2008 Peugeot 407 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2008 Peugeot 407 passed 72.7% of its 9,683 recorded MOT tests. That is 1.4 percentage points worse than large family cars of a similar age, which fail at 25.9%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, body, structure & corrosion and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 17.9% of tests against 10.1% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are joints, position lamp and stop lamp — joints alone was recorded 1,047 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 30.0% versus 19.5%.
Fuel type barely separates them — diesel fails 27.2% of the time against 28.0% for petrol.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 31.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 26.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 29.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 17.9% | 1,731 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.1% | 978 |
| 3 | Brakes | 10.1% | 975 |
| 4 | Suspension | 9.5% | 920 |
| 5 | Tyres | 6.9% | 663 |
| 6 | Visibility | 6.0% | 581 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joints | 1,047 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 789 |
| 3 | Stop lamp | 581 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 504 |
| 5 | Washers | 479 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 366 |
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 | 31.7% | 3,070 |
| 2 | Brakes | 30.2% | 2,925 |
| 3 | Suspension | 27.8% | 2,689 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 16.8% | 1,627 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 14.1% | 1,364 |
| 6 | Other defects | 13.9% | 1,346 |
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 | 82 | 19.5% |
| 30-60k | 472 | 19.1% |
| 60-90k | 1,634 | 22.6% |
| 90-120k | 2,740 | 26.9% |
| 120-150k | 2,551 | 30.1% |
| 150k+ | 2,155 | 30.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 9,137 | 27.2% |
| Petrol | 546 | 28.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,717 | 26.6% |
| 2022 | 2,317 | 27.0% |
| 2023 | 1,932 | 27.1% |
| 2024 | 1,507 | 27.5% |
| 2025 | 1,210 | 29.3% |
What to check before buying a 2008 407
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 17.9% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (17.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (10.1% 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+.
- Brakes (10.1% 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.
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 2008 Peugeot 407s pass their MOT?
72.7% of the 9,683 2008 Peugeot 407 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 27.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2008 Peugeot 407?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 17.9% of tests, followed by body, structure & corrosion (10.1%).
Does the 2008 407 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 19.5% in the 0-30k band to 30.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 9,683 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.