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FN53 GLF

2003 Saab 9-3

Black Petrol 1998cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires16 Jun 2027
Tests28 (20 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate71.4%

Mileage

138,270 mi
Last recorded138,270 miles
Recorded on17 Jun 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 GLF
MakeSaab
Model9-3
Year2003
ColourBlack
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 8 fail
Pass 17 Jun 2026 138,270 miles
Fail 14 May 2026 138,192 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Nearside Front Position lamp light intensity significantly reduced (4.2.3 (a) (ii))

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

Offside Rear Tyre(s) with different structures are fitted across the same axle (5.2.3 (c))

Parking brake lever defective so that it cannot be satisfactorily operated (1.1.6 (d))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage missing (5.3.3 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.4.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 29 Apr 2025 126,658 miles
Pass 18 Apr 2024 123,830 miles

Brake lever not releasing correctly (1.1.2 (b) (i))

Pass 5 May 2023 122,202 miles
Fail 5 May 2023 122,201 miles

Nearside Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Nearside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Nail in tyre

Pass 4 Dec 2021 119,964 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Pass 19 Sep 2020 118,558 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

Pass 19 Aug 2019 116,169 miles
Fail 19 Aug 2019 116,169 miles

Position lamp not working both front side lights flashing (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Fuel system component leaking excessively or a risk of fire fuel filter leaking (6.1.3 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 27 Jan 2018 114,415 miles

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

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

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Pass 29 Oct 2016 111,975 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 20 Nov 2015 109,512 miles

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

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Fail 14 Nov 2015 109,483 miles

Offside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

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

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

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Fail 8 Nov 2014 104,604 miles

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

Pass 8 Nov 2014 104,604 miles
Pass 25 Nov 2013 95,450 miles
Fail 12 Jan 2013 90,475 miles

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Nearside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

Pass 12 Jan 2013 90,475 miles

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Pass 6 Feb 2012 85,182 miles

Oil leak

Fail 6 Feb 2012 85,182 miles

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

Nail in offside rear tyre

Oil leak

o/s/r tyre worn on inside edge

Pass 29 Jan 2011 76,416 miles

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

front tyres worn on both edges

Pass 3 Feb 2010 69,864 miles

brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Pass 2 Feb 2009 63,523 miles

Nail in offside rear tyre

brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Fail 2 Feb 2009 63,523 miles

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

Nail in offside rear tyre

brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Pass 4 Feb 2008 57,188 miles

both outer sills covered with trims

Pass 3 Sep 2007 53,554 miles
Pass 1 Sep 2006 41,988 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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FN53 GLF is a 2003 Saab 9-3 in Black with a 1,998cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 71.4%.

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 GLF, 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 GLF?

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

What year was FN53 GLF registered?

FN53 GLF is a 2003 Saab 9-3, first registered on 6 September 2003.

Is FN53 GLF safe to buy?

The MOT history for FN53 GLF shows 28 tests with a 71.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does FN53 GLF 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 GLF. 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.