If you are considering buying a used Peugeot 207, there are several major reliability issues worth knowing about first. Our garage database tracks 2 known faults for this model, 1 of them rated high severity. Every one below is a repair bill a seller has good reason not to mention.
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Generation 1 of 12 known faults · 19 owner reports · 5 good notes
Peugeot 207 2006-2018 Models (1998 to 2018) problems
Engine/EmissionsHigh severity📝 Editorial
1.6 THP (Prince) timing chain stretch and hydraulic tensioner failure causing 'death rattle' and timing jump
Rough guide
£800-1500
Typical symptoms
loud metallic 'death rattle' on cold start
engine management light (cam timing codes)
limp mode
Affected vehicles
Engines:
1.6 THP (Petrol)
Typical mileage:
40000-80000 miles
2 more owner reports back this up
March 2012Low fuel pump pressure in the 1.6 THP 150 engine may lead to low oil pressure, starving the timing chain of lubrication.
March 2011A 207 GT experienced a stretched timing chain, which required replacement to resolve the issue.
🔍 We have a specific pre-purchase check for this faultCheck an advert →
Transmission/ClutchMedium severity💬 Owner reports
The AL4 (also called DPO) four-speed automatic is the weak point of these cars. Contaminated, overheated or never-changed fluid wears the pressure-regulation solenoids, so the box loses line pressure, shifts harshly and drops into limp mode with a gearbox fault message. PSA never specified a fluid change on many cars, which is the root of it. Replacing solenoids also needs the correct updated ECU firmware or the fault returns, and once the clutches have been slipping the fix is a full rebuild
Rough guide
£500-1500
Typical symptoms
Gearbox Fault warning and Sport/Snow lights flashing
gearbox thumping or banging into gear
stuck in 3rd gear (limp mode)
Affected vehicles
Engines:
All AL4 Automatics
Typical mileage:
60000-100000 miles
1 more owner report backs this up
November 2015A 1.6 SW Peugeot 207 with a 4-speed automatic transmission experienced a warning light and clunk, sticking in third gear.
🔍 We have a specific pre-purchase check for this faultCheck an advert →
What owners report on the 2006-2018 Models
19 single reports, unconfirmed
One owner each, in their own words rewritten as a line, and not counted in our risk scoring. A fault joins the list above once a second report or an editorial source backs it.
Electrics · February 2018The windscreen washer fluid container fractured when plain water froze inside, spilling liquid onto the wiring loom and causing electrical problems.
Suspension and steering · February 2017The power-assisted steering on a 2011 Peugeot 207 failed, requiring attention to the system.
Electrics · December 2016Blocked bulkhead vent drains on a 2012 Peugeot 207 caused water to flood the electronics, leading to a £3,500 repair bill.
Electrics · January 2016A rear lightbulb failure led to a replacement wiring harness kit, which then failed due to earth pin issues in the connector.
Electrics · June 2015A 2009 Peugeot 207 at 25,000 miles suffered a wiring loom failure after coolant entered the fusebox, rotting pins and wiring.
Electrics · June 2015The wiring loom failed on a four-year-old 207, with a quoted replacement cost of £2,400.
Engine · April 2015A 1.4 VTi SW Peugeot 207 at 56,000 miles had engine management lights, reduced power, and required a new VVT solenoid valve.
Suspension and steering · July 2014A 2010 Peugeot 207 1.6 VTI 120 SW at 60,000 miles suddenly pulled right due to an EPAS fault, costing £450 to repair.
Fuel system · February 2014A diesel 207 experienced a ruptured Eolys fluid bag; Peugeot replaced the component and paid for the owner's driveway to be resurfaced.
Electrics · January 2014A fusebox problem was caused by water ingress, requiring drying and resealing to fix the issue.
Electrics · December 2013A 2009 Peugeot 207 experienced a burned-out fusebox, with no established cause for the failure.
Engine · June 2013A 2008 Peugeot 207 at 38,000 miles suffered a head gasket failure, requiring repair.
Fuel system · May 2013A 207 1.6 HDI experienced three consecutive failures of the plastic Eolys DPF regeneration fluid bag due to surface plastic breaking up.
Electrics · December 2012A 'gong' sound indicated that the car's battery was no longer holding adequate charge and required replacement.
Engine · August 2012A 2006 207 1.4 16v had hesitation and rev drops when starting from cold, a problem that worsened over time.
Engine · March 2012A 2009 Peugeot 207 1.4 Sport had a steering fault and then a head gasket oil leak, both fixed under warranty.
Electrics · March 2012A 2008 207 SW experienced multiple failures including electric windows, brake light switch, ESP, and parking sensors.
Cooling · February 2012Thermostat housing failures on older 1.4 belt cam engines can cause coolant losses, leading to overheating and head gasket failure.
Fuel system · March 2011The Eolys fluid container for 1.6 HDI diesel particulate filters is vulnerable to stone damage, causing leaks.
What owners like about the 2006-2018 Models
5 notes
March 2011The Peugeot 207 was rated 'Most Reliable European badged 3-7 year old car' in a 2011 survey, with a 6% incident rate.
The 207 achieved a Euro NCAP 5-star occupant protection rating, a first for a supermini model.
The 1.4 75bhp petrol engines offer a lively and enjoyable driving experience.
The 1.6 THP 150 and 175 engines won the International Engine of the Year Award in their category for 2007.
The 1.6-litre direct injection turbo petrol engine, co-designed by PSA and BMW, won the International Engine of the Year award in 2009.
Sellers rarely admit these faults outright
We track 4 specific phrases sellers use in adverts to soft-pedal these exact issues. Paste any Peugeot 207 advert and we check it in seconds.
Peugeot 207 service intervals: cambelt, chain and gearbox oil
An overdue cambelt is the most expensive thing a seller can fail to mention on a used 207. These are the figures UK specialists work to.
Timing belt (cambelt)Wet belt
1.6 BLUEHDI, DV6F
60,000 miles or 5 years, whichever comes first
PSA specifies a 10 year/112,000 mile interval, but specialists highly recommend early replacement at 5 years or 60,000 miles for maximum safety.
Timing belt (cambelt)Belt
1.6 HDI, 1.6 E-HDI, DV6
87,000 miles or 10 years, whichever comes first
Generally 10 years or 87,000 to 112,500 miles. Always replace the water pump with the belt.
Timing chainChain
1.6 THP
No fixed replacement interval
Chain driven. Notorious for stretching and tensioner failure. Listen for a loud 'death rattle' on cold start. Often replaced by specialists at 40k-80k miles.
Always confirm against the vehicle handbook. Intervals vary by engine, and several manufacturers revised theirs after failures in service.
Repair costs are typical UK ranges, not quotes. Actual cost depends on condition and garage.Data last verified: August 2026
Peugeot 207 buying questions
Is a used Peugeot 207 reliable?
The Peugeot 207 has 2 known faults in our database, 1 of them rated high severity. The most serious are engine (1.6 THP (Prince) timing chain stretch and hydraulic tensioner failure causing 'death) and gearbox (the AL4 (also called DPO) four-speed automatic is the weak point of these cars). None of them makes the car a bad buy on its own; the risk is a seller who knows and says nothing.
Which Peugeot 207 years should I avoid?
No Peugeot 207 year is a write-off, but the 2006-2018 Models (1998 to 2018) carries the most serious faults: engine. Year matters less than whether the specific car has had the known fixes, so check the history for them.
What should I check when viewing a used Peugeot 207?
Ask the seller about the engine and gearbox faults on this page and whether they have been fixed, with invoices. On the test drive watch for loud metallic 'death rattle' on cold start and gearbox Fault warning and Sport/Snow lights flashing. Read the MOT history for repeat advisories, then paste the advert into the free check, which reads it against its known faults before you travel. Check a Peugeot 207 advert →
What is the real MPG of a Peugeot 207?
Owners report 49.0 mpg on average across the Peugeot 207 engines with data, about 88% of the official combined figure. The gap between official and real-world economy varies a lot by engine, so the Real MPG page lists every engine and generation separately, from 739 owner submissions. Peugeot 207 Real MPG by engine →
If you used to check the Honest John “Good & Bad” section before the site closed in 2026, this page is where that information now lives. We rebuilt the Peugeot 207 owner-report history from the archived Honest John dataset, added our own research, specialist and owner-club sources and DVSA recall data, and we keep it free. Each fault above is badged with its source. The same data feeds our free advert check, which reads a listing against every known fault for the exact engine and year.
Knowing what a Peugeot 207 goes wrong with is half of it. The rest is reading the advert and checking the car's history before you hand any money over.