Peugeot 308 common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 126,133 initial MOT tests on the Peugeot 308 in Great Britain, and 64.4% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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Peugeot 308 at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 126,133
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 64.4%
Failed at firstIncluding 6.3% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 35.6%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 9.8%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 10,780 off the road (SORN): 130,214

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

Failure areas

Where the 308 fails its MOT

The share of initial tests in 2025 with at least one fail or PRS item in each part of the MOT. A test can fail in more than one area, so these do not add up to the fail rate.

1Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
13.9%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
2Suspension
12.4%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
3Tyres
7.9%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
4Brakes
7.7%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
5Body, chassis and structure
6.1%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
6Noise, emissions and leaks
4.6%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
7Visibility
4.4%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
8Steering
3.5%
Steering rack, joints and linkages, power steering, the steering wheel and columnAll cars and vans: 2.0%
9Seat belts and airbags
0.9%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
10Road wheels
0.5%
Damaged or loose wheels, wheel nuts and hubsAll cars and vans: 0.4%

This modelAll cars and vans

Parts

The parts that fail most

Share of initial tests with a fail or PRS item on each part, 2025.

Headlamp aimLamps and electrics5.1%
SpringsSuspension4.8%
TransmissionBody and structure4.7%
ConditionTyres4.6%
Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks4.4%
Anti-roll barsSuspension4.1%
Mechanical brake componentsBrakes4.0%
HeadlampsLamps and electrics3.6%

By age

Pass rate by year first used

Older cars fail more often, so compare a car with others of its year. Cars up to 25 years old; years with fewer than 250 tests are left out.

First used	Tests	Passed first time	Dangerous defect
2022	3,844	88.1%	4.6%
2021	1,636	83.4%	4.3%
2020	3,814	84.5%	5.4%
2019	7,147	81.0%	7.2%
2018	8,423	76.7%	8.2%
2017	9,053	72.0%	9.2%
2016	14,284	69.0%	9.6%
2015	13,601	67.4%	9.7%
2014	11,606	61.9%	10.5%
2013	9,739	55.0%	10.2%
2012	9,156	55.5%	11.3%
2011	8,360	57.1%	11.4%
2010	10,169	52.5%	11.4%
2009	8,743	49.9%	11.8%
2008	5,766	49.6%	11.9%
2007	583	46.0%	12.5%

Mileage

308 mileage by age

The median reading at the test: half the cars of that age had covered more, half less. Estimated from 1,000-mile bands, for cars up to 25 years old.

A car well above or below the typical figure is not a problem in itself, but the readings should rise steadily from one MOT to the next. A fall, or a long gap, is worth asking about.

Check a car's mileage record

Age at test	Median mileage	Readings
2 years	25,600 miles	3,280
3 years	31,500 miles	1,813
4 years	37,300 miles	3,235
5 years	43,800 miles	5,689
6 years	53,400 miles	7,923
7 years	62,000 miles	8,022
8 years	71,100 miles	12,013
9 years	79,200 miles	13,975
10 years	86,200 miles	12,607
11 years	89,200 miles	10,394
12 years	95,400 miles	9,245
13 years	96,300 miles	8,554
14 years	97,000 miles	9,283
15 years	99,600 miles	10,027
16 years	102,500 miles	6,877
17 years	101,900 miles	2,961

Checking a particular 308?

Averages tell you what to look at. The registration tells you about this car: every MOT since 2005 with its failures and advisories, each mileage reading, and whether it is taxed.

Questions

Peugeot 308: common questions

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

What is the most common MOT failure on the Peugeot 308?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the Peugeot 308 was lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 13.9% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 10.8% for all cars and vans. Next came suspension (12.4%) and tyres (7.9%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the Peugeot 308?

64.4% of 126,133 initial MOT tests on the Peugeot 308 in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 6.3% passed after small repairs made at the test station within the hour (PRS). Across all cars and vans, 72.1% passed first time.

Does a lower pass rate mean the Peugeot 308 is unreliable?

Not on its own. MOT results depend on age, mileage and upkeep as much as on design, so a model with many older cars on the road will usually fail more often. The table by year compares cars of a similar age. What matters most is the record of the car you are looking at, so check its MOT history before you buy.

What counts as a dangerous defect?

One the tester judges to be a direct and immediate risk to road safety, or to have a serious impact on the environment. The car fails and should not be driven until it is repaired. 9.8% of initial tests on the Peugeot 308 found at least one, against 7.3% for all cars and vans.

Where do these figures come from?

From DVSA's anonymised MOT test data for 2025, published under the Open Government Licence. We count initial tests on cars and light vans in Great Britain, as DVSA does in its own statistics: retests, appeals and abandoned tests are left out, and so are advisories and minor defects.

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