Common problems
Saab 9-5 common problems
What MOT testers find on the Saab 9-5: the parts that fail or get advisories most often at each age, against all cars of the same age. From 33,143 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025.
MOT data updated
At 17 years, the most tested age
What stands out
- Exhaust, emissions and leaks fails show up on 8.4 of every 100 MOTs of a Saab 9-5 at 17 years old (n=4,383), against 6.5 for all cars of that age (n=4,040,458).
- Suspension fails are less common: 11.4 per 100 MOTs against 17.2 for all cars at the same age.
- The fail item testers record most often at 17 years: side/position light not working, on 5.0 per 100 MOTs (all cars 5.8).
- The most common advisory or minor defect: engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive, on 24.3 per 100 MOTs.
Problems by part at 17 years
How many of every 100 MOTs found a fail, or an advisory or minor defect, in each area. A test with faults in two areas counts in both.
| Area | Fails | All cars | Advisories | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lights and electrics | 16.9 | 21.0 | 9.6 | 16.9 |
| Brakes | 11.6 | 12.3 | 33.0 | 31.1 |
| Suspension | 11.4 | 17.2 | 38.1 | 34.7 |
| Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 8.4 | 6.5 | 25.2 | 13.2 |
| Tyres | 7.3 | 7.3 | 26.8 | 28.1 |
| Body and structure | 5.2 | 8.3 | 12.5 | 13.9 |
| Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 3.5 | 7.1 | 7.0 | 6.0 |
| Seat belts and airbags | 1.9 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 1.2 |
| Steering | 1.6 | 3.6 | 2.2 | 5.1 |
| Number plates and VIN | 0.7 | 0.6 | 7.9 | 5.2 |
| Road wheels | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.4 |
What testers fail most on the 9-5 at 17 years
| Item | Area | Per 100 MOTs | All cars | Typical repair (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Side/position light not working | Lights and electrics | 5.0 | 5.8 | £10 to £47 per lamp |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction | Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 4.2 | 2.2 | diagnosis from £39 (rough guide) |
| Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect | Lights and electrics | 3.3 | 3.6 | £16 to £39 per car (rough guide) |
| Handbrake too weak | Brakes | 3.0 | 2.7 | |
| Tyre tread below 1.6 mm | Tyres | 2.4 | 3.0 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded | Brakes | 2.3 | 1.9 | £137 to £392 per car (rough guide) |
| Anti-roll bar link worn | Suspension | 2.2 | 1.5 | £33 to £102 per link (rough guide) |
| Tyre with cords exposed | Tyres | 2.0 | 1.8 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Driveshaft CV boot split | Body and structure | 1.9 | 3.2 | £88 to £196 per boot (rough guide) |
| Wipers not clearing screen | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 1.8 | 2.8 | £15 to £30 per blade |
Early warnings: advisories and minor defects at 17 years
Advisories and minor defects are recorded, but the car still passes. Across all cars, a part with an advisory or minor defect failed at the next MOT 5.5 times in 100 (n=88,666,940 pairs of consecutive MOTs), against 0.3 times in 100 when the same part had none (n=12,936,860,350).
| Item | Area | Per 100 MOTs | All cars | If it needs replacing (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive | Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 24.3 | 11.7 | |
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge | Tyres | 18.0 | 17.9 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material | Brakes | 12.5 | 10.5 | £137 to £392 per car (rough guide) |
| Suspension arm pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement | Suspension | 12.4 | 8.7 | £92 to £237 per arm (rough guide) |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened | Brakes | 11.3 | 11.3 | £148 to £376 per axle (rough guide) |
| Suspension arm: corroded but not seriously weakened | Suspension | 9.8 | 2.7 | £92 to £237 per arm (rough guide) |
| Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened | Suspension | 7.9 | 5.3 | |
| Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread | Number plates and VIN | 7.8 | 5.1 | £23 to £63 per plate (rough guide) |
| Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing | Tyres | 7.5 | 9.6 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Brake pads: wearing thin | Brakes | 7.1 | 6.6 | £72 to £174 per axle (rough guide) |
Repair estimates are a guide for an independent garage: labour at the national median local garage rate (median £78 an hour from 65 garages, ONS price quotes) times estimated labour hours, plus a parts band. Labour hours and most parts bands are estimates, not quotes, and prices vary by model, engine and region. A warning light fault shows the cost of the diagnosis only.
How problems change with age
| Age | Tests (n) | Lights and electrics | Brakes | Suspension |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 years | 1,096 | 15.1 | 5.9 | 8.3 |
| 13 years | 1,776 | 14.0 | 8.1 | 8.1 |
| 14 years | 2,817 | 13.7 | 8.7 | 9.3 |
| 15 years | 3,734 | 14.9 | 9.5 | 10.1 |
| 16 years | 4,155 | 14.7 | 11.0 | 10.8 |
| 17 years | 4,383 | 16.9 | 11.6 | 11.4 |
| 18 years | 4,080 | 18.5 | 11.2 | 12.2 |
| 19 years | 3,325 | 20.7 | 11.4 | 13.7 |
| 20 years | 2,761 | 19.6 | 10.6 | 13.4 |
| 21 years | 2,061 | 17.9 | 10.5 | 13.1 |
| 22 years | 1,630 | 17.9 | 10.6 | 13.9 |
| 23 years | 1,325 | 16.8 | 11.8 | 14.0 |
Mileage
At 17 years, Saab 9-5 cars showing 90,000 to 120,000 miles failed 36.7% of MOTs (n=1,222); the band that failed most, over 150,000 miles, failed 41.6% (n=1,092). For pass and fail rates by age, see MOT fail rates by model.
What to check on a viewing
On the Saab 9-5, testers most often record side/position light not working; malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction; headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect. Look at these first, then the areas below.
Lights and electrics
- With someone outside, try every light: dipped and main beam, indicators, brake lights, fog lights and number plate lamps.
- Check that the warning lights come on with the ignition and go out once the engine runs.
- Look for misted, cracked or yellowed headlamp lenses.
Brakes
- On the test drive the car should stop in a straight line without pulling, juddering or grinding.
- Look at the discs through the wheels for a deep lip, heavy rust or scoring.
- Check that the handbrake or electronic parking brake holds the car on a slope.
- Ask when the pads, discs and brake fluid were last changed, and for the receipts.
Suspension
- Listen for knocks or clonks over speed bumps and rough roads on the test drive.
- Push down hard on each corner: the car should settle at once rather than keep bouncing.
- Look behind the wheels for broken or heavily rusted coil springs and split rubber bushes.
- Check that the car sits level and that no tyre is worn on one edge only.
Ask for the car's MOT history and service record: advisories that repeat from one year to the next show what has been left. GOV.UK MOT history.
Questions
What are the most common problems on the Saab 9-5?
At 17 years, the age with the most MOT tests (4,383), the fail items testers record most often on the Saab 9-5 are side/position light not working (5.0 per 100 MOTs), malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction (4.2 per 100 MOTs), headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect (3.3 per 100 MOTs). The most common advisories or minor defects are engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive (24.3) and tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (18.0).
Which parts of the Saab 9-5 fail more often than on other cars?
At 17 years: exhaust, emissions and leaks (8.4 per 100 MOTs against 6.5 for all cars). Compared with 4,040,458 MOTs of all cars the same age.
Saab 9-5 problems by area
More on the Saab 9-5
Other Saab models
The all cars figures cover all class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans) tested at the same age.
Looking at a Saab 9-5?
These figures describe the model, not the car in front of you. Found one you might buy? See what the VetTheCar Buying Report covers, or use the tools that work without a registration.
See a sample report Car tools · MOT fail rates by model · Compare models by MOT record
Repair estimates: ONS consumer price quotes for local garage labour (09/2025 to 08/2026), the MOT inspection manual for defect wording, and estimated labour hours and parts bands. Not affiliated with or endorsed by ONS.
Source
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 28 September 2026.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources