Does the Saab 9-5 fail the MOT on steering more than it should?
The Saab 9-5 records 2.43 steering failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 5.50 expected for a car of the same age mix: less than expected for its class and age (−3.07, 95% interval −3.24 to −2.90). It ranks 556 of 640 models on steering (1 = most failures above expected).
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · all models on steering · check a Saab 9-5 by registration
What exactly fails on steering?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Saab 9-5 is “A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play”, recorded 502 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 502 | 0.68 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 338 | 0.46 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 337 | 0.46 |
| Power steering fluid leaking or system malfunctioning | 307 | 0.42 |
| Steering lock missing or not functioning | 87 | 0.12 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 73,669 (initial tests) · Method: failure items (major and minor) grouped by DVSA's defect tree; wordings with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
If a Saab 9-5 gets a steering advisory, how often does it fail next time?
7.2% of Saab 9-5 MOTs with a steering advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12 months and 5,030 miles later (869 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 869 (advisories followed) · Method: the same vehicles followed to their next ordinary MOT · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
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 2003 · 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 suspension failures · Saab 9-5 tyres failures · Saab 9-5 visibility failures