2025 MOT results
Peugeot 308 common problems
The most common reason a Peugeot 308 fails its MOT is a broken coil spring, on 13.3% of its 44,942 failed tests in 2025. Against other cars of the same age, 4 faults stand out, the widest gaps being: a split joint boot at 12.8% of failures against 4.4% expected; a worn steering or suspension joint at 7.8% of failures against 4.0% expected; a number plate lamp out at 7.0% of failures against 3.7% expected.
- Tests in 2025 126,026 Cars aged three and over
- Failed first time 35.7% 44,942 tests
- Found a dangerous defect 9.8% Unsafe to drive away
- Ended with an advisory 58.2% A problem to watch, not a failure
What fails a Peugeot 308 MOT
Each bar is the share of failed Peugeot 308 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 |
|---|---|
| Coil spring: fractured or broken Suspension | 13.3% |
| Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Body, chassis, structure | 12.8% |
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 9.2% |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick Brakes | 8.0% |
| Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play Steering | 7.8% |
| Stop lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 7.2% |
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 7.0% |
| Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 6.7% |
| Headlamp: not working on dipped beam Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 6.3% |
| Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres | 5.2% |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Visibility | 5.1% |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks | 4.9% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
-
Broken coil spring
13.3% of failures 10.0% expected somewhat more often
A broken suspension spring, which usually snaps in the bottom coil and often fails on both sides within a year.
Look at each corner for a sagging ride height, and listen for a knock over speed bumps.
-
Split joint boot
12.8% of failures 4.4% expected 2.9 times as 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.
-
Tyre worn below the legal limit
9.2% of failures 8.3% expected about as expected
A tyre worn past the 1.6mm legal minimum across the middle three quarters of the tread.
A 20p coin in the main grooves: if the outer band of the coin is visible, the tyre is close to the limit.
-
Worn brake pads
8.0% of failures 6.5% expected somewhat more often
Friction material worn under 1.5mm, thinner than the point most manufacturers call the limit.
Look through the wheel spokes at the pad against the disc; wear indicators squeal before they get this far.
-
Worn steering or suspension joint
7.8% of failures 4.0% expected 2 times as often
Play in a steering or suspension joint, where a worn ball and socket lets the wheel move where it should not.
A knock at low speed over rough ground, or vague steering, is the usual warning.
-
Brake light out
7.2% of failures 6.5% expected about as expected
A brake light not working, from a bulb, a poor earth, or the switch on the pedal.
Reverse up to a wall or window at dusk and press the pedal to see all three lamps light.
Which parts of the car fail
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment is the area that most often fails a Peugeot 308, on 38.9% of failed tests. The widest gap against cars of the same registration years is body, chassis, structure, on 17.1% against 10.4% expected.
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 |
|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 38.9% |
| Suspension | 34.7% |
| Tyres | 22.0% |
| Brakes | 21.8% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 17.1% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 12.9% |
| Visibility | 12.5% |
| Steering | 9.8% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What testers warn about
58.2% of Peugeot 308 tests ended with at least one advisory: a fault the tester found that did not fail the test. On Peugeot 308s, 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 |
|---|---|
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres | 23.3% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 14.1% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 9.7% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 7.9% |
| Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 7.8% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 7.4% |
| Brake discs: worn, but not excessively Brakes | 3.6% |
| Service brake performance: binding but not excessively Brakes | 3.2% |
| Coil spring: corroded Suspension | 3.1% |
| Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Identification of the vehicle | 2.6% |
| Linkage ball joint has slight play Suspension | 2.5% |
| Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt Non-component advisories | 2.3% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What changes as a Peugeot 308 gets older
A 2022 Peugeot 308 failed 11.9% of its MOT tests in 2025; a 2008 one failed 50.4%. What fails changes as much as how often, and these are the two years themselves rather than an average across them.
2022 Peugeot 308 11.9% failed, from 3,797 tests
- Cut tyre 23.1%
- Tyre worn through to the cords 17.3%
- Headlamp aim set too low 14.4%
- Washers that do not work 9.8%
- Worn brake pads 8.7%
- Tyre worn below the legal limit 7.3%
2008 Peugeot 308 50.4% failed, from 5,766 tests
- Split joint boot 16.8%
- Brake light out 16.2%
- Broken coil spring 15.3%
- Headlamp aim out of line 10.5%
- Engine management light on 8.0%
- Worn steering or suspension joint 8.0%
Shares are of each year's failed tests. Every MOT a particular car has had, with the defects and advisories written at each test, is on GOV.UK's MOT history service from the registration, free.
Peugeot 308 problems: common questions
What is the most common problem with a Peugeot 308?
Of the faults that fail an MOT, “Coil spring: fractured or broken” is the most common: it appears on 13.3% of failed Peugeot 308 tests. Across categories, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment is the area that most often fails one, on 38.9% of failed tests.
How often does a Peugeot 308 fail its MOT?
35.7% of Peugeot 308 tests in 2025 were not passed first time, from 126,026 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 39 out of 100, where 50 is as expected.
Does anything fail more often on a Peugeot 308 than on other cars?
Yes. “Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt” appears on 12.8% of its failures against 4.4% for cars of the same age, and “Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play” appears on 7.8% of its failures against 4.0% 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 308 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 | 126,026 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.