1995 Peugeot 306 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1995 Peugeot 306 passed 71.7% of its 1,128 recorded MOT tests. Against small family cars of a similar age (24.5% fail rate), the 1995 306 comes out 3.8pp worse. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (13.9%) and lighting & signalling (13.5%) 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 headlamp aim — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 92 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 21.0% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 29.9% once past 150k.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 27.9% of the time against 28.7% for diesel.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 33.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 13.9% | 157 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 13.5% | 152 |
| 3 | Suspension | 11.4% | 129 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.2% | 92 |
| 5 | Visibility | 7.0% | 79 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 6.8% | 77 |
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 | 92 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 90 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 63 |
| 4 | Wipers | 63 |
| 5 | Rbt (sp) | 59 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 50 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 33.6% | 379 |
| 2 | Brakes | 30.1% | 340 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 26.9% | 303 |
| 4 | Tyres | 23.1% | 260 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 17.5% | 197 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 12.8% | 145 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 157 | 21.0% |
| 60-90k | 289 | 30.8% |
| 90-120k | 290 | 30.7% |
| 120-150k | 178 | 27.5% |
| 150k+ | 184 | 29.9% |
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 571 | 27.9% |
| Diesel | 557 | 28.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 296 | 27.7% |
| 2022 | 264 | 28.8% |
| 2023 | 213 | 28.2% |
| 2024 | 192 | 29.2% |
| 2025 | 163 | 27.6% |
What to check before buying a 1995 306
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 13.9% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (13.9% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (13.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (11.4% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
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 1995 Peugeot 306s pass their MOT?
71.7% of the 1,128 1995 Peugeot 306 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 28.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1995 Peugeot 306?
Brakes, recorded in 13.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (13.5%).
Does the 1995 306 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 21.0% in the 30-60k band to 29.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,128 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.