Used car guide

2016 Peugeot RCZ: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2016 Peugeot RCZs, from 244 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

Small sample: only 244 of these were MOT tested in 2025, so treat the percentages as rough. The known faults below don't depend on it.

244MOT tests in 2025
72%pass first time (all 2016 cars: 75%)
5,300typical miles a year
29%had tyres flagged

What gets flagged at MOT

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

  • Tyres
    29% 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
    20% 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.

  • Lights and electrics
    14% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Suspension
    10% 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.

  • Driveshafts and joints
    5% of testsRough price £60–£350

    At the viewing: On full steering lock, drive slowly and listen for clicking from the front wheels.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    3% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

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 RCZ?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20151,068Tyres 29%
20141,570Tyres 31%
20132,006Tyres 34%
20121,846Tyres 34%
20112,244Tyres 35%
20101,361Suspension 35%

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