Reconditioned Peugeot 308 Gearbox

308 diesel or petrol, 5-speed or 6-speed: why can the same engine capacity take two different gearboxes?

On the 308, the answer lies in the engine code and the year of first registration, not simply the stated engine capacity. The 1.6 HDi is the clearest example: depending on the engine generation and power output, it takes either a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed manual — two distinct units that are not interchangeable.

Check the engine code first

The 308 spans the years 2007 à 2021 and two body generations. On the diesel side, the 1.6 HDi comes under the codes 9HZ, 9HR, 9HP or 9HD, each of which may correspond to a different gearbox. The 2.0 HDi (DW10BTED4, DW10CTED4) and the 1.5 HDi (YH01 / DV5RC) both take a 6-speed manual, but the physical references differ. On the petrol side, the 1.6 THP comes in several variants — 5FT, 5FX, 5FV — which also determine the gearbox fitted at the factory. The 1.2 PureTech (EB2DT, EB2DTS) and the entry-level 1.2 and 1.6 versions (EP6, EP6C) round out the petrol range, mainly with a 5-speed on older models and a 6-speed on more recent ones.

Common symptoms on these gearboxes

The manual gearboxes on the 308 1.6 HDi are known to suffer from worn 2nd and 3rd gear synchronisers, resulting in difficult gear changes or judder on downshifts. On THP engines (EP6DT, EP6CDT), the gearbox is more exposed to the effects of the engine's demanding thermal management; the condition of the differential warrants close attention during assessment. Two reconditioning options are available: exchange for a reconditioned unit or rebuilding your own gearbox, which is then returned to you — a useful option when the reference for your original unit is difficult to source.