1998 Saab 9-5 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1998 Saab 9-5 passed 74.1% of its 740 recorded MOT tests. Against executive cars of a similar age (22.9% fail rate), the 1998 9-5 comes out 3.1pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (12.7%) and brakes (10.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are rigid brake pipes, wipers and pins and bushes — rigid brake pipes alone was recorded 43 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1998 9-5 fails 33.3% of the time in the 30-60k band and 31.6% at 150k+, a spread of only 1.8 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 40.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 27.1% in 2021 to 24.4% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 12.7% | 94 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.5% | 78 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.6% | 64 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.9% | 44 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.5% | 41 |
| 6 | Tyres | 4.7% | 35 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rigid brake pipes | 43 |
| 2 | Wipers | 36 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 28 |
| 4 | Individual direction indicators | 26 |
| 5 | Prescribed areas | 24 |
| 6 | Exhaust system | 23 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 40.1% | 297 |
| 2 | Brakes | 34.2% | 253 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 28.1% | 208 |
| 4 | Tyres | 24.3% | 180 |
| 5 | Other defects | 18.2% | 135 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 14.2% | 105 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 30 | 33.3% |
| 60-90k | 128 | 19.5% |
| 90-120k | 207 | 24.6% |
| 120-150k | 184 | 25.0% |
| 150k+ | 187 | 31.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 225 | 27.1% |
| 2022 | 187 | 26.7% |
| 2023 | 139 | 20.9% |
| 2024 | 107 | 29.9% |
| 2025 | 82 | 24.4% |
What to check before buying a 1998 9-5
On a 1998 9-5, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 12.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (12.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (10.5% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Suspension (8.6% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 1998 Saab 9-5s pass their MOT?
74.1% of the 740 1998 Saab 9-5 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 25.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1998 Saab 9-5?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 12.7% of tests, followed by brakes (10.5%).
Does the 1998 9-5 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 33.3% in the 30-60k band to 31.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 740 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.