Known faults, from the test record
Peugeot 107 common problems
What fails on the Peugeot 107 at MOT, which parts are behind it, and how each model year compares. From 107,109 DVSA test records.
Data updated
Quick answer
The Peugeot 107's most common MOT problems are bulbs and lamps, tyres, brake callipers, recorded in 34.6%, 25.8% and 19.5% of failed tests respectively. By model year, 2014 cars pass most often (73.4%) and 2006 cars least (51.8%), though most of that gap is age. Every figure here is what testers recorded, not what owners reported.
A “common problems” list is usually a forum thread: whoever had the worst day writes the longest post. This one is built the other way, from every Peugeot 107 that took an MOT last year and what the tester wrote down. It cannot see breakdowns, electrical gremlins or a gearbox that hunts, because the test does not check those. What it can see, it sees across 107,109 cars.
By component
What wears out on a 107
Failure items grouped by the part behind them, with the share of failed Peugeot 107 tests recording each. A part can carry several DVSA wordings; they are listed beneath. One failed test often lists several items, so shares do not sum to 100%.
1.Bulbs and lamps
34.6% of failed testsFilament bulbs simply expire; the cheapest and most avoidable failure on the test, and one of the most recorded.
- “A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning” — explained14.2%
- “Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning” — explained6.3%
- “A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps” — explained4.2%
- “An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning” — explained4.1%
Across all cars, bulbs and lamps failures climb 15-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long bulbs and lamps last
2.Tyres
25.8% of failed testsTread wears with every mile and sidewalls age and take kerb damage; the legal minimum is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters.
- “Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements” — explained12.0%
- “A tyre cords visible or damaged” — explained4.8%
- “A tyre seriously damaged” — explained4.7%
- “A tyre seriously damaged” — explained4.4%
Across all cars, tyres failures run at a similar rate at every age, because they are replaced on a cycle rather than wearing out with the car. How long tyres last
3.Brake callipers
19.5% of failed testsPistons and slider pins seize with corrosion and disuse, dragging a brake on or leaving one side weak; shows as imbalance on the roller tester.
- “Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake” — explained13.5%
- “Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake” — explained3.5%
- “Brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle.” — explained2.6%
4.Suspension bushes
16.0% of failed testsRubber bushes in arms and links perish and split with age and load; the most recorded suspension item on the test.
- “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained7.7%
- “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained5.9%
- “A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc” — explained2.4%
Across all cars, suspension bushes failures climb 20-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long suspension bushes last
5.Headlamp aim
16.0% of failed testsAim drifts with sagging suspension, a knocked lamp or a botched bulb change; adjustment, not a part.
6.Suspension arms and mountings
15.8% of failed testsArms bend on impact and mountings corrode into the body; a corroded mounting is a structural item and fails as one.
- “The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired” — explained15.8%
7.Brake pipes
13.6% of failed testsSteel pipes under the car corrode from salt and moisture, fastest on cars kept outside in wet or coastal areas; failure is for excessive corrosion or damage.
- “Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded” — explained13.6%
Across all cars, brake pipes failures climb from nothing between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long brake pipes last
8.Exhaust system
13.1% of failed testsSilencers and pipes rust through from the inside on short-trip cars; rubber hangers perish.
- “Exhaust system leaking or insecure” — explained8.9%
- “Exhaust system leaking or insecure” — explained2.1%
- “An induction or exhaust leak that could affect emissions levels” — explained2.1%
Across all cars, exhaust system failures climb 104-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long exhaust system last
By registration year
107 problems by year
MOT pass rate for Peugeot 107 cars by the year they were first registered, from years with at least 1,000 tests. Every car in a row is the same age, so the rate is raw. Neighbouring years differ by a year of wear — a step of a point or two is age. The step at 2014, up 4.8 points, is larger than wear explains and most likely marks a change in the cars themselves.
Last column: change on the previous year, in points. Years registered within the last three years have not yet been tested and are not shown.
Before it fails
What testers warn 107 owners about
Advisories are the same parts a year or two earlier. Share of all Peugeot 107 tests carrying an advisory for each.
- Tyres46.6% of tests
- Suspension bushes32.0% of tests
- Brake pipes26.7% of tests
- Suspension arms and mountings22.4% of tests
- Brake discs16.4% of tests
Go deeper
The rest of the 107 file
Common questions
- What are the most common problems with a Peugeot 107?
- Going by what fails the MOT, bulbs and lamps (recorded in 34.6% of failed tests), tyres (recorded in 25.8% of failed tests), and brake callipers (recorded in 19.5% of failed tests). These are the items testers actually record across 107,109 tests, not reports from owners, so they describe what goes wrong at the point where it has to be fixed.
- Which Peugeot 107 year is the most reliable?
- By MOT pass rate, Peugeot 107 cars registered in 2014 do best at 73.4% and 2006 cars do worst at 51.8%. Most of that ordering is simply age — newer cars pass more — so read the year table for steps larger than a couple of points between neighbouring years; those mark a change in the cars rather than the calendar. The largest such step is at 2014, up 4.8 points on 2013.
- Is the Peugeot 107 reliable?
- Adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the Peugeot 107 passes 60.8% of MOTs against a national 72.3%. An MOT measures roadworthiness on the day rather than breakdowns or running costs, so this is a reliability measure in the narrow sense: how often the car meets the legal standard, and what stops it.
- What should I check when buying a used Peugeot 107?
- Start with what fails most: bulbs and lamps, tyres, suspension bushes. Then read the car's own MOT history for advisories carried year to year without repair — the model tells you what to expect, the history tells you whether this owner dealt with it.
Analysis built from DVSA data of