Peugeot 208 common problems and MOT failures
What goes wrong on a used Peugeot 208, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 617,083 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.
Pick the year
Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).
202620252024202320222021202020192018201720162015201420132012
What usually goes wrong with a Peugeot 208?
Known faults reported by owners, mechanics and UK buying guides, in our own words. Most apply to certain years or engines only, so check which the car has.
- Cars registered 2012–2026 · 1.0 and 1.2 PureTech petrol
Timing belt that runs in oil (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)
- Cars registered 2012–2019
Steering and ABS warnings
The electric steering rack and ABS module can fail.
At the viewing: Check there are no steering or ABS warning lights, and the steering isn’t heavy.
- Cars registered 2020–2025 · 1.2 PureTech petrol
Fuel pump and cutting out (1.2 PureTech)
The fuel pump can fail or clog, and some cars cut out on the move from ignition coil or fuel faults.
At the viewing: Listen for a whining pump and watch for hesitation on the test drive.
- Cars registered 2020–2025 · 1.5 diesel
Blocked DPF (1.5 BlueHDi)
Town driving can block the diesel particulate filter.
At the viewing: Look for DPF warnings and smoke.
If it needs doing: DPF clean or regeneration, about £160–£500. ClickMechanic
- Cars registered 2012–2019
Worn suspension parts
Top mounts, rear shocks, springs and anti-roll bar links wear.
At the viewing: Listen for knocks over bumps.
- Cars registered 2020–2025 · All engines
Power steering faults
The electric power steering can play up.
At the viewing: Check the steering is light and even, with no noises.
Common Peugeot 208 MOT failures to check
Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, in more than one year. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.
Exhaust system
up to 12.8× usualStands out on cars registered in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Rough price £100–£500 (pipe or section) ClickMechanicAt the viewing: Listen for blowing or rattling from underneath at idle, and look for black soot around joints.
Number plate lights
up to 9.4× usualStands out on cars registered in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Rough price £5–£40 our estimateAt the viewing: Check the number plate lights work and the plates are clean and legal.
Drive shaft (CV) joints
up to 5.6× usualStands out on cars registered in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Rough price £60–£350 our estimateAt the viewing: Drive slowly on full steering lock in both directions and listen for clicking. Look for split rubber boots behind the front wheels.
Suspension arm bushes and joints
up to 1.9× usualStands out on cars registered in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanicAt the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.
Headlights
up to 4.1× usualStands out on cars registered in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Rough price £40–£400 our estimateAt the viewing: Check both headlights on dipped and full beam, and look for cloudy or cracked lenses.
Brake discs
up to 1.9× usualStands out on cars registered in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.
Rough price £150–£350 our estimateAt the viewing: Look through the wheel at the brake disc: a deep lip at the edge or heavy scoring means they're worn. Feel for judder when braking.
Peugeot 208 MOT pass rate by year
Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2023 Peugeot 208 did best (94% passed first time, 2 points above all 2023 cars) and the 2018 did worst (77%, 6 points below all 2018 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.
Questions to ask the seller before buying a Peugeot 208
Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.
- When was the timing belt last checked or changed, and has it had the right oil at every service? Is the car still within Stellantis’ extended PureTech cover?
- Has the fuel pump or ignition coil been replaced?
- Has it done longer runs?
- Has the steering had any work?
- Any recent work on the exhaust system? (Flagged at MOT 12.8× as often on the Peugeot 208 as on other cars the same age.)
- Any recent work on the number plate lights? (Flagged at MOT 9.4× as often on the Peugeot 208 as on other cars the same age.)
Looking at a Peugeot 208?
Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.
Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score