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FN53 ABZ

2003 Saab 9-3

Blue Petrol 1985cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires17 Jan 2027
Tests30 (21 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate70%

Mileage

147,430 mi
Last recorded147,430 miles
Recorded on15 Jan 2026
Typical for 2003 Saab 9-385,740 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationFN53 ABZ
MakeSaab
Model9-3
Year2003
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,985cc

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

21 pass 9 fail
Pass 15 Jan 2026 147,430 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 225/45/17 (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 15 Jan 2026 147,430 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 225/45/17 (5.2.3 (e))

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

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

Pass 14 Jan 2025 146,564 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material to flexi hose (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material to flexi hose (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Lower Suspension component ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Fail 13 Jan 2025 146,562 miles

Exhaust emissions likely to be affected by an exhaust leak Lambda high (8.2.1.1 (b))

Front Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material to flexi hose (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material to flexi hose (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Lower Suspension component ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 18 Jan 2024 145,612 miles

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Front bush (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorber upper mounting corroded

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Front bush (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorber mounting corroded

Pass 22 Dec 2022 144,212 miles
Fail 20 Dec 2022 144,206 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension component ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Nearside Front Lower Suspension component ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Outer Track rod end ball joint worn to the extent there is a serious risk of detachment (2.1.3 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 21 Dec 2021 141,983 miles
Pass 15 Dec 2020 139,205 miles
Pass 2 Jul 2019 133,186 miles
Fail 25 Jun 2019 133,150 miles

Offside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 225/45/17 (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 20 Jun 2018 128,162 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 12 Jun 2017 122,638 miles
Pass 27 Jun 2016 116,924 miles
Fail 21 Jun 2016 116,769 miles

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 225/45/17 (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Pass 3 Jun 2015 107,370 miles
Fail 22 May 2015 107,178 miles

Nearside Front coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a)

Offside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Pass 31 Oct 2014 102,771 miles

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Offside rear brake fluctuating, but not excessively (3.7.B.3)

Fail 31 Oct 2014 102,771 miles

Nearside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Offside rear brake fluctuating, but not excessively (3.7.B.3)

Pass 26 Jun 2014 102,190 miles

child seat fitted in nearside rear, best possible test carried out

Fail 26 Jun 2014 102,190 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

child seat fitted in nearside rear, best possible test carried out

Pass 22 Jun 2013 99,863 miles

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Nearside Front Lower Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Front Lower Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Upper Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

offside rear tyre slight deteriation

Fail 19 Jun 2012 97,934 miles

Nearside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

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

Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

Pass 19 Jun 2012 97,934 miles
Pass 29 Jun 2011 95,890 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Pass 21 Sep 2010 87,142 miles
Pass 24 Sep 2009 79,090 miles
Pass 12 Sep 2008 72,659 miles
Pass 26 Sep 2007 61,105 miles
Pass 18 Sep 2006 47,508 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Nearside Rear Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

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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FN53 ABZ is a 2003 Saab 9-3 in Blue with a 1,985cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 30 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70%.

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 FN53 ABZ, 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 FN53 ABZ?

You can check the full history of FN53 ABZ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was FN53 ABZ registered?

FN53 ABZ is a 2003 Saab 9-3, first registered on 23 September 2003.

Is FN53 ABZ safe to buy?

The MOT history for FN53 ABZ shows 30 tests with a 70% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does FN53 ABZ 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 FN53 ABZ. 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.