Reliability report
Peugeot 406 reliability and common faults
Based on 28,461 roadworthiness tests, led by the UK MOT. Each country is compared only with its own average for cars of the same age.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom · MOT
35.1%
fail rate · average 31.4%
much worse than average
2,413 MOT tests (DVSA)
🇳🇱 Netherlands · APK
68.3%
with defects · average 68.1%
about average
4,288 APK inspections (RDW)
🇱🇹 Lithuania · inspection
32.6%
first-time pass · average 39.0%
much worse than average
21,760 inspections
Testing regimes differ from country to country – don’t compare the figures between countries; compare each one only with its own average. MOT data: contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Weak spots
What goes wrong on the Peugeot 406
How often each area fails compared with the average car of the same age (vertical line = average, 100%). Red – more often than average.
Seat belts and airbagsconfirmed in 2 countries
Exhaust and emissions
Body and structure
Brakes
Suspension
Visibility
Tyres
Lights and electrics
Plates and identification
Steering
Wheels
Most common test failures
- 1Excessive leakage of other fluids
- 2Exhaust system not gas-tight / unsafe exhaust gas discharge
- 3Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm
- 4Airbag / seatbelt system warning light indicates a fault
- 5Tyre pressure not at correct value
- 6Tyre insufficient tread
- 7Number plate light doesn't work (properly) / missing
- 8Windscreen wiper system gives insufficient visibility
- 9Low beam incorrectly adjusted
- 10Sidelight not working (properly)
- 11Low beam light-dark cutoff unclear
- 12Brake difference on 1 axle too large
Results by vehicle age
| Age | 🇬🇧 MOT fail rate | 🇳🇱 APK defects |
|---|---|---|
| 16–20 years | — | 64.3% avg 64.7% |
| 21+ years | 35.1% avg 31.4% | 68.7% avg 68.4% |
🇱🇹 First-time pass rate in Lithuania – by year of manufacture
| Year | 406 | Average for year | Inspections |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 35.9% | 44.5% | 384 |
| 2003 | 34.2% | 42.9% | 1,154 |
| 2002 | 37.5% | 42.0% | 1,698 |
| 2001 | 33.7% | 40.9% | 2,747 |
| 2000 | 34.2% | 39.6% | 4,179 |
| 1999 | 34.1% | 38.6% | 4,344 |
| 1998 | 31.4% | 37.8% | 2,277 |
| 1997 | 28.0% | 36.9% | 2,275 |
| 1996 | 26.7% | 35.8% | 2,235 |
| 1995 | 28.9% | 34.8% | 457 |
Peugeot 406 – FAQs
How reliable is the Peugeot 406?+
In the UK the Peugeot 406 fails 35.1% of MOT tests, against an average of 31.4% for cars of the same age – much worse than average. In the Netherlands, inspectors found defects at 68.3% of APK inspections (average there 68.1%) – about average. In Lithuania 32.6% pass their roadworthiness test first time (average for those years there 39.0%) – much worse than average.
What goes wrong most often on the Peugeot 406?+
Compared with the average car of the same age, testers find faults more often in these areas: seat belts and airbags, exhaust and emissions, body and structure, brakes.
What should I check when buying a used Peugeot 406?+
The most common inspection failures: Excessive leakage of other fluids; Exhaust system not gas-tight / unsafe exhaust gas discharge; Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm; Airbag / seatbelt system warning light indicates a fault; Tyre pressure not at correct value. Before you buy, also check the free MOT history on GOV.UK and the car’s history by reg or VIN (mileage, damage, theft).
More Peugeot models
Sources: anonymised MOT test results (DVSA) – contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0; APK inspection defects (RDW, open data); Lithuanian roadworthiness test results (data.gov.lt). Initial tests only; retests are not counted.