Peugeot 208 2012-2019 Reliability & Common Problems

Is the Peugeot 208 reliable?

The first-generation Peugeot 208 isn't the mot reliable supermini floating around the classifieds. How reliable your 208 is dependent on the engine you go for, with the 1.2-litre petrol Puretech best avoided for its wet belt issues (see below).

In the What Car? reliability survery, the Peugeot 208 finished second to last in the small car class, with Peugoet as a brand coming 18th our of 31 manufacturers.

Engine: A warning light, knocking sound or fluctuating engine temperature could be a sign of engine thermostat failure. The Puretech petrol engine’s wet timing belt can fail, resulting in major engine damage. Fragments from the belt can block oil pathways, causing low oil pressure/oil starvation. Faulty piston rings can also cause oil starvation. Make sure to check the history of the car to see if the belt has been changed.

Gearbox: A spongy, loose or vibrating clutch pedal could be a sign that it’s on its way out. If it’s difficult to change gears or the clutch engages too early or too late, then the clutch might need replacing. It is recommended that the cables, hydraulic cylinders and plates are serviced regularly to prevent clutch failure.

Air conditioning: If you don’t get an icy blast from your air conditioning, this could be down to a faulty compressor, a clogged filter or a lack of refrigerant gas.

Wipers: The factory-fit wiper blades are made from hard rubber and in colder climates can judder across the windscreen when operating. Replacing these with Bosch items will solve this issue.

An owner’s view

Phillip Vassallo: “My family originally chose this 208 because of its low mileage and bought it so I could learn to drive an automatic. Over time, I’ve created lots of wonderful memories driving it, including many country road trips. It still has those little luxuries like leather heated seats, which now I could never give up in the wintertime. There was one frustrating point when the car spent months in the workshop because they misdiagnosed it, which ended up being spark plugs misfiring – plus a coil pack – costing around £220.”

Also worth knowing

If you like the 208’s style but want oodles of performance and genuine driver appeal, the GTi is the model of choice. Its 197bhp 1.6-litre engine (taken from the RCZ coupé) is potent and its chassis set-up makes it great fun to drive down a twisty B-road.

Provided you can live with its sedate performance, the 1.0-litre VTi costs nothing to tax, as does the 1.6-litre BlueHDi diesel.

Sam Phillips

Title: Staff Writer

Sam joined the Autocar team in summer 2024 and has been a contributor since 2021. He is tasked with writing used reviews and first drives as well as updating top 10s and evergreen content on the Autocar website.

He previously led sister-title Move Electric, which covers the entire spectrum of electric vehicles, from cars to boats – and even trucks. He is an expert in new car news, used cars, electric cars, microbility, classic cars and motorsport.

Sam graduated from Nottingham Trent University in 2021 with a BA in Journalism. In his final year he produced an in-depth feature on the automotive industry’s transition to electric cars and interviewed a number of leading experts to assess our readiness for the impending ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars.

Matt Saunders

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