MajorVery commonBody & Rust

Daihatsu Terios: Sill, Floor Pan and Rear Wheel Arch Corrosion

Sill, Floor Pan and Rear Wheel Arch Corrosion is a very common body & rust fault on the Daihatsu Terios on the 1997–2006 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs ≈A$460 to ≈A$3,220 at independent workshop rates, shown as an approximate guide in Australian dollars. 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 34 documented faults on the Daihatsu Terios.

Vehicle: Daihatsu Terios
Years: 1997–2006
System: Body & Rust

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

All Daihatsu Terios faults34 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Body corrosion yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

Terios J100/J102 bodies are rust-prone at the outer sills, inner sill box sections, floor pan forward of the rear seats, and the rear wheel arch lips where gravel chips remove paint. In Australia's coastal and high-rainfall environments the box-section sills trap moisture and corrode from the inside out, often appearing structurally intact on the surface while the inner section has collapsed. Severe floor pan rust can compromise seat-belt anchor point integrity.

What you would notice

Bubbling or flaking paint on the lower sill panels
Soft or springy floor when pressing on the carpet
Visible rust perforation at rear wheel arch lips
Water pooling on the carpet inside the vehicle

How to check it

Where to look. Outer sills, floor pan, rear wheel arch lips, spare-wheel well

Use a probe or screwdriver to firmly press the outer sills along their full length — any give indicates inner sill rot.
Lift all carpet and check the floor pan under both front and rear seats.
Inspect rear wheel arch lips from underneath for perforations.
Check seat belt anchor plates for rust.
Examine the spare-wheel well floor and the area forward of the tailgate.

Parts involved: Body corrosion.

What it costs to put right

≈A$460 to ≈A$3,220 at independent workshop rates, shown as an approximate guide in Australian dollars. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, converted to Australian dollars, 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 any rust repair or protective underseal work been done?”
“Has the vehicle spent time near the coast or on unsealed roads?”

Now check the Daihatsu Terios 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 still has money owing on it, has been written off or reported stolen, what kms it showed in past sale ads, whether it has had accident repair claims and what it is worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate and its state for the A$17.90 Vehicle Check, or the full history from A$24.99.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.

Daihatsu Terios buyer questions

Is sill, floor pan and rear wheel arch corrosion serious on a Daihatsu Terios?

We rate it major and very common on the Daihatsu Terios. Terios J100/J102 bodies are rust-prone at the outer sills, inner sill box sections, floor pan forward of the rear seats, and the rear wheel arch lips where gravel chips remove paint. In Australia's coastal and high-rainfall environments the box-section sills trap moisture and corrode from the inside out, often appearing structurally intact on the surface while the inner section has collapsed. Severe floor pan rust can compromise seat-belt anchor point integrity.

How much does it cost to fix on a Daihatsu Terios?

≈A$460 to ≈A$3,220 at independent workshop rates, shown as an approximate guide in Australian dollars. 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 Daihatsu Terios years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 1997–2006 Daihatsu Terios. 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?

Use a probe or screwdriver to firmly press the outer sills along their full length — any give indicates inner sill rot. Lift all carpet and check the floor pan under both front and rear seats. Inspect rear wheel arch lips from underneath for perforations. Check seat belt anchor plates for rust. Examine the spare-wheel well floor and the area forward of the tailgate. Look here: Outer sills, floor pan, rear wheel arch lips, spare-wheel well