Peugeot 406 common problems and MOT failures
What goes wrong on a used Peugeot 406, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 2,307 MOTs done during 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).
What usually goes wrong with a Peugeot 406?
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 in 2024 · 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)
Common Peugeot 406 MOT failures to check
Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2025.
Side repeaters
up to 4.8× usualStands out on cars registered in 2003.
Rough price £10–£80 our estimateAt the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.
Anti-roll bar link joints
up to 2.6× usualStands out on cars registered in 2003.
Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanicAt the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.
Individual direction indicators
up to 2.2× usualStands out on cars registered in 2003.
Rough price £10–£80 our estimateAt the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.
Peugeot 406 MOT pass rate by year
Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.
Questions to ask the seller before buying a Peugeot 406
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?
- Any recent work on the side repeaters? (Flagged at MOT 4.8× as often on the Peugeot 406 as on other cars the same age.)
- Any recent work on the anti-roll bar link joints? (Flagged at MOT 2.6× as often on the Peugeot 406 as on other cars the same age.)
- Any recent work on the individual direction indicators? (Flagged at MOT 2.2× as often on the Peugeot 406 as on other cars the same age.)
- Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?
Looking at a Peugeot 406?
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 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