Peugeot 406 MOT pass rate: 65.0% (2,419 tests, 2025)

The Peugeot 406 passed 65.0% of its 2,419 MOT tests in 2025 — 12.5 points below the UK average of 77.5%. The median tested example was 24 years old with 132,029 miles on the clock.

65.0%Pass rate (2025)

2,419MOT tests analysed

132,029 miMedian mileage at test

24 yrsMedian age at test

How the 406 compares

Peugeot 406

65.0%

UK average (all Class 4 vehicles)

77.5% across 33.1 million tests

Peugeot average (all models)

73.6%

What fails most on the Peugeot 406

Across failed and rectified tests in 2025, these vehicle systems produced the most defects on the 406:

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	677	23.1%
2	Brakes	637	21.8%
3	Suspension	630	21.5%
4	Body, chassis, structure	385	13.2%
5	Noise, emissions and leaks	173	5.9%
6	Tyres	153	5.2%

Pre-MOT checklist for 406 owners

Based on the failure profile above, ten minutes with a torch before your test removes the most likely fail items:

Walk round with all lights on: one blown bulb is the most avoidable fail there is
Feel for a spongy pedal or pulling to one side; check pad wear through the wheel spokes if visible
Bounce each corner and listen for clonks over speed bumps — suspension is this model’s (and the UK’s) top failure system
Look underneath for corrosion around sills and subframes, especially on older cars
A blowing exhaust or visible smoke will fail; warm the engine fully before the test

Check the engine before the tester does

A stored fault code with the engine light on is an automatic Major defect. Scan and clear resolved faults before booking.

Topdon OBD2 scannersTopdon diagnostic scanners with full-system readouts
XTOOL diagnostic toolsXTOOL code readers for petrol and diesel cars
Autel UK testersAutel professional-grade diagnostic testers

406 pass rate by registration year

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2001	1,739	64.7%	-1.8 pts	135,962
2002	1,831	63.8%	-1.8 pts	137,780
2003	1,906	60.8%	-4.2 pts	142,228

Check a specific 406 before you buy

Pass rates describe the model; they can’t tell you about the one car you’re looking at. Run its plate through our free MOT history check to see its personal record of failures, advisories and mileage readings.

Other Peugeot models

20874.0% pass rate · 173,914 tests Partner71.3% pass rate · 140,305 tests 30869.7% pass rate · 119,730 tests 300873.6% pass rate · 119,146 tests 20760.2% pass rate · 112,405 tests 10769.3% pass rate · 106,763 tests 200874.9% pass rate · 95,747 tests 10884.9% pass rate · 76,664 tests

FAQs

What is the MOT pass rate for a Peugeot 406?

In 2025, 65.0% of 2,419 first MOT tests on the Peugeot 406 were passes (UK average: 77.5%). Data: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

What does the 406 fail its MOT on most?

The biggest defect group is lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (23.1% of its recorded defects), followed by brakes.

Is the Peugeot 406 reliable?

MOT pass rate is one lens on durability: at 65.0% it performs below the national average at a median age of 24 years and 132,029 miles. Always check the individual car's history too.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 extract (Class 4 initial tests only; retests excluded). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures rounded to one decimal place.