and should not be driven until it is repaired. 8.0% of initial tests on the Saab 9-5 found at least one, against 7.3% for all cars and vans.

Where do these figures come from?

From DVSA's anonymised MOT test data for 2025, published under the Open Government Licence. We count initial tests on cars and light vans in Great Britain, as DVSA does in its own statistics: retests, appeals and abandoned tests are left out, and so are advisories and minor defects.

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