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FJ53 JFE

2003 Saab 9-3

Blue Petrol 1998cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires15 Oct 2026
Tests31 (20 pass, 11 fail)
Pass rate64.5%

Mileage

66,102 mi
Last recorded66,102 miles
Recorded on16 Oct 2025
Typical for 2003 Saab 9-385,740 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Saab
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationFJ53 JFE
MakeSaab
Model9-3
Year2003
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,998cc

All premium checks include

50+ data points
Finance Check (Experian) Insurance Write-off Salvage Auction Stolen Check Previous Owners Ex-Taxi, Police, NHS Mileage Anomaly Import / Export Scrapped Check Plate Changes

MOT History

20 pass 11 fail
Pass 16 Oct 2025 66,102 miles

slight play in nsr suspension

Fail 16 Oct 2025 66,102 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

slight play in nsr suspension

Pass 7 Oct 2024 65,841 miles
Pass 4 Oct 2023 65,300 miles
Fail 4 Oct 2023 65,300 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Pass 18 Aug 2022 64,692 miles
Fail 18 Aug 2022 64,692 miles

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 14 Sep 2021 62,247 miles

Coil spring corroded both rears (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Play in steering rack inner joint(s) both fronts ()

Shock absorbers has a reduced damping effect both rears (5.3.2 (d))

Fail 14 Sep 2021 62,247 miles

Service brake excessively fluctuating front and rear brake discs fluctuating (1.2.1 (e))

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively both fronts (3.4 (b) (ii))

Coil spring corroded both rears (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Play in steering rack inner joint(s) both fronts ()

Shock absorbers has a reduced damping effect both rears (5.3.2 (d))

Pass 11 Sep 2020 59,585 miles

Front Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Rear Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Fail 8 Sep 2020 59,543 miles

Brake fluid contaminated (1.8 (a))

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Front Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Rear Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Pass 4 Oct 2019 58,893 miles

slight play in near side rear suspension arm bush.

Fail 3 Oct 2019 58,893 miles

Bonnet primary retaining device ineffective (3.1 (c))

Nearside Front Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Nearside Front Inner Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords side wall (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Offside Front Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Offside Front tyre has cracks in tread and slightly worn on inner edge,

slight play in near side rear suspension arm bush.

Pass 14 Nov 2018 56,714 miles

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Nearside Front headlamp dull

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front headlamp dull

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Fail 14 Nov 2018 56,714 miles

Front Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Nearside Front headlamp dull

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front headlamp dull

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Pass 26 Aug 2017 54,193 miles
Pass 19 Sep 2016 49,763 miles
Fail 2 Sep 2016 49,594 miles

Indicator switch faulty (1.4.A.1)

Nearside Front Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

Offside Front Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

Offside Rear Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

Pass 10 Sep 2015 47,925 miles
Pass 23 Sep 2014 45,787 miles
Fail 16 Sep 2014 45,778 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

Offside Front Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Pass 10 Sep 2013 43,635 miles
Pass 13 Sep 2012 40,035 miles
Pass 14 Sep 2011 34,661 miles
Fail 6 Sep 2010 30,319 miles

Front registration plate faded (6.3.1d)

Rear registration plate faded (6.3.1d)

Pass 6 Sep 2010 30,319 miles
Fail 11 Sep 2009 27,052 miles

Nearside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

drivers sunvisor is loose.

Pass 11 Sep 2009 27,052 miles

drivers sunvisor is loose.

Pass 21 Aug 2008 22,267 miles
Pass 11 Sep 2007 19,385 miles
Pass 4 Sep 2006 15,783 miles

How Reliable is the Saab 9-3?

Based on 2,294,034 MOT tests across 155,316 vehicles.

73.6%
Pass Rate
6,682
Miles/Year
28
Year Lifespan
155,316
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 75,543
coil spring broken 47,423
position lamp(s) not working 38,332
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 35,584
Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick 34,513
Full Saab 9-3 reliability report

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FJ53 JFE is a 2003 Saab 9-3 in Blue with a 1,998cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 31 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64.5%.

Across all 2003 Saab 9-3 models, the average MOT pass rate is 73.0% with a typical mileage of 85,740 miles. This particular vehicle has a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

The most common reason a Saab 9-3 fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 75,543 recorded failures. If you're considering buying FJ53 JFE, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Saab 9-3 typically stays on UK roads for around 28 years. At 23 years old, this Saab 9-3 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of FJ53 JFE?

You can check the full history of FJ53 JFE by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was FJ53 JFE registered?

FJ53 JFE is a 2003 Saab 9-3, first registered on 16 September 2003.

Is FJ53 JFE safe to buy?

The MOT history for FJ53 JFE shows 31 tests with a 64.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does FJ53 JFE have outstanding finance?

Finance checks require a premium vehicle report. This checks against all major UK finance providers to see if there is any outstanding finance on FJ53 JFE. If you buy a car with outstanding finance, the finance company can repossess it.

No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is provided for any free data on this page. The data guarantee applies only to information obtained through the purchase of a full check.