Saab 9-3 2003: MOT failure rate for its age
43.3% of 10,208 MOT tests of the Saab 9-3 first registered in 2003 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 103.5 (95% CI 100.5–106.6; 100 = normal for this model at that age): close to other build years of the same model at the same age (within 5 points of normal).
| Measure | Value | Unit | Compared with | Years | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed first time | 43.3 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 10208 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 100.5–106.6) | 103.5 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 10208 |
| Rank among this model's 15 build years | 12 | of 15 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 10208 |
| Tested in 2024 | 932 | tests | median 109,539 miles | 2024 | 932 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2003 Saab 9-3 fail at each age?
Cars built in 2003 were tested at ages 16 to 21 between 2019 and 2024. Each row compares their first-time failure share with what this model normally shows at that age, after allowing for the overall failure level of each test year.
| Age | Tests | Failed, % | 95% interval | Normal for this model at that age, % | Index (100 = normal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 2,868 | 46.3 | 44.5–48.2 | 44.7 | 103.7 |
| 17 | 2,007 | 42.2 | 40–44.3 | 41.8 | 100.9 |
| 18 | 1,744 | 43.6 | 41.3–45.9 | 41.7 | 104.5 |
| 19 | 1,446 | 42.7 | 40.2–45.3 | 39.6 | 107.8 |
| 20 | 1,211 | 41.2 | 38.5–44 | 40.2 | 102.5 |
| 21 | 932 | 39.6 | 36.5–42.8 | 38.9 | 101.9 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 10,208 (initial tests) · Method: normal rate = this model's first-time failure share at that age across its build years (cells of 400+ tests), adjusted for each test year's overall level; cells of 30+ tests, under 500 marked rough · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
What fails most on the 2003 Saab 9-3?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2003 is lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 44.8 items per 100 first tests, against 25.2 across all build years of the Saab 9-3. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2003 were tested at ages 16 to 21.
| Failure group | Built 2003, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 44.8 | 25.2 | 4,575 |
| Suspension | 31 | 29.6 | 3,165 |
| Brakes | 23.4 | 17.6 | 2,385 |
| Visibility | 11.9 | 11.1 | 1,214 |
| Tyres | 10.5 | 10.5 | 1,075 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 10,208 (initial tests of this build year) · Method: failure items grouped by DVSA's top-level defect groups, per 100 initial tests; groups with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How does 2003 compare with the years around it?
Among the 15 published build years of the Saab 9-3, 2003 ranks 12 (1 = fails least for its age). 2002: index 98.7. 2004: index 105.3.
| Build year | Index (100 = normal) | 95% interval | Verdict | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 105.1 | 96.9–113.4 | no different (rough estimate) | 1,448 |
| 1999 | 100.4 | 95.1–105.8 | no different (rough estimate) | 3,216 |
| 2000 | 101.2 | 96.9–105.5 | no different | 5,075 |
| 2001 | 95.4 | 91.7–99.1 | better | 6,482 |
| 2002 | 98.7 | 95.3–102.1 | no different | 8,029 |
| 2003 | 103.5 | 100.5–106.6 | worse | 10,208 |
| 2004 | 105.3 | 103.3–107.4 | worse | 23,549 |
| 2005 | 103.4 | 101.8–105.0 | worse | 36,256 |
| 2006 | 104.3 | 103.0–105.7 | worse | 53,981 |
| 2007 | 98.3 | 97.1–99.5 | better | 62,259 |
| 2008 | 95.4 | 94.0–96.7 | better | 49,029 |
| 2009 | 93.7 | 91.9–95.6 | better | 27,559 |
| 2010 | 89.8 | 87.8–91.8 | better | 23,965 |
| 2011 | 94.1 | 91.5–96.6 | better | 16,112 |
| 2012 | 78.6 | 69.2–88.0 | better (rough estimate) | 1,024 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 328,192 (initial tests) · Method: observed failures against those expected for the same model at the same ages, test-year level adjusted; verdict follows the printed one-decimal bound · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How to cite this page
MOT Risk Index (2026). Saab 9-3 2003 MOT statistics (data release dvsa-2024-v2; full dataset motriskindex-families-2024-v5, DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22975051), updated 30 September 2026. motriskindex.co.uk/cars/saab-9-3/2003/
How every figure is calculated: methodology. Age, test year and build year are tied together (age = test year − build year), so the test-year level is taken as observed, not estimated.
Other pages for this model
Saab 9-3 1998 · Saab 9-3 1999 · Saab 9-3 2000 · Saab 9-3 2001 · Saab 9-3 2002 · Saab 9-3 2004 · Saab 9-3 2005 · Saab 9-3 2006 · Saab 9-3 2007 · Saab 9-3 2008 · Saab 9-3 2009 · Saab 9-3 2010 · Saab 9-3 2011 · Saab 9-3 2012 · Saab 9-3 in Norway · Saab 9-3 in Finland · Saab 9-3 in the Netherlands · Saab 9-3 by postcode area · Saab 9-3 body, chassis and structure failures · Saab 9-3 brakes failures · Saab 9-3 vehicle identification failures · Saab 9-3 lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Saab 9-3 noise, emissions and leaks failures · Saab 9-3 road wheels failures · Saab 9-3 seat belts and airbags failures · Saab 9-3 steering failures · Saab 9-3 suspension failures · Saab 9-3 tyres failures · Saab 9-3 visibility failures