IsItAGoodCar
Reliability Guide

Common Problems with the
1995 Peugeot 406

UK market launch of the Peugeot 406 saloon and estate, offering benchmark ride quality, spacious passenger accommodation, and refined XU petrol and XUD turbodiesel engines.

What changed for 1995

  • •UK launch in saloon and practical estate formats with class-leading ride comfort
  • •Engines including 1.8, 2.0 16-valve petrol and 1.9 / 2.1-litre XUD turbodiesels
  • •Advanced multi-link rear suspension with passive rear-wheel steering
  • •1997 introduction of the acclaimed Pininfarina-designed 406 Coupé

Common MOT watch-outs

  • !Rear suspension link bush wear and anti-roll bar drop link play
  • !Front suspension lower ball joint play and worn coil springs
  • !Corrosion on rear steel brake pipes and exhaust back box seams
1
Known Issues
0
Serious
1
Moderate
0
Minor

All Known Issues

Rear Multi-Link Suspension Passive Steer Bush Wear

ModerateSuspension & Chassis

The 406 features an advanced multi-link rear suspension design with trailing arms, transverse links, and passive rear-steering tie rods. After years on potholed UK roads, the rubber bonded bushes on the rear transverse track control arms and passive steer links perish and develop significant play. This causes vague rear-end handling, wandering or twitchiness on motorways, severe scrubbing of the rear tyres, and recurring MOT failures.

Est. Repair Cost: £150–£400
Warning Signs:

Rear end feels floaty or wandering when changing lanes at motorway speeds, Loud knocking or clattering from rear axle when crossing road manhole covers, Uneven tyre wear across rear tyre tread pattern, Advisories or failure for suspension arm ball joint / bush play on MOT history

What to Inspect:
  • Drive at 60–70 mph on a straight dual carriageway to verify straight-line tracking without rear instability
  • Inspect rear tyre tread for feathered or uneven wear patterns
  • Pry rear passive steer links and transverse arm bushes on a ramp to detect rubber degradation and free play
Verified by IsItAGoodCar Research TeamUpdated

Buying Tips for 1995 Peugeot 406

  • Cold start petrol engines to check for rough idle, hunting, or stalling
  • Inspect cooling system expansion tank and radiator for coolant leaks
  • Check power steering pump and rack for hydraulic fluid weeping
1996–1998
Check a 1995 Peugeot 406 by Registration