Used car guide

2016 Peugeot Premier: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2016 Peugeot Premiers, from 202 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

Small sample: only 202 of these were MOT tested in 2025, so treat the percentages as rough. The known faults below don't depend on it.

202MOT tests in 2025
56%pass first time (all 2016 cars: 75%)
22,100typical miles a year
5.8×the usual rate for engine oil leaks

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2016 Peugeot Premiers than on all cars registered in 2016.

  • Engine oil leaks5.8× usual
    Peugeot Premier
    16.3% All 2016 cars
    2.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1%, against 0.1% of all 2016 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £80–£600 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and where the car is usually parked for fresh oil. Ask whether the leak has been looked at.

  • Coil springs4× usual
    Peugeot Premier
    16.3% All 2016 cars
    4.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.5%, against 2.5% of all 2016 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £175–£400 (pair, one axle) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Look behind each wheel for a snapped spring coil, and listen for a clunk or twang when turning the wheel lock to lock with the car stopped.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints2.4× usual
    Peugeot Premier
    14.9% All 2016 cars
    6.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.5%, against 1.1% of all 2016 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

By area

The share of 2016 Peugeot Premier MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    38% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Lights and electrics
    31% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Tyres
    25% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Brakes
    24% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Exhaust and emissions
    20% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

    At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    18% of testsRough price £80–£600

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

Known faults

Reported by owners, mechanics and buying guides for this model and age. Check which engine the car has, as some apply to one engine only.

  • Timing belt that runs in oil (PureTech petrol)
    1.0 and 1.2 PureTech petrol

    The 1.0 and 1.2 PureTech petrol engines use a timing belt that runs in the engine oil (a “wet belt”). It can break down early and shed rubber that blocks the oil supply, which can wreck the engine. Some also burn too much oil. Stellantis now covers earlier engines for belt and oil-burning problems for up to 10 years or 112,000 miles, as long as the car has been serviced on schedule.

    At the viewing: Ask for a full service history showing the right oil, and when the belt was last checked or changed. Check the oil level on the dipstick, and that no oil-pressure or engine warning light stays on.

    Source: Parkers: Stellantis wet belt compensation, and the cars at risk, Stellantis: compensation policy for earlier PureTech 1.0 and 1.2 engines (7 May 2025)

Looking at a Peugeot Premier?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2018116Suspension 32%
2017170Lights and electrics 35%
2015141Suspension 36%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2016 Peugeot Premiers registered in 2016. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score