Saab 9-5 2003: MOT failure rate for its age
43.7% of 4,909 MOT tests of the Saab 9-5 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 106.3 (95% CI 101.8–110.8; 100 = normal for this model at that age): the 2003 Saab 9-5 fails more often than other build years of the same model at the same age.
| Measure | Value | Unit | Compared with | Years | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed first time | 43.7 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 4909 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 101.8–110.8) | 106.3 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 4909 |
| Rank among this model's 14 build years | 14 | of 14 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 4909 |
| Tested in 2024 | 484 | tests | median 129,146 miles | 2024 | 484 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2003 Saab 9-5 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 | 1,355 | 48.3 | 45.6–50.9 | 44.7 | 107.9 |
| 17 | 988 | 43.8 | 40.8–46.9 | 41.4 | 105.8 |
| 18 | 843 | 40.8 | 37.5–44.2 | 39.3 | 103.9 |
| 19 | 677 | 44 | 40.3–47.8 | 40.1 | 109.8 |
| 20 | 562 | 39.5 | 35.5–43.6 | 38.1 | 103.7 |
| 21 | 484 (rough estimate) | 40.5 | 36.2–44.9 | 38.8 | 104.4 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 4,909 (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 9-5?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2003 is lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 52.9 items per 100 first tests, against 31.5 across all build years of the Saab 9-5. 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 | 52.9 | 31.5 | 2,598 |
| Suspension | 29.6 | 21.5 | 1,453 |
| Brakes | 22.1 | 20.2 | 1,086 |
| Body, chassis, structure | 11.9 | 8.4 | 583 |
| Tyres | 11.1 | 11 | 544 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 4,909 (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 14 published build years of the Saab 9-5, 2003 ranks 14 (1 = fails least for its age). 2002: index 106.3. 2004: index 103.9.
| Build year | Index (100 = normal) | 95% interval | Verdict | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 87.1 | 75.1–99.2 | better (rough estimate) | 519 |
| 1999 | 101.3 | 93.0–109.5 | no different (rough estimate) | 1,329 |
| 2000 | 93.2 | 87.1–99.4 | better (rough estimate) | 2,235 |
| 2001 | 92.8 | 87.5–98.1 | better (rough estimate) | 3,027 |
| 2002 | 106.3 | 101.6–111.0 | worse | 4,511 |
| 2003 | 106.3 | 101.8–110.8 | worse | 4,909 |
| 2004 | 103.9 | 100.4–107.5 | worse | 7,803 |
| 2005 | 103.4 | 100.1–106.6 | worse | 9,209 |
| 2006 | 96.5 | 93.4–99.6 | better | 9,869 |
| 2007 | 94.7 | 91.6–97.9 | better | 9,199 |
| 2008 | 95.2 | 91.5–98.8 | better | 7,461 |
| 2009 | 96.0 | 91.3–100.7 | no different | 4,588 |
| 2010 | 85.5 | 80.7–90.3 | better | 4,257 |
| 2011 | 89.8 | 82.9–96.6 | better (rough estimate) | 2,263 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 71,179 (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 9-5 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-9-5/2003/
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 9-5 1998 · Saab 9-5 1999 · Saab 9-5 2000 · Saab 9-5 2001 · Saab 9-5 2002 · Saab 9-5 2004 · Saab 9-5 2005 · Saab 9-5 2006 · Saab 9-5 2007 · Saab 9-5 2008 · Saab 9-5 2009 · Saab 9-5 2010 · Saab 9-5 2011 · Saab 9-5 in Norway · Saab 9-5 in Finland · Saab 9-5 in the Netherlands · Saab 9-5 by postcode area · Saab 9-5 body, chassis and structure failures · Saab 9-5 brakes failures · Saab 9-5 vehicle identification failures · Saab 9-5 lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Saab 9-5 noise, emissions and leaks failures · Saab 9-5 road wheels failures · Saab 9-5 seat belts and airbags failures · Saab 9-5 steering failures · Saab 9-5 suspension failures · Saab 9-5 tyres failures · Saab 9-5 visibility failures