Poor Peugeot 207 – talk about growing up in the shadow of greatness. The Peugeot 205 is generally reckoned to be one of the very best superminis of all time, and indeed it spawned one of the hot-hatch elite as well. So, it’s fair to say the Peugeot 207 had a tough gig.
It was an unfair comparison, because it was bigger, heavier and not as much fun (largely dictate by the need for heavier modern safety kit), but nevertheless it proved a big seller. People loved its mix of French flair and decent equipment.
However, what people didn’t love quite so much was the fact that the 207 could be a touch fragile on occasion, with the odd grinding noise from the rear wheels, and noises from the front shock absorbers.
Still, that’s where Haynes can help, because we’ve stripped down and rebuilt the Peugeot 207, so we can show you how to diagnose and repair most common problems. So, invest in a Haynes manual once and it’ll pay you back every time you use it, because you’ll be able to skip expensive garage labour charges.
What recalls has the Peugeot 207 been subject to?
The heated front seats were the source of one recall, because the wiring looms were faulty. Dodgy wiring for the windscreen wipers caused another recall, because the wipers could fail – at precisely the point you needed them, presumably.
Out-of-spec front-seatbelt fixings were recalled because they could come loose over time.
Then 608 cars were recalled because the battery earth cable was too short and could break, leading to a complete loss of power. A full 90,087 cars were recalled because air-conditioning ducts could come loose and obstruct the pedals.
Rear brakes hoses that could come into contact with the rear springs forced another recall, as did a main engine fuse box that wasn’t to the required spec.
What common problems does the Peugeot 207 have?
Several owners of the Peugeot 207 have described an issue that generates a loud grinding noise from the area of the rear wheels.
And if a grinding from the rear wasn’t bad enough, the Peugeot 207 is also known for emitting a creaking or squeaking noise from its front suspension.
More noises, this time emanating from the auxiliary drivebelt system, will need to be investigated and the relevant components replaced. Then there’s the engine warning light, which can suddenly appear because the catalytic converter’s best days are behind it.
And the gearshift can become difficult to operate, at the same time as the gearlever starts to vibrate. Not ideal.
Why is the Peugeot 207 grinding?
There are lots of noise you do want to hear from your Peugeot 207 – namely the sound of a smooth engine, the gentle hum of the air-conditioning fan, a stereo playing gently in the background. A grinding noise would not be one you’d want to include in that ensemble.
However, the 207 can generate such an unpleasant grinding noise, most commonly after it’s been left to sit for a while.
The problem is that the rear brake pads can seize onto the brake disc. And the solution is to remove the rear wheels and remove the rear stub axle before cleaning up the brakes and fitting brake dust covers (part number: 16 062 337 80).
Then it’s a case of putting everything back together. The procedure to remove and replace everything is covered in the Haynes 207 manual, so just read up on what to do, buy the part and off you go – avoiding expensive labour costs as you go.
Is the Peugeot 207 creaking, too?
How irritating. You’ve just managed to sort the grinding from the back end of your Peugeot 207, and all this manages to do is make it quiet enough to hear the creaking noise coming from somewhere up ahead.
The noise is at its worst on bumpy roads or when traversing speed bumps. Annoying.
The problem is most likely that the lubrication for one of the front shock absorber bump stops has failed or worn away, so what you’ll need to do is follow the procedure in your Haynes 207 manual for removing the front shock absorbers, then lubricate the bump stop before reassembling everything once more.
And if this has happened on one shock absorber, you can be sure the other won’t be too far behind, so it’s best to do the pair at once.
However, a similar noise can also be generated by the shock absorber rod contacting the bump stop, so you’ll need to remove the shock and apply grease to the absorber rod. This should sort the issue. Then put it all back together.
If you want to know how to change the engine oil and filter on your Peugeot 207, just watch our FREE video below.
What’s that odd noise from under the Peugeot 207 bonnet?
The petrol-engined Peugeot 207 can also be prone to making an odd noise when the engine is running. This noise tends to rise and fall in pitch as the engine revs are raised and die away once more.
However, this one is usually a doddle to repair, because it’s either a faulty auxiliary drive belt, a faulty pulley, or possibly also a faulty auxiliary drivebelt tensioner.
The procedure is an easy one, and entail just removing the old auxiliary belt, then checking all of the pulleys for play, and ensuring that the tensioner is operating correctly, then replacing the belt with a new one.
All of this is covered in the Haynes 207 manual, so just bone up and get cracking.
The Peugeot 207 engine warning light is on. Why?
That’s weird. The engine in your Peugeot 207 seems to be run just fine, but the engine warning light has come on. Very strange.
Could just be a sensor, but the one way to find out for sure is to plug in a fault-code reader. Then it generates the code P0420, which signifies that the catalytic convert system is operating below its efficiency threshold.
In this case, it’s quite likely that it’s the catalytic converter itself that’s at fault, and not the oxygen sensors.
So, the only solution is to raise the car and set it on axle stands, then set about removing the catalytic converter and replacing it with a fully functional new item.
You’ll find the procedure on how to remove the catalytic converter in the Fuel & Exhaust Systems section of your Haynes 207 manual, so fear not – it’ll be the work of an afternoon.
Does the Peugeot 207 have gearshift issues?
A number of owners of the Peugeot 207 have voiced concerns that the gearlever can vibrate noticeably when the car is in gear, and that there can be a creaking noise to accompany this.
This issue is that the gearshift cables have become loose, and the best way to solved the issue is to replace the cables. As ever, we’ve carried out this procedure, so you just need to look up the relevant section in the Manual Transmission chapter of your Haynes 207 manual, and you’ll have the cable replaced and a slick, smooth gearshift before long.
