Peugeot 205. Manual - part 53

REF•10

MOT test checks

Exhaust system

M Start the engine. With your assistant 
holding a rag over the tailpipe, check the
entire system for leaks. Repair or renew
leaking sections.

Jack up the front and rear of the vehicle,
and securely support it on axle stands.
Position the stands clear of the suspension
assemblies. Ensure that the wheels are
clear of the ground and that the steering
can be turned from lock to lock.

Steering mechanism 

M Have your assistant turn the steering from
lock to lock. Check that the steering turns
smoothly, and that no part of the steering
mechanism, including a wheel or tyre, fouls
any brake hose or pipe or any part of the body
structure.
M Examine the steering rack rubber gaiters
for damage or insecurity of the retaining clips.
If power steering is fitted, check for signs of
damage or leakage of the fluid hoses, pipes or
connections. Also check for excessive
stiffness or binding of the steering, a missing
split pin or locking device, or severe corrosion
of the body structure within 30 cm of any
steering component attachment point.

Front and rear suspension and
wheel bearings 

M Starting at the front right-hand side, grasp
the roadwheel at the 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock
positions and shake it vigorously. Check for
free play or insecurity at the wheel bearings,
suspension balljoints, or suspension mount-
ings, pivots and attachments.
M Now grasp the wheel at the 12 o’clock and
6 o’clock positions and repeat the previous
inspection. Spin the wheel, and check for
roughness or tightness of the front wheel
bearing.

M If excess free play is suspected at a
component pivot point, this can be confirmed
by using a large screwdriver or similar tool and
levering between the mounting and the
component attachment. This will confirm
whether the wear is in the pivot bush, its
retaining bolt, or in the mounting itself (the bolt
holes can often become elongated).

M Carry out all the above checks at the other
front wheel, and then at both rear wheels.

Springs and shock absorbers 

M Examine the suspension struts (when
applicable) for serious fluid leakage, corrosion,
or damage to the casing. Also check the
security of the mounting points.
M If coil springs are fitted, check that the
spring ends locate in their seats, and that the
spring is not corroded, cracked or broken.
M If leaf springs are fitted, check that all
leaves are intact, that the axle is securely
attached to each spring, and that there is no
deterioration of the spring eye mountings,
bushes, and shackles.

M The same general checks apply to vehicles
fitted with other suspension types, such as
torsion bars, hydraulic displacer units, etc.
Ensure that all mountings and attachments are
secure, that there are no signs of excessive
wear, corrosion or damage, and (on hydraulic
types) that there are no fluid leaks or damaged
pipes.
M Inspect the shock absorbers for signs of
serious fluid leakage. Check for wear of the
mounting bushes or attachments, or damage
to the body of the unit.

Driveshafts
(fwd vehicles only)

M Rotate each front wheel in turn and inspect
the constant velocity joint gaiters for splits or
damage. Also check that each driveshaft is
straight and undamaged.

Braking system 

M If possible without dismantling, check
brake pad wear and disc condition. Ensure
that the friction lining material has not worn
excessively, (A) and that the discs are not
fractured, pitted, scored or   badly worn (B).

M Examine all the rigid brake pipes
underneath the vehicle, and the flexible
hose(s) at the rear. Look for corrosion, chafing
or insecurity of the pipes, and for signs of
bulging under pressure, chafing, splits or
deterioration of the flexible hoses.
M Look for signs of fluid leaks at the brake
calipers or on the brake backplates. Repair or
renew leaking components.
M Slowly spin each wheel, while your
assistant depresses and releases the
footbrake. Ensure that each brake is operating
and does not bind when the pedal is released.

3

Checks carried out
WITH THE VEHICLE RAISED
AND THE WHEELS FREE TO
TURN

MOT test checks

REF•11

REF

M Examine the handbrake mechanism,
checking for frayed or broken cables,
excessive corrosion, or wear or insecurity of
the linkage. Check that the mechanism works
on each relevant wheel, and releases fully,
without binding.
M It is not possible to test brake efficiency
without special equipment, but a road test can
be carried out later to check that the vehicle
pulls up in a straight line.

Fuel and exhaust systems

M Inspect the fuel tank (including the filler
cap), fuel pipes, hoses and unions. All
components must be secure and free from
leaks.
M Examine the exhaust system over its entire
length, checking for any damaged, broken or
missing mountings, security of the retaining
clamps and rust or corrosion.

Wheels and tyres 

M Examine the sidewalls and tread area of
each tyre in turn. Check for cuts, tears, lumps,
bulges, separation of the tread, and exposure
of the ply or cord due to wear or damage.
Check that the tyre bead is correctly seated
on the wheel rim, that the valve is sound and

properly seated, and that the wheel is not
distorted or damaged. 
M Check that the tyres are of the correct size
for the vehicle, that they are of the same size
and type on each axle, and that the pressures
are correct.
M Check the tyre tread depth. The legal
minimum at the time of writing is 1.6 mm over
at least three-quarters of the tread width.
Abnormal tread wear may indicate incorrect
front wheel alignment.

Body corrosion

M Check the condition of the entire vehicle
structure for signs of corrosion in load-bearing
areas. (These include chassis box sections,
side sills, cross-members, pillars, and all
suspension, steering, braking system and
seat belt mountings and anchorages.) Any
corrosion which has seriously reduced the
thickness of a load-bearing area is likely to
cause the vehicle to fail. In this case
professional repairs are likely to be needed.
M Damage or corrosion which causes sharp
or otherwise dangerous edges to be exposed
will also cause the vehicle to fail.

Petrol models

M Have the engine at normal operating
temperature, and make sure that it is in good
tune (ignition system in good order, air filter
element clean, etc).
M Before any measurements are carried out,
raise the engine speed to around 2500 rpm,
and hold it at this speed for 20 seconds. Allow

the engine speed to return to idle, and watch
for smoke emissions from the exhaust
tailpipe. If the idle speed is obviously much
too high, or if dense blue or clearly-visible
black smoke comes from the tailpipe for more
than 5 seconds, the vehicle will fail. As a rule
of thumb, blue smoke signifies oil being burnt
(engine wear) while black smoke signifies
unburnt fuel (dirty air cleaner element, or other
carburettor or fuel system fault).
M An exhaust gas analyser capable of
measuring carbon monoxide (CO) and
hydrocarbons (HC) is now needed. If such an
instrument cannot be hired or borrowed, a
local garage may agree to perform the check
for a small fee.

CO emissions (mixture)

M At the time of writing, the maximum CO
level at idle is 3.5% for vehicles first used after
August 1986 and 4.5% for older vehicles.
From January 1996 a much tighter limit
(around 0.5%) applies to catalyst-equipped
vehicles first used from August 1992. If the
CO level cannot be reduced far enough to
pass the test (and the fuel and ignition
systems are otherwise in good condition) then
the carburettor is badly worn, or there is some
problem in the fuel injection system or
catalytic converter (as applicable).

HC emissions

M With the CO emissions within limits, HC
emissions must be no more than 1200 ppm
(parts per million). If the vehicle fails this test
at idle, it can be re-tested at around 2000 rpm;
if the HC level is then 1200 ppm or less, this
counts as a pass.
M Excessive HC emissions can be caused by
oil being burnt, but they are more likely to be
due to unburnt fuel. 

Diesel models

M The only emission test applicable to Diesel
engines is the measuring of exhaust smoke
density. The test involves accelerating the
engine several times to its maximum
unloaded speed. 

Note: It is of the utmost importance that the
engine timing belt is in good condition before
the test is carried out. 

M Excessive smoke can be caused by a dirty
air cleaner element. Otherwise, professional
advice may be needed to find the cause.

4

Checks carried out on
YOUR VEHICLE’S EXHAUST
EMISSION SYSTEM

The vehicle owner who does his or her own

maintenance according to the recommended
service schedules should not have to use this
section of the manual very often. Modern
component reliability is such that, provided
those items subject to wear or deterioration
are inspected or renewed at the specified
intervals, sudden failure is comparatively rare.
Faults do not usually just happen as a result of
sudden failure, but develop over a period of
time. Major mechanical failures in particular

are usually preceded by characteristic
symptoms over hundreds or even thousands
of miles. Those components which do
occasionally fail without warning are often
small and easily carried in the vehicle.

With any fault-finding, the first step is to

decide where to begin investigations.
Sometimes this is obvious, but on other
occasions, a little detective work will be
necessary. The owner who makes half a
dozen haphazard adjustments or

replacements may be successful in curing a
fault (or its symptoms), but will be none the
wiser if the fault recurs, and ultimately may
have spent more time and money than was
necessary. A calm and logical approach will
be found to be more satisfactory in the long
run. Always take into account any warning
signs or abnormalities that may have been
noticed in the period preceding the fault -
power loss, high or low gauge readings,
unusual smells, etc - and remember that

Engine  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

m

m

Engine fails to rotate when attempting to start

m

m

Engine rotates, but will not start

m

m

Engine difficult to start when cold

m

m

Engine difficult to start when hot

m

m

Starter motor noisy or excessively-rough in engagement

m

m

Engine starts, but stops immediately

m

m

Engine idles erratically

m

m

Engine misfires at idle speed

m

m

Engine misfires throughout the driving speed range

m

m

Engine hesitates on acceleration

m

m

Engine stalls

m

m

Engine lacks power

m

m

Engine backfires

m

m

Oil pressure warning light illuminated with engine running

m

m

Engine runs-on after switching off

m

m

Engine noises

Cooling system  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

m

m

Overheating

m

m

Overcooling

m

m

External coolant leakage

m

m

Internal coolant leakage

m

m

Corrosion

Fuel and exhaust systems  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

m

m

Excessive fuel consumption

m

m

Fuel leakage and/or fuel odour

m

m

Excessive noise or fumes from exhaust system

Clutch  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

m

m

Pedal travels to floor - no pressure or very little resistance

m

m

Clutch fails to disengage (unable to select gears)

m

m

Clutch slips (engine speed increases, with no increase in vehicle
speed)

m

m

Judder as clutch is engaged

m

m

Noise when depressing or releasing clutch pedal

Manual transmission  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

m

m

Noisy in neutral with engine running

m

m

Noisy in one particular gear

m

m

Difficulty engaging gears

m

m

Jumps out of gear

m

m

Vibration

m

m

Lubricant leaks

Automatic transmission  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

m

m

Fluid leakage

m

m

Transmission fluid brown, or has burned smell

m

m

General gear selection problems

m

m

Transmission will not downshift (kickdown) with accelerator fully
depressed

m

m

Engine will not start in any gear, or starts in gears other than Park
or Neutral

m

m

Transmission slips, shifts roughly, is noisy, or has no drive in
forward or reverse gears

Driveshafts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

m

m

Clicking or knocking noise on turns (at slow speed on full-lock)

m

m

Vibration when accelerating or decelerating

Braking system  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

m

m

Vehicle pulls to one side under braking

m

m

Noise (grinding or high-pitched squeal) when brakes applied

m

m

Excessive brake pedal travel

m

m

Brake pedal feels spongy when depressed

m

m

Excessive brake pedal effort required to stop vehicle

m

m

Judder felt through brake pedal or steering wheel when braking

m

m

Brakes binding

m

m

Rear wheels locking under normal braking

Suspension and steering systems  . . . . . . . . . . .9

m

m

Vehicle pulls to one side

m

m

Wheel wobble and vibration

m

m

Excessive pitching and/or rolling around corners, or during
braking

m

m

Wandering or general instability

m

m

Excessively-stiff steering

m

m

Excessive play in steering

m

m

Lack of power assistance

m

m

Tyre wear excessive

Electrical system  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

m

m

Battery will not hold a charge for more than a few days

m

m

Ignition/no-charge warning light remains illuminated with engine
running

m

m

Ignition/no-charge warning light fails to come on

m

m

Lights inoperative

m

m

Instrument readings inaccurate or erratic

m

m

Horn inoperative, or unsatisfactory in operation

m

m

Windscreen/tailgate wipers inoperative, or unsatisfactory in
operation

m

m

Windscreen/tailgate washers inoperative, or unsatisfactory in
operation

m

m

Electric windows inoperative, or unsatisfactory in operation

m

m

Central locking system inoperative, or unsatisfactory in operation

REF•12

Fault finding

Introduction

failure of components such as fuses or spark
plugs may only be pointers to some
underlying fault.

The pages which follow provide an easy-

reference guide to the more common
problems which may occur during the
operation of the vehicle. These problems and
their possible causes are grouped under
headings denoting various components or
systems, such as Engine, Cooling system,
etc. The Chapter and/or Section which deals
with the problem is also shown in brackets.
Whatever the fault, certain basic principles
apply. These are as follows:

Verify the fault. This is simply a matter of

being sure that you know what the symptoms

are before starting work. This is particularly
important if you are investigating a fault for
someone else, who may not have described it
very accurately.

Don’t overlook the obvious. For example, if

the vehicle won’t start, is there petrol in the
tank? (Don’t take anyone else’s word on this
particular point, and don’t trust the fuel gauge
either!) If an electrical fault is indicated, look
for loose or broken wires before digging out
the test gear.

Cure the disease, not the symptom.

Substituting a flat battery with a fully-charged
one will get you off the hard shoulder, but if
the underlying cause is not attended to, the
new battery will go the same way. Similarly,

changing oil-fouled spark plugs for a new set
will get you moving again, but remember that
the reason for the fouling (if it wasn’t simply an
incorrect grade of plug) will have to be
established and corrected.

Don’t take anything for granted. Particularly,

don’t forget that a “new” component may
itself be defective (especially if it’s been
rattling around in the boot for months), and
don’t leave components out of a fault
diagnosis sequence just because they are
new or recently-fitted. When you do finally
diagnose a difficult fault, you’ll probably
realise that all the evidence was there from
the start.

Fault finding

REF•13

REF

1 Engine

Engine fails to rotate when attempting to start

m

m

Battery terminal connections loose or corroded (“Weekly checks”).

m

m

Battery discharged or faulty (Chapter 5A).

m

m

Broken, loose or disconnected wiring in the starting circuit
(Chapter 5A).

m

m

Defective starter solenoid or switch (Chapter 5A).

m

m

Defective starter motor (Chapter 5A).

m

m

Starter pinion or flywheel ring gear teeth loose or broken 
(Chapters 2A, 2B, 2C and 5A).

m

m

Engine earth strap broken or disconnected (Chapter 5A).

Engine rotates, but will not start

m

m

Fuel tank empty.

m

m

Battery discharged (engine rotates slowly) (Chapter 5A).

m

m

Battery terminal connections loose or corroded (“Weekly checks”).

m

m

Ignition components damp or damaged (Chapters 1 and 5B).

m

m

Broken, loose or disconnected wiring in the ignition circuit
(Chapters 1 and 5B).

m

m

Worn, faulty or incorrectly-gapped spark plugs (Chapter 1).

m

m

Choke mechanism incorrectly adjusted, worn or sticking -
carburettor models (Chapter 4A).

m

m

Faulty fuel cut-off solenoid - carburettor models (Chapter 4A).

m

m

Fuel injection system fault - fuel-injected models (Chapter 4B 
or 4C).

m

m

Major mechanical failure (eg camshaft drive) (Chapter 2A, 2B 
or 2C).

Engine difficult to start when cold

m

m

Battery discharged (Chapter 5A).

m

m

Battery terminal connections loose or corroded (Chapter 1).

m

m

Worn, faulty or incorrectly-gapped spark plugs (Chapter 1).

m

m

Choke mechanism incorrectly adjusted, worn or sticking -
carburettor models (Chapter 4A).

m

m

Fuel injection system fault - fuel-injected l models (Chapter 4B 
or 4C).

m

m

Other ignition system fault (Chapters 1 and 5B).

m

m

Low cylinder compressions (Chapter 2A, 2B or 2C).

Engine difficult to start when hot

m

m

Air filter element dirty or clogged (Chapter 1).

m

m

Choke mechanism incorrectly adjusted, worn or sticking -
carburettor models (Chapter 4A).

m

m

Fuel injection system fault - fuel-injected models (Chapter 4B 
or 4C).

m

m

Low cylinder compressions (Chapter 2A, 2B or 2C).

Starter motor noisy or excessively-rough in
engagement

m

m

Starter pinion or flywheel ring gear teeth loose or broken (Chapters
2A, 2B, 2C and 5A).

m

m

Starter motor mounting bolts loose or missing (Chapter 5A).

m

m

Starter motor internal components worn or damaged (Chapter 5A).

Engine starts, but stops immediately

m

m

Loose or faulty electrical connections in the ignition circuit
(Chapters 1 and 5B).

m

m

Vacuum leak at the carburettor/throttle body or inlet manifold
(Chapter 4A, 4B or 4C).

m

m

Blocked carburettor jet(s) or internal passages - carburettor
models (Chapter 4A).

m

m

Blocked injector/fuel injection system fault - fuel-injected models
(Chapter 4B or 4C).

Engine idles erratically

m

m

Air filter element clogged (Chapter 1).

m

m

Vacuum leak at the carburettor/throttle body, inlet manifold or
associated hoses (Chapter 4A, 4B or 4C).

m

m

Worn, faulty or incorrectly-gapped spark plugs (Chapter 1).

m

m

Uneven or low cylinder compressions (Chapter 2A, 2B or 2C).

m

m

Camshaft lobes worn (Chapter 2A, 2B or 2C).

m

m

Timing belt incorrectly tensioned (Chapter 2A, 2B or 2C).

m

m

Blocked carburettor jet(s) or internal passages - carburettor
models (Chapter 4A).

m

m

Blocked injector/fuel injection system fault - fuel-injected models
(Chapter 4B or 4C).

Engine misfires at idle speed

m

m

Worn, faulty or incorrectly-gapped spark plugs (Chapter 1).

m

m

Faulty spark plug HT leads (Chapter 1).

m

m

Vacuum leak at the carburettor/throttle body, inlet manifold or
associated hoses (Chapter 4A, 4B or 4C).

m

m

Blocked carburettor jet(s) or internal passages - carburettor
models (Chapter 4A).

m

m

Blocked injector/fuel injection system fault - fuel-injected models
(Chapter 4B or 4C).

m

m

Distributor cap cracked or tracking internally (where applicable)
(Chapter 1).

m

m

Uneven or low cylinder compressions (Chapter 2A, 2B or 2C).

m

m

Disconnected, leaking, or perished crankcase ventilation hoses
(Chapter 4D).