2006 Saab 9-5 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2006 Saab 9-5 passed 75.2% of its 7,676 recorded MOT tests. That is 1.2 percentage points worse than executive cars of a similar age, which fail at 23.6%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (12.3%) and brakes (9.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, malfunction indicator lamp and headlamp aim — position lamp alone was recorded 387 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 14.1% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 27.1% once past 150k.
The petrol cars hold up better: 24.1% fail against 26.3% for diesel, a 2.2-point gap across 7,676 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 37.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 12.3% | 943 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.7% | 746 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.6% | 660 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 7.6% | 583 |
| 5 | Tyres | 6.7% | 517 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.4% | 336 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 387 |
| 2 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 337 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 324 |
| 4 | Rigid brake pipes | 302 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 295 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 280 |
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 | 37.0% | 2,842 |
| 2 | Brakes | 36.8% | 2,827 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 28.6% | 2,196 |
| 4 | Tyres | 26.8% | 2,055 |
| 5 | Other defects | 13.1% | 1,006 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.7% | 894 |
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 | 311 | 14.1% |
| 60-90k | 1,124 | 19.5% |
| 90-120k | 2,054 | 24.2% |
| 120-150k | 2,258 | 27.6% |
| 150k+ | 1,907 | 27.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 5,132 | 24.1% |
| Diesel | 2,544 | 26.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,156 | 24.7% |
| 2022 | 1,807 | 24.9% |
| 2023 | 1,502 | 24.4% |
| 2024 | 1,206 | 24.8% |
| 2025 | 1,005 | 25.8% |
What to check before buying a 2006 9-5
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 12.3% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (12.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (9.7% 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 2006 Saab 9-5s pass their MOT?
75.2% of the 7,676 2006 Saab 9-5 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 24.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2006 Saab 9-5?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 12.3% of tests, followed by brakes (9.7%).
Does the 2006 9-5 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 14.1% in the 30-60k band to 27.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 7,676 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.