Before you buy a used Peugeot 301.
Taken only from Testigo's sourced sheets. Use it to question the seller and on the test drive: it does not confirm that any particular car is affected.

The essentials.
- 3 documented, sourced faults across its 3 engines.
- 1 of them depends on the equipment or the production date: ask what this car has.
- 1 official recall on record: ask for the chassis number (VIN) and confirm it has been done.
- According to the data we have, all its engines have the same number of documented faults.
Typical faults by engine
The period and mileage are those mentioned by each sheet's sources. They are not a maintenance interval and do not predict that any particular car will fail.
1.2 VTi / PureTech
Petrol
- Oil-bath timing belt degradationTiming / lubrication
- Period mentioned
- 2012 – approx. 2022
- Mileage mentioned
- The sheet does not mention a mileage.
Applies if: PSA 1.2 three-cylinder EB2 engine (PureTech).
1.6 VTi
Petrol
- Period mentioned
- 2012–2018
- Mileage mentioned
- The sheet does not mention a mileage.
1.6 HDi / BlueHDi
Diesel
- Turbo oil starvation from injector carbonTurbo / injection
- Period mentioned
- Approx. 2004–2015
- Mileage mentioned
- The sheet does not mention a mileage.
Which engine has the fewest documented faults?
| Engine | Documented faults | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 1.2 VTi / PureTechPetrol | 11 with conditions | 1 |
| 1.6 VTiPetrol | 1 | 1 |
| 1.6 HDi / BlueHDiDiesel | 1 | 0 |
According to the data we have, all its engines have the same number of documented faults.
By fuel type, the one with the fewest documented faults is: Diesel.
We only count the sourced sheets we have. An engine with fewer is not guaranteed to be more reliable: it may have been studied less or sold in smaller numbers.
Official recalls: ask before you pay
A recall existing does not mean this car is affected or that it is still outstanding: it depends on the chassis number, the market and the production date.
- Ask the seller for the chassis number (VIN): it has 17 characters, appears in the car's documents and can usually also be seen at the base of the windscreen.
- Ask an official Peugeot dealer, or the brand's official website if it lets you check by chassis number, whether each recall has been done or is still outstanding for that VIN.
- Manufacturer recalls are normally carried out free of charge by the official service network. If one is outstanding, ask for it to be done before you close the sale.
Faulty internal component in airbag control unitBrakes and safety
Engines: 1.2 VTi / PureTech (Petrol) · 1.6 VTi (Petrol)
How to check it: Check VIN; replace the airbag unit preventively, as specified by the campaign.
View full entryOn the test drive: what to look and listen for
Taken from each sheet's symptoms and checks. You can tick off what you have already looked at: it is saved only in this browser.
0 of 3 checked
Engine
Look out for: Oil has to be topped up between changes; oil stains under the engine; misfires or hesitation; rough idle or an engine warning from the throttle body.
Ask them to check: Measure oil consumption between two changes and look underneath for leaks; read misfire and throttle-body codes; ask for the timing-belt invoices.
Turbo / injection
Look out for: Loud turbo whistle, power loss, blue or black smoke, oil that gets dirty very quickly. Before the failure, often a puffing or ticking from the cylinder head and an exhaust smell from an injector.
Ask them to check: Check injector bolt torque and carbon at their base, the turbo banjo bolt and the sump strainer.
Timing / lubrication
Look out for: Oil pressure warning, hard brake pedal or reduced assistance, oil consumption, blue smoke, squeal at the front of the engine, turbo whistles or loses power.
Ask them to check: Measure the belt through the oil filler opening with the manufacturer's tool. Confirm whether the vacuum pump campaign was done.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from these Testigo sheets and their original sources. Sources are not checked in real time.
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