Does the Saab 900 fail the MOT on steering more than it should?
The Saab 900 records 7.80 steering failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 7.54 expected for a car of the same age mix: about as expected for its class and age (the difference is within its interval or under 0.5 items per 100 tests) (+0.26, 95% interval −0.15 to +0.67). It ranks 198 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 900 by registration
What exactly fails on steering?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Saab 900 is “Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc”, recorded 558 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 558 | 3.15 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 379 | 2.14 |
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 124 | 0.70 |
| Power steering fluid leaking or system malfunctioning | 113 | 0.64 |
| The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any steering component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired | 56 | 0.32 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 17,740 (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 900 gets a steering advisory, how often does it fail next time?
12.2% of Saab 900 MOTs with a steering advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12.1 months and 2,052 miles later (817 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 817 (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 900 in the Netherlands · Saab 900 by postcode area · Saab 900 body, chassis and structure failures · Saab 900 brakes failures · Saab 900 vehicle identification failures · Saab 900 lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Saab 900 noise, emissions and leaks failures · Saab 900 seat belts and airbags failures · Saab 900 suspension failures · Saab 900 tyres failures · Saab 900 visibility failures