Saab 9-3, Buying guide, MOT record, UK numbers and recalls
26,471 Saab 9-3s are licensed in the UK. In 2025 they passed 63.6% of initial MOT tests, 8.7 points below the 72.3% UK average.
Looking at a specific 9-3? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.
Saab 9-3 at the MOT
63.6% of 32,418 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the 9-3 450th of 575 models.
First-time pass rate, 2025
Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.
Where 9-3s fail
Share of all failure items recorded on Saab 9-3 tests in 2025.
The items testers recorded most often were coil spring fractured or broken (7.1%), position lamp not working (3.9%) and wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively (2.9%).
The MOT page lists every common 9-3 MOT failure. For one car's own results and advisories, run a free MOT history check.
What to look at on a viewing
The 9-3's most common failure areas, and what a tester checks in each.
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Suspension
Listen for knocks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for leaking shock absorbers and split rubber gaiters.23.8% of 9-3 failure items
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Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Walk round with every light on: headlights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp. Check no warning lights stay on after starting.22.4% of 9-3 failure items
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Brakes
Make sure the pedal feels firm, the car stops in a straight line, the handbrake holds on a slope and no brake warning light is showing.17.2% of 9-3 failure items
Saab 9-3s in the UK
26,471 were licensed at the end of June 2026, more than any other Saab. The number licensed has fallen 78% since the end of 2014.
- Change since 2014
- −78%from 121,431 licensed
- Typical year of first use
- 2007half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2007 or earlier
- Declared off the road
- 16,39538% of those registered, under SORN
Licensed Saab 9-3s since 2014
Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.
Show the figures
| Date | Licensed |
|---|---|
| End of 2014 | 121,431 |
| End of 2015 | 112,883 |
| End of 2016 | 103,518 |
| End of 2017 | 92,438 |
| End of 2018 | 81,195 |
| End of 2019 | 70,220 |
| End of 2020 | 61,204 |
| End of 2021 | 52,890 |
| End of 2022 | 45,990 |
| End of 2023 | 39,463 |
| End of 2024 | 33,052 |
| End of 2025 | 28,151 |
| End of June 2026 | 26,471 |
How old they are
Licensed Saab 9-3s by year of first use.
A further 173 were first used before 1999.
Show the figures
| First used | Licensed, end 2025 |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 182 |
| 2011 | 2,115 |
| 2010 | 2,888 |
| 2009 | 3,001 |
| 2008 | 4,423 |
| 2007 | 4,964 |
| 2006 | 3,666 |
| 2005 | 2,332 |
| 2004 | 1,463 |
| 2003 | 614 |
| 2002 | 554 |
| 2001 | 477 |
| 2000 | 440 |
| 1999 | 327 |
9-3 engines and fuel
2.0 litre engines made up 50% of Saab 9-3 MOT tests in 2025, followed by 1.9 litre at 43%. Petrol accounts for 56% of licensed 9-3s and diesel for 43%.
Engine size at MOT, 2025
Share of 32,394 initial MOT tests in 2025.
Fuel type, licensed 9-3s
DfT licensing statistics, June 2026.
| Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 14,940 | 56% |
| Diesel | 11,430 | 43% |
| Other fuels | 101 | 0.4% |
Saab 9-3 recalls
10 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the Saab 9-3. The 8 most recent are below. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every 9-3 is affected.
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Dec 2010 R/2010/213
Right hand front seat may not lock correctly
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- It has been established that due to a process problem at a sub supplier the right hand side front seat recliner mechanism may fail. This will result in that the back-rest can't be moved back into the locking position. The condition is very obvious but if ignored and the vehicle is involved in a crash the seat belt which is integral to the seat structure will not restrain the occupant as designed.
- Remedy
- The seat should be inspected and if necessary replaced.
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Dec 2007 R/2007/170
Handbrake may fail
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- It has been identified that due to a manufacturing deviation the handbrake cables on certain 9-3s may deform under load. Should this occur a reduced or non-existent handbrake force will ensue.
- Remedy
- Recalled vehicles will have the handbrake cables replaced with quality assured items.
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May 2006 R/2006/047
Reduced braking performance
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- It has been identified that under certain conditions a valve within the brake servo may have a shortened service life due to high ambient and engine bay temperatures. This could affect the functioning of the servo resulting in reduced braking performance
- Remedy
- Recalled vehicles will have the subject valve checked and replaced if necessary.
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Jan 2006 R/2005/167
Rear axle hub may not be to specification
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The hardening process applied to the rear wheel bearing inner ring may be incorrect. There is a possibility that a rumbling noise may become apparent which if not checked could in extreme circumstances result in the detachment of the hub and severely impaired road holding/handling.
- Remedy
- Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected and check the date stamp on the rear wheel hubs. Where necessary replace the hub bearing assembly.
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May 2005 R/2005/021
Fuel pump mounted pipe retaining tabs may fail
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The fuel pipe plastic retaining tabs mounted on the fuel pump may fail and possibly result in a fuel leak.
- Remedy
- Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected and install a new securing bracket made of steel to hold the fuel pipes in place.
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Feb 2005 R/2004/186
Seat belt may not retract
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The front seat belt retractors may malfunction with the effect that the spooled out portion of the webbing will not retract.
- Remedy
- Recalled vehicles will have the seat front seat belts replaced.
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Mar 2004 R/2003/181
Possible fault in the locking mechanism of the front seat recliner
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The front seat recliner locking mechanism could have abnormal free play which may result in an unsatisfactory locking function. Because the seat belt is integrated in the seat back failure of the locking mechanism would affect the crash safety protection.
- Remedy
- Check the front seat production number and where necessary install a new seat assembly.
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Jan 2003 R/2003/005
Detachable tow bar may become insecure
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Under certain conditions the detachable tow bar may work loose resulting in the tow bar becoming detached from the vehicle.
- Remedy
- Replace the tow ball and housing with a calibrated unit.
Other Saab models
The most-tested Saab models in 2025, against the 9-3's 63.6% MOT pass rate.
Saab 9-3 FAQs
How many Saab 9-3s are there in the UK?
26,471 Saab 9-3s were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 16,395 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.
Is the Saab 9-3 reliable?
MOT data does not measure reliability. It records whether a car met the roadworthiness standard on the day of its test. What it does show is a 63.6% first-time pass rate for the Saab 9-3 across 32,418 tests in 2025, below the 72.3% average for all cars.
Has the Saab 9-3 had any recalls?
10 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the Saab 9-3. The most recent was published in December 2010. A recall applies to vehicles built in a set period, so check a specific car on the GOV.UK vehicle recall checker.
What should I check before buying a used Saab 9-3?
On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: suspension, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment and brakes. Then check the individual car's own records. Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and police stolen markers are not part of the MOT record, so they take a history check.
How do I check a Saab 9-3's history?
Enter the registration of the specific car. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, write-off category, stolen markers, mileage history, previous keepers, MOT and tax status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report.
Already found a 9-3?
Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.
Across the 1,548 vehicles of every make Carpeep has checked since November 2025, 19% had outstanding finance recorded and 13% an insurance write-off. More on the Saab history check.
- Outstanding finance
- Write-off records
- Stolen markers
- Mileage history
- Previous keepers
MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), which also gives the engine sizes. Licensed, SORN, fuel and registration figures are from the Department for Transport vehicle licensing statistics (VEH0120, VEH0124, VEH0160). Recalls are from the DVSA vehicle recalls data, with recalls launched up to October 2026. Government data is used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability. History-check findings are anonymous counts from reports bought on Carpeep, each vehicle counted once, and are published only where at least 100 vehicles returned an answer.