1997 Peugeot 406 ST DT review from Australia and New Zealand

Bitron unit, which converts analogue to digital signal failed. This caused havoc with the speedo needle, rendered the ABS inoperative and made the steering think the car was standing still when it was going very FAST... tight bends on Australian B roads are not the best place to lose all steering feel with a ridiculously over-assisted tiller... I considered this fault potentially lethal. Due to superhuman effort of the local EFI specialist, the offending unit was eventually tracked down, bludgeoned to death, and replaced by a new "Made in Italy" Bitron. It changed the nature of the car completely. It instantly became smoother, more responsive and livelier.

(The unit is located on the passenger side firewall behind the glovebox)

Nothing else has gone wrong.

Do all Peugeot Diesels sound this agricultural on startup?

Generally, the car is a joy to drive, and its economy is stupefying. On a recent holiday, we covered 1,205 kilometres on a round trip without having to darken the doorway of a filling station. We were gobsmacked.

The car is a consummate cruiser. It is reasonably quiet, though it's hard to compare diesels with petrol engined cars because they, well, they're just different in the way they go about making their respective noises. I find the steady compressive hum of a well-tuned diesel soothing. To others it's just truck-like.