Saab 9-3 — reliability by registration year

2000–2011 · 12 registration years · 30,187 first tests

2004 breaks the run — 3.8 pp worse than the years either side

Registration years

First-attempt MOT results for every 9-3 registration year with at least 500 first tests in 2025. Pass rates rise with newer cars, so read a year against its neighbours rather than against the top of the table. Years without their own report are listed here with the same figures.

Saab 9-3 first-attempt MOT results by registration year
Year First tests First-attempt pass Incl. PRS Most common failure
2011 2,179 66.3% 69.8% Coil spring (front) 18.4%
2010 3,100 65.7% 69.1% Coil spring (front) 18.1%
2009 3,192 64.5% 68.8% Coil spring (front) 13.9%
2008 4,841 63.5% 68.4% Coil spring (front) 10.9%
2007 5,547 62.9% 68.5% Position lamp (front) 9.1%
2006 4,231 59.9% 67.2% Position lamp (front) 14.6%
2005 2,719 60.6% 66.8% Position lamp (front) 15.3%
2004 1,777 58.2% 65.7% Position lamp (front) 15.1%
3.8 pp worse than the years either side What failed 2004 9-3s most often: Position lamp (front) (15.1%) · Headlamp aim (9.4%) · Rbt (sp) (9.1%)
2003 746 63.4% 70.1%
2002 679 68.9% 75.1%
2001 608 64.6% 70.2%
2000 568 64.6% 72.4%

Other Saab models

9-5