Know Your MOT
17.5%fail rate

Saab Hearse common MOT failures and failure rate

What a Saab Hearse fails its MOT on, from real DVSA test data, and the part that resolves each item.

Based on 251 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 17.5% of MOT tests recorded on the Saab Hearse in DVSA data end in a failure. The same handful of items account for most of them.

Its most common failure is lamps & electrical, which makes up 27.3% of the Saab Hearse's failures, followed by lamps & electrical, suspension, tyres, brakes. Each item below links to the part that resolves it. Confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying, and have safety-critical work done by a competent mechanic.

What it fails on, and why

Lamps & electrical27.3% of failures

Lighting is the single most common MOT failure and the cheapest to put right. A blown headlight, brake-light or number-plate bulb, a cracked lens, or a headlamp beam that points too high or low will all fail. Most are a two-minute bulb swap.

Suspension20.5% of failures

Suspension failures usually mean a worn or snapped coil spring, a leaking shock absorber, or play in a lower arm ball joint or bush. The tester checks for corrosion, fractures and excessive movement. A broken front spring is one of the most common failures on higher-mileage cars and is a straightforward replacement.

Tyres15.9% of failures

Tyres fail for tread below the 1.6mm legal limit across the central three-quarters, uneven or exposed-cord wear, or sidewall damage. The tester inspects all four; a single illegal tyre is a fail.

Brakes11.4% of failures

Brake failures cover worn pads and discs, an imbalance between wheels, corroded or scored discs, or a binding caliper. Braking efficiency is measured on a rolling road, so a spongy or pulling brake shows up as a low reading.

Other6.8% of failures

This covers a range of smaller items, from a non-working horn to a warning light left on.

Visibility/wipers6.8% of failures

Visibility failures include torn or smearing wiper blades, a washer jet that does not reach the screen, and chips or cracks in the driver's swept area. Blades and washer fluid are quick, cheap fixes.

The parts that fix each

If your car has just failed, you have 10 working days to fix the items and get a free partial retest. These are the usual parts; confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying.

For the lamps & electrical failure: Saab Hearse headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Saab Hearse headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Saab Hearse headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the suspension failure: Saab Hearse suspension springs and shock absorbersSearch Amazon for Saab Hearse suspension springs and shock absorbersaffiliate searchFind Saab Hearse suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate
For the tyres failure: Saab Hearse tyresSearch Amazon for Saab Hearse tyresaffiliate searchFind Saab Hearse tyres on eBayaffiliate
For the brakes failure: Saab Hearse brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Saab Hearse brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind Saab Hearse brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the visibility/wipers failure: Saab Hearse wiper bladesSearch Amazon for Saab Hearse wiper bladesaffiliate searchFind Saab Hearse wiper blades on eBayaffiliate

Other models

Saab 9-3 MOT failures26.4% failure rateSaab 9-5 MOT failures25.7% failure rateSaab 900 MOT failures32.4% failure rateFord Fiesta MOT failures27.1% failure rate

Sources: DVSA MOT History API: MOT test results and defect data ยท DVSA MOT testing data for Great Britain