How reliable is the Peugeot 406 compared with other cars?

We do not publish a comparison for the Peugeot 406, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 58.3% across 2,421 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.

What do testers most often warn about on a Peugeot 406?

The most common advisory is "Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured", noted on 29.2% of all Peugeot 406 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.

What mileage does a Peugeot 406 usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 139,198 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.

Are most Peugeot 406 models petrol or diesel?

Of the Peugeot 406 cars tested, 66% are diesel, 34% are petrol. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

Model reliability file

Peugeot 406 MOT pass rate & common failures

From 2,421 recorded MOT tests of the Peugeot 406, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

Across 2,421 MOT tests, 58.3% of Peugeot 406 tests ended in a pass. This figure is not adjusted for age or mileage, so it is not a reliability ranking: the Peugeot 406 fleet does not yet cover a wide enough spread of ages and distances to compare it fairly against other models. Its most commonly recorded failure is 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, which appears in 22.8% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 139,198 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Recorded pass rate

58.3%unadjusted, not comparable2,421 tests

We are not publishing a ranking for the 406. The examples tested do not cover a wide enough spread of ages and mileages to compare it fairly, and an unadjusted pass rate mostly sorts models by how recently they were bought rather than how well they were built. The failure and advisory patterns below come from the same 2,421 tests and are worth reading on their own terms.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

Share of failed Peugeot 406 tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several items, so these do not sum to 100%.

1.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 repaired22.8%
193 occurrencesSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained
2.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements16.2%
137 occurrencesHeadlamp aim incorrect explained
3.Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement11.9%
101 occurrencesParking brake efficiency too low explained
4.Exhaust system leaking or insecure11.6%
98 occurrencesExhaust leaking or insecure explained
5.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen10.0%
85 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
6.A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc9.6%
81 occurrencesDriveshaft CV joint gaiter split or missing explained
7.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning7.9%
67 occurrencesLamp not working explained
8.Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning7.6%
64 occurrencesStop lamp not working explained
9.Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake7.3%
62 occurrencesBrake binding or imbalanced across an axle explained
10.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn7.2%
61 occurrencesSuspension arm bush worn explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Peugeot 406 tests carrying each advisory. The denominator differs from the failure list above because an advisory can be issued on a car that passed.

1.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured29.2%
707 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
2.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements25.2%
609 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
3.Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users21.4%
518 tests
4.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened18.6%
450 testsRoad spring broken or fractured explained
5.A tyre seriously damaged18.3%
444 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
6.Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded12.6%
305 testsBrake pipe corroded explained
7.A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded12.3%
299 testsSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained
8.Number plate inscription missing or illegible10.2%
248 testsRegistration plate missing, insecure or illegible explained

What gets tested

The 406 fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 139,198
Fuel mix of tested cars: Diesel65.8%
Petrol34.1%

Check a specific Peugeot 406

A model average tells you the pattern. Its own MOT record tells you the car.

Compare within the range

Other Peugeot models

Peugeot 208 — 68.4% adjusted
Peugeot Partner — 65.1% adjusted
Peugeot 2008 — 69.0% adjusted
Peugeot 3008 — 65.6% adjusted
Peugeot 308 — 67.5% adjusted
Peugeot 207 — 50.2% unadjusted
All Peugeot models

Common questions

How reliable is the Peugeot 406 compared with other cars?: We do not publish a comparison for the Peugeot 406, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 58.3% across 2,421 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Peugeot 406?: The item recorded most often is "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", which appears in 22.8% of failed Peugeot 406 tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.
What do testers most often warn about on a Peugeot 406?: The most common advisory is "Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured", noted on 29.2% of all Peugeot 406 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
What mileage does a Peugeot 406 usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 139,198 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.
Are most Peugeot 406 models petrol or diesel?: Of the Peugeot 406 cars tested, 66% are diesel, 34% are petrol. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

How this was worked out

Method and limits

Figures come from the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, published under the Open Government Licence. Only class 4 initial tests are counted: retests are excluded so a car appears once, and abandoned tests are excluded entirely. No adjusted rate is shown because this model's tested examples do not cover enough of the national age and mileage range for standardisation to mean anything.

An MOT measures whether a car met a legal standard on the day. It is not a breakdown record, a service history or a running-cost estimate, and a pass rate is a property of a fleet rather than a prediction about one car.