Used car guide

2011 Saab 9-5 diesel: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the diesel Saab 9-5 first registered in 2011 (diesel cars only): we looked at the 784 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

784MOTs of 2011 diesel cars, done in 2023–2025
72%pass first time (all 2011 cars: 62%)
8,400typical miles a year
2.5×the usual rate for sidelights

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2011 Saab 9-5 diesel?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2011 Saab 9-5 diesel than on all cars registered in 2011.

  • Sidelights2.5× usual
    Saab 9-5
    13.4% All 2011 cars
    5.4%

    Failed outright at MOT: 13.3%, against 4.8% of all 2011 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

  • Sub-frame2.9× usual
    Saab 9-5
    12% All 2011 cars
    4.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.8%, against 0.2% of all 2011 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

Better than most

Suspension arm bushes and joints: 3.2% here, against 9.8% of all 2011 cars.

Common 2011 Saab 9-5 diesel MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2011 Saab 9-5 diesel MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    30% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Suspension
    29% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Lights and electrics
    26% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Brakes
    21% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    13% of testsRough price £80–£600

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    7% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2011 Saab 9-5 diesel

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the sidelights? (Flagged at MOT 2.5× as often on the 2011 Saab 9-5 diesel as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the sub-frame? (Flagged at MOT 2.9× as often on the 2011 Saab 9-5 diesel as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Saab 9-5?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the Saab 9-5 compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2012–Too few tests
20101,856Suspension 31%
20091,905Suspension 40%
20082,685Suspension 43%
20073,089Suspension 43%
20063,000Suspension 45%
20052,803Suspension 46%
20042,262Suspension 48%
20031,427Suspension 47%
20021,271Suspension 47%
2001992Suspension 43%
2000848Suspension 43%
1999603Suspension 43%
1998259Suspension 45%
1997–Too few tests
1976–Too few tests
1975–Too few tests
1974–Too few tests
1973–Too few tests
1972–Too few tests
1971–Too few tests

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of Saab 9-5 cars first registered in 2011. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score