Peugeot 407 problems, reliability and known faults
If you are considering buying a used Peugeot 407, these are the common problems worth knowing about first. Our garage database tracks 3 known faults for this model. Every one below is a repair bill a seller has good reason not to mention.
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Is the Peugeot 407 reliable?
The Peugeot 407 has 3 known faults in our database, 0 of them rated high severity. The most serious are engine (oil carbonises in the thin pipe that feeds the turbo bearings on the 16-valve 1.6 HDi) and electrics (407 diesels with the six-speed automatic gearbox were said to have an unexplained habit). None of them makes the car a bad buy on its own; the risk is a seller who knows and says nothing.
That is a count of the faults we hold, not a reliability score. Popular cars get written about more, and a newer generation has had less time to show its faults.
Generation 1 of 13 known faults · 7 owner reports · 4 good notes
Peugeot 407 (2004 to 2011) problems
Engine/EmissionsMedium severity💬 3 owner reports, 2012 to 2013
Oil carbonises in the thin pipe that feeds the turbo bearings on the 16-valve 1.6 HDi, so the turbo runs short of oil and its bearings wear out. Fitting a new turbo alone doesn't cure it: the oil feed pipe, and often the oil pump and the sump pick-up, need replacing too, or the new turbo can go the same way. Switching off straight after a hard run, with the turbo still hot, is thought to make the carbon build-up worse. Owners reported a franchised-dealer parts bill of about 1,200 pounds, or around 470 pounds for an aftermarket turbo plus a kit of modified pipes. Engines built from about 2008 are said to have revised parts, though later cars are not proven immune.
Rough guide
£470-1200
Typical symptoms
Whine or growl from the turbo as the engine pulls
Sudden loss of power or limp mode
Blue or grey smoke under load
Oil in the intake or intercooler hoses
Affected vehicles
Engines:
1.6 HDi 16v diesel, 90 and 110 (DV6TED4 and related DV6 engines; the same engine as the Ford 1.6 TDCi); the 8-valve 1.6 HDi/e-HDi that replaced it from about 2010 is not covered
Typical mileage:
Unknown miles
🔍 We have a specific pre-purchase check for this faultCheck an advert →
ElectricalMedium severity📝 Editorial
407 diesels with the six-speed automatic gearbox were said to have an unexplained habit of cutting out, which was linked to the ECU or the electrical components unit.
Typical symptoms
Engine cutting out or stalling
Engine needing a restart after it dies
Affected vehicles
Engines:
Diesel with the six-speed automatic
Typical mileage:
unknown miles
🔍 We have a specific pre-purchase check for this faultCheck an advert →
OtherMedium severity📝 Editorial
The 407's dual-zone climate control was described in 2012 as prone to expensive failure, costing £1,300 to £1,700 in parts and labour to put right, which on an older car may not be worth doing.
Rough guide
£1300-1700
Typical symptoms
Climate control not reaching or holding the set temperature
Air conditioning not cooling
Affected vehicles
Engines:
All engines
Typical mileage:
unknown miles
🔍 We have a specific pre-purchase check for this faultCheck an advert →
What owners report
7 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 · August 2019A 2004 407 SW had its satnav screen go blank after 20 to 30 minutes of driving, despite new navigation discs being installed.
Fuel system · December 2015A 2008 407 1.6 HDI with 69,000 miles cut out at speed, later diagnosed with corrosion on the fuel pressure sensor.
Brakes · April 2014The brake servo on a 2006 407, which had been replaced in 2008, failed again.
Gearbox and clutch · July 2013A 2009 Peugeot 407 HDI experienced a clutch failure when the car had covered 29,700 miles.
Electrics · December 2012A 'gong' sound indicated that the car battery was not holding sufficient charge and required replacement.
Suspension and steering · May 2012Power steering fluid bubbled out of the reservoir, which was attributed to a valve failure within the system.
Engine · January 2012A 1.6 HDI engine suffered turbo oil starvation, leading to a costly failure requiring a new turbo, oil pipe, pump, and pick-up.
What owners like
4 notes
The 407 achieved a five-star NCAP occupant safety rating, with two stars awarded for pedestrian safety.
The car received a five-star NCAP occupant safety rating and a two-star rating for pedestrian safety.
The 2.2 173PS diesel engine fitted to this model offers excellent performance and smooth power delivery.
The 407 Coupe achieved an excellent five-star NCAP crash safety rating, with four stars for child safety.
Sellers rarely admit these faults outright
We track 8 specific phrases sellers use in adverts to soft-pedal these exact issues. Paste any Peugeot 407 advert and we check it in seconds.
Repair costs are typical UK ranges, not quotes. Actual cost depends on condition and garage.Data last verified: November 2026
Peugeot 407 buying questions
What are the most common Peugeot 407 problems?
Three stand out. Engine: oil carbonises in the thin pipe that feeds the turbo bearings on the 16-valve 1.6 HDi. Electrics: 407 diesels with the six-speed automatic gearbox were said to have an unexplained habit of cutting. Bodywork and trim: the 407's dual-zone climate control was described in 2012 as prone to expensive failure. The full list above is grouped by generation, with typical mileage and a rough repair cost for each.
What should I check when viewing a used Peugeot 407?
Ask the seller about the engine, electrics and bodywork and trim faults on this page and whether they have been fixed, with invoices. On the test drive watch for whine or growl from the turbo as the engine pulls, engine cutting out or stalling and climate control not reaching or holding the set temperature. Read the MOT history for repeat advisories, then paste the advert into the free check, which reads it against all 3 known faults before you travel. Check a Peugeot 407 advert →
What is the real MPG of a Peugeot 407?
Owners report 43.1 mpg on average across the Peugeot 407 engines with data, about 97% 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 312 owner submissions. Peugeot 407 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 407 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 407 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.