The Peugeot 106 is a subcompact hatchback that was first introduced for the 1991 model year and was kept until 2003 when it was succeeded by the comparably newer Peugeot 107. The 106 was initially envisioned just as a three-door hatchback, but a five-door hatchback came into production one year later.
In this article, we are going to go over all the common problems with Peugeot 106 and tell you what you need to look out for if you are in the market for one. These include problems with the clutch or various other manual transmission-related problems, various engine issues, or problems with the suspension system.
The car’s equipment is also prone to failure, especially the sunroof. Lastly, we also need to mention a wide variety of electrical problems, some of which are fairly difficult to live with. All in all, the Peugeot 106 isn’t particularly good or bad when it comes to reliability as it all stems from how well you maintain or fail to maintain it.
Either way, it’s a good idea to do a pre-purchase inspection before buying any car as this will give you a much broader understanding of how well-kept a specific car has been. The 106 isn’t the world’s most popular used car because it is so small and fairly old.
Transmission Problems
The Peugeot 106 comes with a good old manual gearbox, but one that does seem to suffer from a few distinct issues. First of all, the transmission gear cable linkages are known to become brittle, dislocated, or damaged which will cause the transmission to shift in a very difficult and harsh manner. The easiest way to fix this is to replace all the worn linkages with brand-new ones.
The clutch pedal isn’t free of faults either which is why it can often stick to the ground and prevent you from changing gears completely. The cable that operates the clutch is likely to be broken and ought to be replaced. The clutch itself is prone to accelerated wear and tear which is why it can often be a good idea to replace the entire clutch assembly when needed.
Engine Problems
If your Peugeot 106 starts emitting blue smoke under acceleration, chances are that your cylinder bores are worn and need replacing. The head gasket is also prone to excessive wear and tear and can lead to the engine overheating and lots of white smoke being pushed out. The catalytic converter can emit knocking noises and will need replacing.
Lastly, if your Peugeot 106 starts experiencing erratic idle at low RPMs, it’s likely due to a problematic idle control valve which will also need replacing. All in all, the engine palette with the Peugeot 106 can last a decent amount of time if properly maintained.
Suspension Problems
Quite a few Peugeot 106 owners reported that their 106s were known to have their rear wheels facing outward. Others have also reported problems such as excessive creaking from the rear suspension area. Both lead toward problems with the rear radius arms which will need replacing in order to solve this issue completely.
Besides these, the struts, the shocks, and all other nearby components can suffer from numerous issues, some of which are related to wear and tear while others are related to corrosion.
Equipment Problems
The Peugeot 106 is now a fairly old car which means that it has many different problems with many of its features and functions. The sunroof is a prime example of that as it is known to leak. The reason why this happens is due to tiny screw holes on the sunroof handle. Some have also speculated that this can cause corrosion and lead to more serious issues.
Other equipment-related problems include a faulty radio which can either fail to play on all of the speakers or fail to play completely. The automatic door locks can become defective and stop you from unlocking/locking the car via the key. To solve this, you will have to replace the door actuators.
Electrical Problems
The most common electrical problem with the 106 leads to the car not wanting to start up. However, this problem can have a few culprits. The first one is tied to the car’s alternator which stops providing juice to the battery and thus eventually leads to a dead battery. The second one is related to the fuel pump fuse which can blow due to the pump overheating.
FAQ Section
Is The Peugeot 106 A Reliable Car?
The Peugeot 106 is a small, yet nimble, and fairly reliable car. However, don’t go thinking that it isn’t going to experience a wide variety of problems, because it will. These cars have mostly been neglected during their lifespan because they are cheap to buy, cheap to run, cheap to insure, and cheap to sell.
Not many people have given the effort to keep their 106 in a satisfactory condition due to it being such a low-value car. Therefore, it does not really matter how reliable the 106 truly is if you can’t find one that has been maintained adequately, at least not for an affordable price.
Does The Peugeot 106 Have Power Steering?
Older Peugeot 106 models came without power steering which is not something you want from a daily driver. The internet does say that it is technically possible to add power steering later, but that this can cost more than what the car is worth.
If you are interested in one used, be sure to look for a later model equipped with power steering as no power steering in 2023 is like living without electricity.
Why Did Peugeot Stop Making The 106?
Technically, Peugeot did discontinue the 106, but its successor (the 107) is basically the same as the 106 with a more modern approach. This means that the 107 is more or less the same size, same power, same price, but with all the newer and more advanced technology of the mid and later 2000s.
The 107 was kept until 2014 when it was replaced by the Peugeot 108 which was the very last Peugeot “100” series model as the company committed to the 208 being the smallest car.
