1996 Peugeot 406 1.9 diesel

Faults:

1) Radio on/off button broke (no replacement available!!)

2) Covering on the airbag cover is coming off at the edges (poor manufacturing quality).

3) Belt drive wheel & screw broke off (happened while driving at 140kph! - went through a lot of trouble!!! Eventually the Peugeot garage covered the costs of a new crank shaft etc).

4) Both rear doors don't open smoothly. I have enquired with 3 different Peugeot dealers but they all put a little grease in it and say it's OK. I still have the problem. Bad service!

5) The auto door lock was getting louder, Peugeot couldn't help, said "I would have to replace it sometime in the near future". I sprayed some silicon lubricant in the rear doors and it seems to have helped.... again, bad service.

6) RUST under the motor hood and boot hood as well as under the rubber around the driver's door!! (is covered by the 6 year guarantee but I will have no car for a week - no complimentary car).

General Comments:

1) Service every 10,000km! ie 3x/year @ 30000km/year!

2) Very disappointed with Peugeot's service.

3) Quality; (on/off button, airbag cover) seems very low/cheaply built!

4) 90 hp diesel is good on the highway but sluggish and thirsty in the city.

5) Spare tire in the boot is strapped down but not fixed anywhere, so everytime you go over a bump it sounds like you have something loose. Very uncomfortable!

I don't think I would ever buy a Peugeot again and wouldn't recommend one!!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 2nd November, 2000

6th Feb 2001, 18:16

Must agree with some of your comments, rusty bits and bobs under the bonnet. Any idea on drive belt adjustment for 406 turbo diesel 1996 1.8?

Cheers,

Ron

8th Mar 2004, 07:14

8th Mar 2004 I also agree with some of the above comments, Radio on/off button was broken on my car 406 SLDT too when I brought it, but I didn’t mind too much as I was replacing the radio with a Sony unit.

It’s not the Spare Tire, I think… After a few weeks of driving the car the spare tire was on my nerve too and I put 25mm foam around the tire to stop it moving, but it wasn’t the tire!!! It’s a rubber bush in the rear suspension which sounds like a loose tire in the boot while driving over bumps!

3rd Nov 2006, 14:57

I spray rustproofing spray on my 406's joints on the doors and under the bonnet once a year. Washing your car regularly (particularly in winter when the roads are salted) helps to keep the rust away as well.