2025 MOT results
Peugeot 306 common problems
The most common reason a Peugeot 306 fails its MOT is a weak handbrake, on 14.9% of its 1,335 failed tests in 2025. Against other cars of the same age, 5 faults stand out, the widest gaps being: a steering fault at 10.2% of failures against 2.7% expected; a weak handbrake at 14.9% of failures against 6.8% expected; a weak or uneven footbrake at 6.3% of failures against 2.9% expected.
- Tests in 2025 3,419 Cars aged three and over
- Failed first time 39.0% 1,335 tests
- Found a dangerous defect 9.7% Unsafe to drive away
- Ended with an advisory 66.5% A problem to watch, not a failure
What fails a Peugeot 306 MOT
Each bar is the share of failed Peugeot 306 tests with that defect. Where we can compare it with cars of the same registration years, the marker shows what an average car of those ages records (12 of the 12 items below).
Most common reasons for failure
A test can fail for more than one defect, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Defect | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Parking brake efficiency below requirements Brakes | 14.9% |
| Steering rack: gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Steering | 10.2% |
| Exhaust system: major leak of exhaust gases Body, chassis, structure | 9.0% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility | 8.6% |
| Catalyst emissions: lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits Noise, emissions and leaks | 8.2% |
| Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Body, chassis, structure | 7.5% |
| Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 7.3% |
| Catalyst emissions: carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits Noise, emissions and leaks | 6.6% |
| Service brake imbalance: across an axle Brakes | 6.5% |
| Suspension arms: ball joint excessively worn Suspension | 6.4% |
| Service brake performance: efficiency below requirements Brakes | 6.3% |
| Stop lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 6.1% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
-
Weak handbrake
14.9% of failures 6.8% expected 2.2 times as often
The handbrake cannot hold the car to the efficiency the test requires, usually from a stretched cable or seized rear callipers.
On a hill, the handbrake should hold the car with a couple of clicks left in the lever.
-
Steering fault
10.2% of failures 2.7% expected 3.8 times as often
A fault in the steering: play, damage, or a component that no longer works as it should.
-
Exhaust leak
9.0% of failures 5.5% expected 1.6 times as often
A hole or split letting exhaust gas out before the tailpipe.
A blowing or rasping note under load, loudest from cold.
-
Wiper blades that do not clear the screen
8.6% of failures 8.0% expected about as expected
Wiper blades that leave the windscreen smeared or streaked across the area the driver looks through.
Look for split or hardened rubber, and lift each blade to see whether it still sits flat.
-
Emissions above the limit
8.2% of failures 7.7% expected about as expected
The exhaust gases are outside the limits for the car, which can be the catalytic converter, a sensor, or simply a poor state of tune.
A long run before the test helps a catalyst get hot; a persistent failure usually needs a diagnosis.
-
Split joint boot
7.5% of failures 6.0% expected somewhat more often
A split rubber boot on a joint or driveshaft. The joint may still be sound, but dirt and water get in once the boot is open.
Turn the wheels to full lock and look behind them for greasy splits in the rubber concertina.
Which parts of the car fail
Brakes is the area that most often fails a Peugeot 306, on 41.5% of failed tests. That is also where it differs most from cars of the same registration years, which record 30.9%.
Failure categories
DVSA's own sections of the test. The marker is what cars of the same registration years record.
| Defect category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Brakes | 41.5% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 38.0% |
| Suspension | 33.7% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 24.0% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 23.1% |
| Visibility | 18.7% |
| Steering | 16.6% |
| Tyres | 11.8% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What testers warn about
66.5% of Peugeot 306 tests ended with at least one advisory: a fault the tester found that did not fail the test. On Peugeot 306s, these are the items to ask about on a car you are viewing, because they are what the last tester expected to go next.
Most common advisories
Share of all tests, passes included.
| Advisory | Share of tests |
|---|---|
| Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 21.8% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 12.7% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 12.3% |
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres | 12.2% |
| Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material Brakes | 11.3% |
| Exhaust system: minor leak of exhaust gases Body, chassis, structure | 9.6% |
| Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Identification of the vehicle | 7.8% |
| Coil spring: corroded Suspension | 6.4% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 6.3% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 5.5% |
| Service brake performance: binding but not excessively Brakes | 4.7% |
| Track rod end: ball joint has slight play Steering | 3.6% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Peugeot 306 problems: common questions
What is the most common problem with a Peugeot 306?
Of the faults that fail an MOT, “Parking brake efficiency below requirements” is the most common: it appears on 14.9% of failed Peugeot 306 tests. Across categories, brakes is the area that most often fails one, on 41.5% of failed tests.
How often does a Peugeot 306 fail its MOT?
39.0% of Peugeot 306 tests in 2025 were not passed first time, from 3,419 tests of cars aged three and over. Allowing for the age and mileage of the cars tested, that gives it a UK Motoring Reliability Score of 48 out of 100, where 50 is as expected.
Does anything fail more often on a Peugeot 306 than on other cars?
Yes. “Steering rack: gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt” appears on 10.2% of its failures against 2.7% for cars of the same age, and “Parking brake efficiency below requirements” appears on 14.9% of its failures against 6.8% for cars of the same age. Where an item is missing from the national figures for a year, we use the smallest share those figures show, so the comparison never overstates the difference.
Are these the same as breakdowns or known faults?
No. These are the items a tester recorded at the MOT, which covers condition and safety: lamps, brakes, tyres, suspension, corrosion and emissions. A gearbox that is unpleasant, an infotainment screen that has died, or a car that will not start on a cold morning are not part of the test, so they are not in these figures.
Where do the figures come from?
Every normal MOT test of a Peugeot 306 aged three and over in Great Britain in 2025, from DVSA's anonymised MOT results. Retests are excluded, and the same fault on more than one wheel counts once.
Data stories to read next
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOT defects and advisories | Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Derived statistics UK Motoring | 2025 | 3,419 MOT tests | 19 September 2026 |
- Shares for defects are of failed tests; shares for advisories are of all tests. A test can carry several defects, so shares add to more than 100%.
- The expected share is what an average car of the same registration years records, weighted by where this model’s failures fall. Where an item is outside the national figures for a year, the smallest share those figures show is used in its place, which is an upper bound, so the comparison never overstates a model’s problems. No expectation is published where less than 80% of the model’s failures can be compared.
- Great Britain only: DVSA does not run MOT testing in Northern Ireland. Cars under three years old are not tested.
- The descriptions of what each part does are general and the same on every model. Every figure comes from the MOT data.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.