The Peugeot Bipper is a small family/cargo van made by Peugeot between 2008 and 2017. The Bipper shares its platform with the likes of the Citroen Nemo and the Fiat Fiorino. The Bipper is designed to slot underneath the larger Peugeot Partner and is intended primarily for inner-city use, but it can hold its own on a highway without any issues.
In this article, we are going to mention all the common problems with Peugeot Bipper and tell you what you need to look out for if you are in the market for a used example. The Bipper seems to be experiencing issues with the timing chain which is indeed really serious and can cause the entire engine to fail.
Other problems include problems with the turbocharger, problems with the gearbox, the suspension, and the car losing power under acceleration. The reality is that most of these have been used for commercial purposes and there is a great deal of chance that they weren’t maintained all that properly.
However, if you manage to find a well-kept example with not too many miles on the clock, you are likely going to enjoy it. It may not be the most reliable Peugeot van ever, but it is able to stand the test of time and is properly taken care of.
Timing Chain Problems
Timing chain problems are some of the worst issues any engine can encounter because they usually start small and are often hard to notice. If these aren’t noticed quickly enough, they can very easily lead to severe problems with the entire engine. Not all engines are the same when it comes to timing issues because the 1.6L Prince engine is by far the worse.
The timing chain itself ought to be inspected every 50,000 miles or so. If you sense any knocking or clattering noise coming from the engine bay, be sure to inspect the tensioner for any signs of play. Always be sure to replace the chain/tensioner whenever you come across any of these.
Transmission Problems
The Bipper is available either with a manual or an automatic transmission, both of which have a few distinct issues worth paying attention to. The automatic transmission is known to suffer from gears slipping and potential grinding problems. The former is caused by excessive load and lack of lubrication while the former is also caused by lack of lubrication or potential complete lack of transmission oil.
The manual transmission can suffer from clutch-related problems. It is said that these issues almost always lead to a frayed clutch cable which will make the clutch pedal really heavy to engage. In most cases, this can be resolved simply by replacing the cable.
Suspension Problems
As these cars are often used for hauling various types of cargo, the suspension on which they sit tends to be designed to cope with all the added stress. However, suspension components are expendable which means that they are likely going to fail eventually. The most problematic suspension aspect of the Peugeot Bipper is related to the suspension bearings at the front.
The only way to resolve this problem completely is to just replace the bearing whenever needed. The most common bearing-related symptoms are excessive knocking noise coming from the front, especially while going over road undulations and/or speed bumps.
Car Losing Power Under Acceleration
The last Peugeot Bipper problem we are going to mention today is one related to subpar acceleration in a wide variety of circumstances. If this happens during cold weather, particularly with an HDI diesel engine, chances are that you are having problems with the injectors which will need to be cleaned. Adding some proper fuel additives should also help to proactively solve these issues.
Other problems can be related to the car’s fuel pump which is a sore point for some Peugeot engines used with the Bipper. If the car stalls, idles roughly, or does not want to start, be sure to inspect the fuel pump. Lastly, the EGR valve can also fail on a wide variety of 2010-2015 Peugeot models, so if you sense excessive smoking, bad MPG, lack of power, and rough idle check the exhaust gas recirculation valve.
FAQ Section
Is The Peugeot Bipper A Good Car?
With about 2.5 cubic meters of space in the cargo area, the Bipper is a really practical and barebone Peugeot van that fits the needs of many people perfectly. You can often see these rolling out and about on city streets as they are a relatively popular means of transport for small and medium businesses. Overall, the Bipper is a good car if maintained well enough.
If you come across an example with suspicious service records or lots of miles on the clock, be vary even if the price is really good. Because these are mostly used for commercial purposes, they often don’t get the same maintenance treatment as cars used to transport families and individuals alike.
How Many Miles Can A Peugeot Bipper Last?
If you follow the service guidelines and you don’t abuse them, the Bipper should easily be able to last 150,000 to 200,000 miles without needing major mechanical overhauls. The Bipper was designed for the urban environment and its mechanics are designed to endure lots of stress, but that does not mean that the Bipper can be left to take care of itself.
The aforementioned timing issues are a prime example as they can destroy the engine and thus will result in the car not lasting all that long. However, if you catch all of these problems at the right time and you do the bare minimum, you should be able to reach high mileage numbers.
Can You Tow With A Peugeot Bipper?
The Peugeot Bipper was never intended for any serious towing, but it can tow up to 1,300kg/2,900lbs. However, not all Bipper models are rated the same which means that you should inspect the underside of the tow bar to see the maximum towing capacity for a specific Bipper.
If you do decide to tow with the Beeper, it is a good idea to use trailer brakes for anything heavier than 500kg/1,100lbs.
