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CriticalCommonEngine

Peugeot 308: 1.6 THP/VTi 'Prince' timing chain rattle and carbon build-up

1.6 THP/VTi 'Prince' timing chain rattle and carbon build-up is a common engine fault on the Peugeot 308 on the 2008–2013 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $1,500 to $6,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 26 documented faults on the Peugeot 308.

Vehicle
Peugeot 308
Engine
1.6L
Years
2008–2013
Fuel
petrol
System
Engine

This page covers the Peugeot 308 as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Peugeot 308 faults26 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

The front of a dual overhead camshaft engine with the timing cover removed, exposing the timing chain and sprockets.Example of the part — not this vehicle

The front of a twin-cam engine with the timing cover off — chain, sprockets and guides.

Logansenf · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

What goes wrong

The T7 308's 1.6 petrol is the EP6 Prince engine (with BMW) and is the headline mechanical risk on this generation: the timing chain stretches early giving a diesel-like cold-start rattle, and if ignored the chain can jump and bend valves. On the direct-injected THP the inlet valves also coke up, and higher-mileage cars can suffer turbo and fuel-pump faults. Treat the chain as a wear item, not a lifetime part.

What you would notice

  • Diesel-like rattle from the passenger side on cold start
  • Rattle getting longer as it worsens
  • Rough idle / misfire
  • P0016/P0017 cam-crank correlation codes

How to check it

Where to look. Timing chain at the passenger-side end of the engine; inlet valves; turbo

  1. Start the engine stone cold and listen at the passenger-side timing end for a rattle lasting more than a second or two.

  2. Feel for a lumpy idle.

  3. Ask whether the chain, tensioner and guides have been replaced and whether the valves have been de-coked.

Parts involved: Timing chain.

What it costs to put right

$1,500 to $6,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

  • “Has the timing chain and tensioner been replaced?”
  • “Cold-start rattle at all?”
  • “Any de-coke or turbo work?”

Now check the Peugeot 308 you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

  • Honest John - 'Has my Peugeot 308 got a timing chain problem?'
  • ProPeugeotSpares - 'Peugeot 308 problems: 8 common faults'

Peugeot 308 buyer questions

Is 1.6 thp/vti 'prince' timing chain rattle and carbon build-up serious on a Peugeot 308?

We rate it critical and common on the Peugeot 308. The T7 308's 1.6 petrol is the EP6 Prince engine (with BMW) and is the headline mechanical risk on this generation: the timing chain stretches early giving a diesel-like cold-start rattle, and if ignored the chain can jump and bend valves. On the direct-injected THP the inlet valves also coke up, and higher-mileage cars can suffer turbo and fuel-pump faults. Treat the chain as a wear item, not a lifetime part.

How much does it cost to fix on a Peugeot 308?

$1,500 to $6,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Peugeot 308 years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2008–2013 Peugeot 308. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Start the engine stone cold and listen at the passenger-side timing end for a rattle lasting more than a second or two. Feel for a lumpy idle. Ask whether the chain, tensioner and guides have been replaced and whether the valves have been de-coked. Look here: Timing chain at the passenger-side end of the engine; inlet valves; turbo