Used buying checklist
Peugeot 308 reliability, common problems and used buying checks
A used Peugeot 308 looks worse than average for reliability in UK MOT data: 22.3% of 178,302 tests failed, compared with 18.7% across all indexed models. A good example should have a clean MOT history for suspension and steering, lights and electrical, and emissions, engine, and exhaust.
It can be, if the exact car has a clean history for suspension and steering, lights and electrical, and emissions, engine, and exhaust.
Start with suspension and steering, lights and electrical, and emissions, engine, and exhaust, then compare the car's mileage and recall record below.
Sources used: DVSA MOT tests (Apr 2026); vehicle recalls (Apr 2026); MOT fault wording (May 2025). MOT data does not capture every reliability issue, especially intermittent engine, gearbox or infotainment faults that do not appear during the test.
- 22.3% MOT failure rate
- Median tested mileage 76,527 miles
- 39,759 failed MOT tests analysed
Suspension and steering is the clearest area to check
Suspension and steering is the clearest named problem area in this model's MOT history (17.4 MOT notes per 100 tests). Example MOT phrases from this area include ball joint excessively worn, ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated, and ball joint has excessive play.
Example MOT phrases to search in the car's history:
- ball joint excessively worn
- ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated
- ball joint has excessive play
- across an axle
- inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
- lens slightly defective
- lens defective which has no effect on emitted light
- inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps
- leaking excessively from engine
- emissions exceed manufacturer's specified limit
Focus on suspension and steering, lights and electrical, and emissions, engine, and exhaust
The model's recorded failure rate is 22.3%, +3.6 percentage points compared with the average across all models. Use the seller questions below to check whether repeat MOT notes have actually been repaired.
- MOT tests analysed178,302 tests
- Median tested mileage76,527 miles
- Failed MOT tests39,759
Should you buy a used Peugeot 308?
77.7% of the MOT tests we analysed for this model passed. The model's recorded failure rate is 22.3%, +3.6 percentage points compared with the average across all models. This is a buying brief for the exact car in front of you: clean repeat history matters more than badge reputation.
- Repeat unresolved MOT notes for suspension and steering, lights and electrical, and emissions, engine, and exhaust
- suspension and steering appearing across more than one MOT
- Any dangerous MOT failure on the exact car, especially if the same area appears again later
- No paperwork showing applicable recall work has been completed
- A seller who cannot explain MOT wording such as "ball joint excessively worn"
It can be, if the exact car has a clean history for suspension and steering, lights and electrical, and emissions, engine, and exhaust.
Start with suspension and steering, lights and electrical, and emissions, engine, and exhaust, then compare the car's mileage and recall record below.
Suspension and steering is the clearest named problem area in the MOT history (17.4 MOT notes per 100 tests). These counts are issue notes, not failure rates, because a single MOT can list several faults.
Past 100k miles on the Peugeot 308, MOT records most often point to suspension and steering, lights and electrical, and emissions, engine, and exhaust.
The MOT failure rate rises from 7.2% at 0-3 years to 31.1% at 15+ years. Compare the car with the nearest age range before treating a fault as normal wear or a warning sign. The average MOT failure rate across all models in the same dataset is 18.7%.
Start with suspension and steering, lights and electrical, emissions, engine, and exhaust, and corrosion and structure. The checklist on this page explains why each area is being recommended, what to inspect, and what to ask the seller.
6 relevant recall notices appear for this model. Treat them as safety checks to verify for the exact car, not as normal MOT wear.
What should I check first?
Start with suspension and steering, lights and electrical, emissions, engine, and exhaust, and corrosion and structure. The checklist on this page explains why each area is being recommended, what to inspect, and what to ask the seller. Each item shows whether it comes from MOT results, recall notices, or a standard used-car check.
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Suspension and steering Seen in MOT results
Suspension and steering is one of the most common MOT problem areas for this model (17.4 MOT notes per 100 tests).
What to check: Listen for knocks, check uneven tyre wear, and inspect steering play.
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Lights and electrical Seen in MOT results
Lights and electrical is one of the most common MOT problem areas for this model (16.3 MOT notes per 100 tests).
What to check: Check every lamp, warning light, horn, battery condition, and dashboard messages.
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Emissions, engine, and exhaust Seen in MOT results
Emissions, engine, and exhaust is one of the most common MOT problem areas for this model (10.5 MOT notes per 100 tests).
What to check: Check warning lights, smoke, exhaust leaks, recent emissions failures, and service history.
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Corrosion and structure Seen in MOT results
Corrosion and structure is one of the most common MOT problem areas for this model (8.8 MOT notes per 100 tests).
What to check: Inspect sills, subframes, mounting points, arches, and underside corrosion advisories.
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Windscreen, wipers, and mirrors Seen in MOT results
Windscreen, wipers, and mirrors is one of the most common MOT problem areas for this model (6.1 MOT notes per 100 tests).
What to check: Check windscreen damage, wiper operation, washers, mirrors, and demisting.
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Tyres and wheels Seen in MOT results
Tyres and wheels is one of the most common MOT problem areas for this model (2.2 MOT notes per 100 tests).
What to check: Check tyre age, tread depth, sidewall damage, wheel condition, and alignment wear.
What changes with mileage?
Past 100k miles on the Peugeot 308, MOT records most often point to suspension and steering, lights and electrical, and emissions, engine, and exhaust.
Common MOT problem areas
Common faults: what usually fails on this model?
Suspension and steering is the clearest named problem area in the MOT history (17.4 MOT notes per 100 tests). These counts are issue notes, not failure rates, because a single MOT can list several faults.
Recall-related areas to verify
Official recall areas
Manufacturer recall notices for the Peugeot 308 mainly involve 6 areas: emissions, engine, and exhaust, mixed recall notices, lights and electrical, and suspension and steering. Treat each as something to verify on the specific car you are viewing; the recall table below shows the official notice text.
Mileage and age checks
Mileage changes: what starts showing up after high mileage?
Past 100k miles on the Peugeot 308, MOT records most often point to suspension and steering, lights and electrical, and emissions, engine, and exhaust. On lower-mileage cars, the most common named areas are suspension and steering, lights and electrical, and windscreen, wipers, and mirrors.
| Mileage range | Tests | Vehicles | Failure rate (vs all models) | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-50k | 40,516 | 34,624 | 12.6%+1.8 percentage points vs all models | 35,990 miles |
| 50-100k | 87,664 | 66,647 | 23.3%+2.6 percentage points vs all models | 74,346 miles |
| 100-150k | 40,776 | 29,211 | 28.3%+2.1 percentage points vs all models | 117,309 miles |
| 150-200k | 7,237 | 5,068 | 31.1%+3.8 percentage points vs all models | 163,967 miles |
| 200k+ | 1,064 | 738 | 31.9%+5.3 percentage points vs all models | 218,778 miles |
Problem areas by mileage
Past 100k miles on the Peugeot 308, MOT records most often point to suspension and steering, lights and electrical, and emissions, engine, and exhaust.
| Mileage range | Car areas most often recorded | Specific MOT defect examples |
|---|---|---|
| 0-50k |
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| 50-100k |
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| 100-150k |
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| 150-200k |
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| 200k+ |
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Fair comparisons: is this problem normal for its age?
The MOT failure rate rises from 7.2% at 0-3 years to 31.1% at 15+ years. Compare the car with the nearest age range before treating a fault as normal wear or a warning sign. The average MOT failure rate across all models in the same dataset is 18.7%. The highest failure rate by age is 31.1% for 15+ years cars, based on 7,937 tests.
| Age range | Tests | Vehicles | Failure rate (vs all models) | Median age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-3 years 2023–2026 reg. |
2,682 | 2,477 | 7.2%-1.3 percentage points vs all models | 3.0 years |
| 3-6 years 2020–2023 reg. |
24,667 | 20,898 | 12.4%+1.8 percentage points vs all models | 5.0 years |
| 6-10 years 2016–2020 reg. |
63,812 | 50,261 | 19.6%+3.0 percentage points vs all models | 8.0 years |
| 10-15 years 2011–2016 reg. |
79,204 | 57,389 | 27.2%+3.6 percentage points vs all models | 12.9 years |
| 15+ years pre-2011 reg. |
7,937 | 5,583 | 31.1%+5.2 percentage points vs all models | 15.3 years |
Recall records and data freshness
Recall context: are there safety notices to know about?
6 relevant recall notices appear for this model. Treat them as safety checks to verify for the exact car, not as normal MOT wear.
| 2025-08-18 | Emission recall – On Board Diagnostics Vehicles may be affected by incorrect performance of the On-Board-Diagnostics related to Selective Catalytic Reduction system and/or Diesel Particle Filter. The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) may not illuminate in the event of a malfunction and therefore does not comply with emission regulations. Update the Engine Control Unit software to ensure compliance to regulations. |
|---|---|
| 2025-07-18 | Peugeot Fuel Pipe On affected vehicles there there may be loose connections between a high-pressure fuel pipe and the engine fuel rail which potentially could lead to a leak and risk of fire. Retighten the affected connections. |
| 2025-07-03 | Peugeot DV5R Engines Camshaft Chain. Vehicles may be affected by premature wearing of the camshaft drive chain leading to abnormal noise or to a breakage of the chain in the worst case. Update the software to improve oil pressure and reduce wear. Check the engine noise and replace the chain if required. If no problem found change the oil to one with higher viscosity and special anti-wear additives. |
| 2025-02-13 | Peugeot 308 408 3008 5008 Fuel Pipe Leakage Affected vehicles may face potential leakage of the under-bonnet fuel pipe due to a weakness of its crimping. Change the fuel pipe. |
| 2025-02-07 | Peugeot 208308 eVCU update Affected vehicles may not comply with test requirements in the matter of emissions test execution by competent authorities and energy consumption may be too high. Update the electrical Vehicle Control Unit (eVCU) software. |
| 2025-01-27 | Peugeot 308408 Door ECU software update. Affected vehicles have been equipped with a door control unit which does not have the latest software version. Update the door control unit software on the driver and passenger side. |
Related searches
Common ways people look up the Peugeot 308. Each link runs the search and lands on the relevant section of this report.
Related reliability guides
See where this model sits against other Peugeot reports by MOT failure rate and common problem area.
Compare high-confidence model reports across all makes.
Use the fleet mileage baseline before checking this model's own mileage table.
Compare this model's age pattern with the wider MOT baseline.
Sources used: DVSA MOT tests (Apr 2026); vehicle recalls (Apr 2026); MOT fault wording (May 2025). These are patterns from many MOT tests and recall notices. They help you decide what to inspect and what to ask; they do not certify the condition of one specific car.