Known faults, from the test record
Peugeot 3008 common problems
What fails on the Peugeot 3008 at MOT, which parts are behind it, and how each model year compares. From 144,047 DVSA test records.
Data updated
Quick answer
The Peugeot 3008's most common MOT problems are tyres, bulbs and lamps, suspension bushes, recorded in 34.2%, 30.8% and 27.7% of failed tests respectively. By model year, 2022 cars pass most often (89.5%) and 2010 cars least (46.9%), 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 3008 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 144,047 cars.
By component
What wears out on a 3008
Failure items grouped by the part behind them, with the share of failed Peugeot 3008 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.Tyres
34.2% 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” — explained20.3%
- “A tyre seriously damaged” — explained6.4%
- “A tyre cords visible or damaged” — explained6.0%
- “A tyre seriously damaged” — explained1.5%
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
2.Bulbs and lamps
30.8% 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” — explained8.9%
- “Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning” — explained8.2%
- “A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps” — explained7.5%
- “A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED” — explained6.2%
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
3.Suspension bushes
27.7% 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” — explained8.2%
- “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained5.5%
- “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained4.8%
- “A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc” — explained3.5%
Across all cars, suspension bushes failures climb 20-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long suspension bushes last
4.Coil springs
19.9% of failed testsSprings fatigue and corrode where the coating chips, then snap, often at the bottom coil; potholes and salt accelerate it.
- “A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened” — explained19.9%
Across all cars, coil springs failures climb 20-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 12–14 years. How long coil springs last
5.Driveshaft gaiters
16.0% of failed testsThe rubber boot over each CV joint splits with age and flexing, then throws grease and lets grit destroy the joint.
- “A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc” — explained16.0%
Across all cars, driveshaft gaiters failures climb 21-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long driveshaft gaiters last
6.Brake pads and shoes
13.7% of failed testsFriction material wears with use; the MOT limit is 1.5 mm and a pad that thin is close to metal on metal.
- “a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm” — explained13.7%
Across all cars, brake pads and shoes 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 brake pads and shoes last
7.Wiper blades and washers
12.4% of failed testsRubber blades harden and split within a year or two; washer jets block and pumps fail.
- “Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen” — explained6.0%
- “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained3.5%
- “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained2.9%
Across all cars, wiper blades and washers 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 wiper blades and washers last
8.Headlamp aim
10.8% of failed testsAim drifts with sagging suspension, a knocked lamp or a botched bulb change; adjustment, not a part.
- “The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements” — explained6.3%
- “The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements” — explained1.6%
- “Headlamp aim unable to be tested” — explained1.6%
- “The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements” — explained1.2%
By registration year
3008 problems by year
MOT pass rate for Peugeot 3008 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 2017, up 9.8 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 3008 owners about
Advisories are the same parts a year or two earlier. Share of all Peugeot 3008 tests carrying an advisory for each.
- Tyres46.0% of tests
- Brake discs22.4% of tests
- Suspension bushes13.8% of tests
- Brake pads and shoes12.7% of tests
- Coil springs3.0% of tests
Go deeper
The rest of the 3008 file
Common questions
- What are the most common problems with a Peugeot 3008?
- Going by what fails the MOT, tyres (recorded in 34.2% of failed tests), bulbs and lamps (recorded in 30.8% of failed tests), and suspension bushes (recorded in 27.7% of failed tests). These are the items testers actually record across 144,047 tests, not reports from owners, so they describe what goes wrong at the point where it has to be fixed.
- Which Peugeot 3008 year is the most reliable?
- By MOT pass rate, Peugeot 3008 cars registered in 2022 do best at 89.5% and 2010 cars do worst at 46.9%. 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 2017, up 9.8 points on 2016.
- Is the Peugeot 3008 reliable?
- Adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the Peugeot 3008 passes 65.6% 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 3008?
- Start with what fails most: tyres, bulbs and lamps, 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