Use the Peugeot 208 manual test, trip computer, dimmer and touchscreen menus, plus the e-208 Energy menu and MYPEUGEOT APP remote functions.
Your 208's dashboard and touchscreen can tell you far more than most owners ever look at: trip data, fuel or energy use, the remaining range and, on the e-208, how energy is flowing between the battery and the motor. This guide shows you how to find and use all of it.
We cover the instrument panel test, odometer and trip computer, the lighting dimmer and the touchscreen menus (5-, 7- and 10-inch versions), plus the e-208's Energy menu and remote functions. It's based on the second-generation 208 and e-208 (2019 on) and the official Peugeot 208 owner's handbook.
In earlier articles we explained what many of the 208's indicators mean. If a warning lamp is lit on your car, be sure to check our guides to Peugeot 208 orange warnings, Peugeot 208 red warnings and Peugeot 208 green and blue indicators, as well as what the 208's service and gauge indicators mean.
The manual test lets you check some of your 208's indicators and view the list of active alerts. You run it from the "Check" button in the Vehicle touchscreen menu. During the test, the instrument panel shows:
This information is also shown automatically every time you switch on the ignition. It's a quick way to check your car's current status, so you'll notice any problem straight away.
The odometer measures the total distance your 208 has covered since it was first registered. It is shown continuously while the ignition is on and stays on screen for 30 seconds after you switch the ignition off. It also appears when the driver's door is opened and when the car is locked or unlocked.
When travelling abroad, you may need to switch the distance units (km or miles) to match the official units of the country you're in (km/h or mph). With the car stationary, you can change the units in the screen's configuration menu.
The odometer tells you a lot about the car's use and general condition. The reading matters when buying or selling a car, for timing services and for understanding how the car has been used, and it helps you plan its maintenance. Switching units when driving abroad helps you keep in line with local roads and speed limits.
The lighting dimmer lets you manually adjust the brightness of the instruments and controls to suit the ambient light. It is designed to reduce eye strain and improve comfort, especially when driving at night.
With the BLUETOOTH audio system with touchscreen:
Press the "Settings" menu.
Select "Display".
Adjust the brightness using the buttons.
You can turn the screen off by selecting "Turn off screen". The screen goes completely dark; press it again to switch it back on.
With PEUGEOT Connect Radio:
Press the button to open the Settings menu.
Select "Brightness".
Adjust the brightness with the arrows or by moving the slider. Settings apply immediately.
You can turn the screen off by selecting "Dark". The screen goes completely dark; press it again to switch it back on.
With PEUGEOT Connect Nav:
With the lights on, open the Settings menu.
Select "OPTIONS", then "Screen settings".
Select the "Brightness" tab.
Adjust the instrument panel and screen brightness with the arrows or the slider.
Press the buttons above to save and exit.
You can turn the screen off by selecting "Turn off screen". The screen goes completely dark; press it again to switch it back on.
Adjusting the screen brightness to the driving conditions improves visual comfort and supports safe driving.
The trip computer shows key information about your current journey, so you can follow the car's performance and your trip data in real time. It includes the range (how far you can drive), fuel consumption, average speed and similar data, which helps you judge the car's efficiency and fine-tune your driving habits.
You can access the trip computer easily through the controls for the instrument panel or the multimedia screen.
The 208's instrument panel displays the trip computer data and gives you useful journey information. How it's shown differs between dial and digital instrument panels.
Dial instrument panels:
Digital instrument panel:
Press the button on the end of the wiper control stalk to cycle through the following tabs:
Current consumption and range help you monitor fuel efficiency and plan your journey, while average speed and distance travelled give you an idea of your overall driving habits.
Resetting the trip counter lets you track your driving data for a specific journey or period, which is useful when starting a new trip or when you want to track particular data separately.
The 208's instrument panel shows a range of data. Here's what each value means and how it's calculated.
This shows the distance you can still drive on the fuel in the tank, or on the traction battery charge for electric versions. It is calculated from the average consumption over the last few kilometres (or miles) driven.
Variability: the figure can change with your driving style or road conditions. When the range drops below 30 km (19 miles), dashes appear on the instrument panel.
Refuelling: after adding at least 5 litres of fuel, the range is recalculated and shown once it exceeds 100 km (62 miles).
Fault: if dashes are shown instead of figures while driving, there is a fault and you should contact a PEUGEOT dealer or qualified workshop.
The instantaneous fuel or energy consumption, calculated over the last few seconds.
Display: this function is shown at speeds above 30 km/h (19 mph).
The average fuel or energy consumption since the trip computer was last reset.
The average speed since the trip computer was last reset.
The total distance travelled since the trip computer was last reset.
If your car has Stop & Start, this counter adds up the total time spent in STOP mode during the journey.
Reset: the counter resets automatically every time you switch on the ignition.
The 208's 5-inch touchscreen makes it easy to interact with the car and reach its various functions and settings quickly.
Audio and telephone controls: gives access to the audio system and phone functions, making it easy to manage media and calls.
Vehicle function and equipment settings menus: lets you customise the car's features and settings.
Air conditioning controls: depending on version, used to control the air conditioning so you can adjust cabin temperature and air flow.
Safety: for safety reasons, stop the car before carrying out any operation that needs sustained attention. Some functions are not available while driving.
Usage tips:
The 208 has a set of main controls that give quick access to functions from the audio system to air flow settings. Here's how they work:
Ignition off: with the ignition off, this control switches the system on.
Menu access: use this control to reach the various menus.
The 208's touchscreen menus give you access to the car's functions and let you personalise your driving experience. Here are the menus and their basic uses:
Use: a core part of the infotainment system, the Radio menu lets you browse, store and select radio stations.
Use: gives access to music and media via USB, Bluetooth and other connections, making it easy to control media playback.
Use: controls air conditioning settings such as temperature and air flow. Manual air conditioning settings and options are found here.
More information: see the relevant section of the handbook for details on the manual air conditioning settings.
Use: connect your mobile devices via Bluetooth or other methods and use the phone functions.
Use: activate, deactivate and adjust vehicle functions such as parking assistance and cruise control.
Use: manage the main system settings, including language, display and volume levels.
The 208's 7-inch or 10-inch touchscreen is a more advanced interface that gives access to many of the car's key functions. Here's what you can reach from it:
Time and outside temperature:
The time and outside temperature are always shown. If there is a risk of ice, a blue warning lamp lets you know.
Heating/air conditioning controls:
Control the cabin temperature settings.
Gives access to vehicle settings and features.
Gives access to media playback and phone functions.
Displays visual parking sensor information and manoeuvring aids such as Park Assist.
Gives access to the car's connected features and related information.
Controls and displays navigation information (depending on version).
Safety warning: for safety reasons, always stop the car before carrying out operations that need sustained attention. Some functions are not available while driving.
The 208's touchscreen uses capacitive technology for precise, easy operation. To keep it working properly and make it last, follow these tips:
Avoid sharp objects: the surface is delicate, so don't touch it with anything that could scratch or damage it.
Don't touch it with wet hands: moisture can temporarily affect how the screen detects touches and lead to wrong commands.
Clean it with a soft cloth: the screen scratches easily, so use a soft, clean cloth and avoid liquid or abrasive cleaning products.
The 208's all-in-one system makes it easy to control the car's main functions, including the audio system, air conditioning and menu access. Here are its main features:
Audio system on/off:
Switches the audio system on and off.
Volume/mute:
Adjusts the volume and mutes the sound. See the "Audio equipment and telematics" section of the handbook for details.
Press the button beside the touchscreen to open the scrolling menu, then press the virtual buttons on the screen to reach the various functions.
Air conditioning control:
Press the button below the touchscreen to reach the air conditioning settings.
7-inch touchscreen:
Use the buttons around the touchscreen to reach the menus, then press the virtual buttons on the screen.
10-inch touchscreen:
Use the buttons below the touchscreen to reach the menus, then press the virtual buttons on the screen.
The 208's touchscreen menu is built on a few simple principles for controlling and configuring the car's functions:
Reaching the second page:
Some menus have two pages. Press "OPTIONS" to reach the second page.
Automatic return:
If nothing is done on the second page, the system goes back to the first page automatically.
Function controls
Deactivating/activating a function:
Use the "OFF" or "ON" buttons to switch a function off or on.
Configuring a function:
Use the relevant options and settings to configure the function.
More information:
Press the relevant option for more information about the function.
Confirm and go back:
Use these controls to confirm a selection or return to the previous page.
The 208's touchscreen offers a wide range of menus for controlling and configuring the car's features. Here they are with their general functions:
Displaying the menus: press the touchscreen with three fingers to show all the menu buttons. See the audio and telematics sections of the handbook for more about each menu.
Radio/Media:
Controls and settings for the audio system and media playback.
Climate:
Cabin temperature and air flow settings. See the relevant handbook section for details on manual and automatic air conditioning.
Navigation (depending on equipment):
GPS navigation and related features.
Driving or Vehicle (depending on equipment):
Activate, deactivate and adjust vehicle functions, grouped into two tabs: "Driving functions" and "Other settings".
Telephone:
Connect your mobile devices and use the phone functions.
Connect-App:
Access to certain configurable equipment.
Energy:
Access to information about the electric functions (energy flow, consumption statistics, deferred charging and so on).
Settings:
Main settings for the audio system, touchscreen and digital instrument panel, plus volume adjustment and mute.
The 208's touchscreen has information bands that give you quick access to important information. They are laid out differently on the 7-inch and 10-inch screens and are always visible.
Time and outside temperature: always shown in the upper band. If there is a risk of ice, a blue warning lamp is displayed.
Information reminders: reminders for information from the Radio, Media and Telephone menus.
Notifications: various alerts and notifications.
Access to Settings: quick access to the touchscreen and digital instrument panel settings (date/time, languages, units and so on).
Outside temperature: shown in the side bands, with the blue warning lamp if there is a risk of ice.
Time: always shown in the side bands.
Notifications and settings: various notifications and access to the touchscreen and digital instrument panel settings.
Air conditioning information: reminders of the air conditioning settings and direct access to the menu.
The Energy menu is found on cars with an electric drivetrain and works with PEUGEOT Connect Nav. It gives detailed information about how the car uses and manages energy. Depending on version, you reach it either from the button beside the touchscreen or through the Applications menu.
Flow:
Shows the electric drivetrain working in real time: the active driving mode, the electric motor, the estimated traction battery charge level and the energy flows. Blue shows energy being consumed and green shows energy being recovered.
Statistics:
Shows electrical energy consumption statistics. Blue bars show energy consumed directly, and green bars show energy recovered during deceleration and braking. Average consumption is shown in kWh/100 km. You can change the time scale with the "-" and "+" buttons. A journey is defined as more than 20 minutes without switching off the ignition.
Charging:
Lets you programme deferred charging and see detailed information about charging the traction battery.
The Energy menu gives electric Peugeot 208 owners a detailed picture of how their car manages energy, helping them improve efficiency and plan charging more effectively.
The electric Peugeot 208 lets you reach some of the car's functions remotely. You manage them from a smartphone with the MYPEUGEOT APP, and what's available depends on the country where the car is sold.
Traction battery charge management: manage deferred charging so you can plan when the car charges.
Thermal preconditioning management: set the cabin temperature remotely for a comfortable start, especially in cold weather.
Viewing statistics: see statistics on vehicle use and energy consumption.
Charge status and range: check the car's charge status and remaining range.
Download the app: download the MYPEUGEOT APP from your smartphone's app store.
Create an account: create an account in the app.
Add your VIN: enter your Vehicle Identification Number (found on the vehicle registration document).
Network coverage: to use the remote functions, the car must be in an area with mobile network coverage.
Communication problems: if the car is outside network coverage (in an underground car park, for example), the app may not be able to reach it and will show a message saying the connection couldn't be made.
To understand what the panel is telling you, read What Do Peugeot 208 Warning Lights Mean? and our red and orange warning-light guides. For the full picture of the car, see our Peugeot 208 review.
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