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Peugeot 406 2003: MOT failure rate for its age

48.0% of 7,515 MOT tests of the Peugeot 406 first registered in 2003 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 97.4 (95% CI 94.3–100.6; 100 = normal for this model at that age): the 2003 build year is no different from other years of the same model at the same age.

Peugeot 406 built in 2003 at a glance
MeasureValueUnitCompared withYearsTests
Failed first time48.0%all ages tested2019–20247515
Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 94.3–100.6)97.4index100 = normal for this model at that age2019–20247515
Rank among this model's 7 build years5of 71 = fails least for its age2019–20247515
Tested in 2024609testsmedian 144,087 miles2024609
line · Peugeot 406 built 2003 · first-time MOT failure share by age · built 2003 49.1% vs model normal 53.1% at age 16 · 2019–2024
Built 2003 against Peugeot 406 normal for the age: first-time MOT failure share at each age, age 16: 49.1% vs 53.1%; age 17: 48% vs 50%; age 18: 49.5% vs 49.8%; age 19: 45.1% vs 46.1%; age 20: 45.7% vs 44.4%; age 21: 49.3% vs 44.5%. Axis from 0% to 60%. DVSA MOT bulk data, 2019–2024.
Check a 2003 Peugeot 406 by registration · All Peugeot 406 MOT statistics · Download the build-year table (CSV)

Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).

How does the 2003 Peugeot 406 fail at each age?

Cars built in 2003 were tested at ages 16 to 21 between 2019 and 2024. Each row compares their first-time failure share with what this model normally shows at that age, after allowing for the overall failure level of each test year.

Peugeot 406 built 2003: first-time MOT failure by age, against the model's normal rate at that age (2019–2024)
AgeTestsFailed, %95% intervalNormal for this model at that age, %Index (100 = normal)
162,21349.147–51.253.192.5
171,5834845.6–50.55096
181,28649.546.7–52.249.899.4
191,01245.142–48.146.197.8
2081245.742.3–49.144.4103
2160949.345.3–53.244.5110.7

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 7,515 (initial tests) · Method: normal rate = this model's first-time failure share at that age across its build years (cells of 400+ tests), adjusted for each test year's overall level; cells of 30+ tests, under 500 marked rough · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV

What fails most on the 2003 Peugeot 406?

The most common failure group on cars built in 2003 is lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 45.5 items per 100 first tests, against 39.8 across all build years of the Peugeot 406. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2003 were tested at ages 16 to 21.

Failure items per 100 first tests, Peugeot 406 built 2003 against the Peugeot 406 in all build years (2019–2024, not age-adjusted)
Failure groupBuilt 2003, per 100All build years, per 100Items
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment45.539.83,421
Brakes35.434.62,664
Suspension3432.92,553
Body, chassis, structure19.218.11,440
Visibility14.814.41,115

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 7,515 (initial tests of this build year) · Method: failure items grouped by DVSA's top-level defect groups, per 100 initial tests; groups with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV

How does 2003 compare with the years around it?

Among the 7 published build years of the Peugeot 406, 2003 ranks 5 (1 = fails least for its age). 2002: index 96.7. 2004: index 94.2.

Peugeot 406 build years: index against the model at the same age (2019–2024)
Build yearIndex (100 = normal)95% intervalVerdictTests
199894.787.3–102.0no different (rough estimate)1,416
199997.091.5–102.5no different (rough estimate)2,587
200099.395.1–103.6no different4,459
200198.094.7–101.4no different6,837
200296.793.6–99.9better7,503
200397.494.3–100.6no different7,515
200494.288.2–100.2no different (rough estimate)2,006

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 32,323 (initial tests) · Method: observed failures against those expected for the same model at the same ages, test-year level adjusted; verdict follows the printed one-decimal bound · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV

How to cite this page

MOT Risk Index (2026). Peugeot 406 2003 MOT statistics (data release dvsa-2024-v2; full dataset motriskindex-families-2024-v5, DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22975051), updated 30 September 2026. motriskindex.co.uk/cars/peugeot-406/2003/

How every figure is calculated: methodology. Age, test year and build year are tied together (age = test year − build year), so the test-year level is taken as observed, not estimated.

Other pages for this model

Peugeot 406 1998 · Peugeot 406 1999 · Peugeot 406 2000 · Peugeot 406 2001 · Peugeot 406 2002 · Peugeot 406 2004 · Peugeot 406 in Norway · Peugeot 406 in the Netherlands · Peugeot 406 by postcode area · Peugeot 406 body, chassis and structure failures · Peugeot 406 brakes failures · Peugeot 406 vehicle identification failures · Peugeot 406 lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Peugeot 406 noise, emissions and leaks failures · Peugeot 406 road wheels failures · Peugeot 406 seat belts and airbags failures · Peugeot 406 steering failures · Peugeot 406 suspension failures · Peugeot 406 tyres failures · Peugeot 406 visibility failures