1997 Peugeot 106 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 3,883 MOT tests, the 1997 Peugeot 106 recorded a 70.7% pass rate. Against city cars of a similar age (26.2% fail rate), the 1997 106 comes out 3.1pp worse. Failures cluster in emissions & environmental, brakes and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — emissions & environmental (14.0%) and brakes (13.7%) 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 service brake imbalance — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 796 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 21.5% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 31.1% once past 150k.
The diesel cars hold up better: 26.7% fail against 29.9% for petrol, a 3.2-point gap across 3,883 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 23.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emissions & environmental | 14.0% | 545 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.7% | 533 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.8% | 419 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 10.7% | 417 |
| 5 | Suspension | 8.0% | 312 |
| 6 | Visibility | 6.2% | 242 |
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 | 796 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 320 |
| 3 | Service brake imbalance | 221 |
| 4 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 213 |
| 5 | Exhaust system | 168 |
| 6 | Wipers | 162 |
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 | 23.4% | 910 |
| 2 | Brakes | 23.3% | 905 |
| 3 | Suspension | 21.3% | 828 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 17.2% | 668 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 16.4% | 636 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 11.3% | 437 |
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 | 186 | 21.5% |
| 30-60k | 1,086 | 27.4% |
| 60-90k | 1,257 | 32.5% |
| 90-120k | 743 | 30.7% |
| 120-150k | 361 | 23.8% |
| 150k+ | 241 | 31.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 3,171 | 29.9% |
| Diesel | 712 | 26.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,144 | 30.4% |
| 2022 | 887 | 27.5% |
| 2023 | 761 | 28.6% |
| 2024 | 607 | 30.8% |
| 2025 | 484 | 28.9% |
What to check before buying a 1997 106
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: emissions & environmental accounted for 14.0% of tests. Start there.
- Emissions & environmental (14.0% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Brakes (13.7% 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.
- Body, structure & corrosion (10.8% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 1997 Peugeot 106s pass their MOT?
70.7% of the 3,883 1997 Peugeot 106 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 29.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1997 Peugeot 106?
Emissions & environmental, recorded in 14.0% of tests, followed by brakes (13.7%).
Does the 1997 106 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 21.5% in the 0-30k band to 31.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,883 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.