SAAB 901996 · 2.0L PETROL

This 1996 SAAB 90 failed its most recent MOT in September 2009 with a substantial list of advisories and defects across braking, lighting, exhaust, and tyres. The vehicle had been passing cleanly for the three years prior to that failure, which suggests a rapid deterioration in condition rather than a long-standing pattern of neglect. The most serious issues in that final test were a nearside front tyre with exposed ply or cords, a major rear exhaust gas leak, an ABS system fault, and excessively pitted nearside rear brake disc. These are not minor wear items. The parking brake was also non-functional, having both insufficient efficiency and no reserve travel on the lever. In addition, the exhaust emissions were out of specification, indicating either an engine tuning problem or a systemic fault in fuel delivery or ignition. The 2006 failure two years earlier shows a different but overlapping pattern: corroded brake hose ferrules on both rear wheels, worn brake pads, underweight tyres, a major front exhaust leak, and a failed windscreen washer. Brake corrosion and leaking exhaust appear to be recurring weaknesses. Over the roughly three-year window of records shown, the vehicle went from multiple passes to an increasingly serious failure, suggesting the condition worsened significantly between 2008 and 2009. The gap between the June 2008 pass and September 2009 failure—just 13,533 miles—makes rapid decline more likely than gradual wear.