Is the Peugeot 3008 reliable?
Reliabilty is a little mixed bag when it comes to the 3008. There are known faults and problems (see below), but as Peugoet is a key player in the UK there are plenty of dealers and specialist availble making it easy to source parts.
In What Car?’s reliability survey the 3008 scored poorly. It came 28th our of 34 cars in the family SUV category and Peugeot as a brand didn’t do much better either, finish 21st our of 32 brands surveyed.
Engine: The wet timing belt that runs through the engine oil in the Puretech petrol engine can be prone to failure, which will cause serious engine damage (see above): it can wear prematurely, and fragments of it then block oil pathways, causing low oil pressure.
On cars with more than 40,000 miles, check the belt has been replaced. Also make sure the oil levels are correct, because these can affect its longevity.
On diesels, clogged-up particulate filters are common and will need to be manually regenerated or replaced, while the AdBlue pumps and injectors can fail. Take a long test drive to make sure, but it’s best to avoid a diesel if you don’t cover a lot of motorway miles.
Electrics: Central locking system can suffer from technical faults, and dashboard displays can be prone to software glitches. Check that all the systems are functioning as they should.
Gearbox: On an automatic car, any shuddering or delays when changing gear could be a sign of a gearbox oil leak, a faulty coupling or a worn clutch. Make sure the transmission shifts smoothly and when it should.
Body: Be wary of cars fitted with a panoramic sunroof: they can leak water into the cabin.
Handbrake: The electric handbrake is meant to release automatically when you pull away but is prone to getting stuck and requiring a manual override.
An expert’s view
Paul Steane, Independent Peugeot Specialists: “The 1.2 Puretech has wet belt issues, can burn oil and carbon deposits can block up the inlet manifolds.
“Depending on how bad the damage is, it can cost up to £800 to get the wet belt replaced in the Puretech engine, and if the belt snaps then the whole engine will need to be swapped.
“An oil light will be the first sign, for low oil pressure, which is the first indication that the wet belt is breaking up. Then we do an investigation to check the oil and the oil pressure.”
Also worth knowing
If you’re considering a 3008 as a tow car, we’d recommend the 2.0 BlueHDi diesel that can tow up to 2000kg.
In 2021, the 3008 adopted Peugeot’s ‘sabre-tooth’ LED daytime-running lights and a frameless grille. Opt for a pre-April 2017 1.6-litre diesel model and you’ll only pay £20 road tax.
