Peugeot 106 MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 31 model years and 40,484 tests, the Peugeot 106 passes its MOT 70.9% of the time. Against city cars of a similar age (27.9% fail rate), the 106 comes out 1.3pp worse. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and emissions & environmental.
Best and worst 106 years
Ranked across 106 years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Build year matters more than the headline suggests: 1994 cars pass 74.5% of the time while 1999 cars manage 68.8%, a 5.7-point spread.
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (14.2%) and brakes (12.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, service brake performance and component mounting prescribed areas — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 5,669 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 20.3% in the 0-30k band and 32.6% in the 150k+ band, a 12.3-point spread.
The diesel cars hold up better: 27.1% fail against 29.4% for petrol, a 2.3-point gap across 40,470 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 24.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every 106 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 383 | 73.9% | 26.1% | Brakes |
| 1993 | 527 | 71.7% | 28.3% | Brakes |
| 1994 | 1,007 | 74.5% | 25.5% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1995 | 1,138 | 71.2% | 28.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1996 | 1,600 | 69.8% | 30.3% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1997 | 3,883 | 70.7% | 29.3% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1998 | 4,698 | 72.0% | 28.0% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1999 | 1,822 | 68.8% | 31.2% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2000 | 4,157 | 69.7% | 30.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 7,818 | 70.4% | 29.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 8,590 | 70.3% | 29.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 4,686 | 72.5% | 27.5% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 14.2% | 5,757 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.3% | 5,001 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 11.3% | 4,589 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.8% | 4,370 |
| 5 | Suspension | 7.7% | 3,122 |
| 6 | Visibility | 7.1% | 2,891 |
| 7 | Tyres | 4.1% | 1,660 |
| 8 | Steering | 3.5% | 1,434 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 5,669 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 3,181 |
| 3 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 2,557 |
| 4 | Service brake imbalance | 2,261 |
| 5 | Joints | 1,966 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 1,900 |
| 7 | Exhaust system | 1,861 |
| 8 | Wipers | 1,709 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 24.0% | 9,711 |
| 2 | Brakes | 21.1% | 8,525 |
| 3 | Suspension | 20.1% | 8,116 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 17.8% | 7,203 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 17.1% | 6,922 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 11.1% | 4,492 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 2,285 | 20.3% |
| 30-60k | 10,778 | 26.3% |
| 60-90k | 13,761 | 30.5% |
| 90-120k | 8,369 | 31.4% |
| 120-150k | 3,568 | 30.9% |
| 150k+ | 1,519 | 32.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 35,846 | 29.4% |
| Diesel | 4,624 | 27.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 11,562 | 29.7% |
| 2022 | 9,257 | 28.6% |
| 2023 | 7,837 | 29.1% |
| 2024 | 6,473 | 29.3% |
| 2025 | 5,355 | 28.8% |
What to check before buying a Peugeot 106
- Lighting & signalling (14.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (12.3% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Emissions & environmental (11.3% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Peugeot 106?
70.9% of the 40,484 Peugeot 106 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 29.1% fail rate, across model years 1991–2021.
What does the Peugeot 106 most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.2% of tests, then brakes (12.3%).
Which 106 years are best and worst for MOT results?
1994 has the best pass rate at 74.5% and 1999 the weakest at 68.8%, from 1,007 and 1,822 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect 106 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 20.3% for cars in the 0-30k band and 32.6% for 150k+, a 12.3-point difference.
Is the diesel or petrol 106 more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the diesel fails 27.1% of the time against 29.4% for the petrol. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 40,484 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.