Daihatsu Hijet: common faults & what to check

Which Daihatsu Hijet are you looking at?

1 generation variant documented. Pick the shape you recognise: the faults, the servicing and the timeline below all narrow to it. Free, no account needed.

Petrol

1 variant documented

2000–nowS2002000–nowS2000.66 petrol (kei)PetrolDocumented issues3 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Rutger van der Maar via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

Now narrow it to the engine

A 1.8 and a 2.4 of the same car do not fail the same way, so the faults below narrow to the engine as well as the year. Free, no account needed.

Start your free check on this Daihatsu Hijet

No plate needed. You get the risk score, the buyer's checklist and the guided inspection for the exact car you picked above — not the whole nameplate.

The checks worth doing on a Daihatsu Hijet before you hand over any money. Every documented fault is listed below, each with its own page.

• Serious issue

  Grip each front tyre at 12 and 6 o'clock and attempt to rock it — any play indicates ball joint or wheel bearing wear.

  See why

  Front Lower Arm Ball Joint Wear

  The front suspension on all Hijet Cargo generations uses a lower wishbone with a pressed-in ball joint. The joint relies on a rubber boot to retain grease and exclude water and road debris; once the boot splits — common on Japanese-import vehicles aged over 10 years — the joint dries out and wears rapidly. Worn ball joints create vague steering, uneven tyre wear, and in severe cases can separate, causing immediate loss of vehicle control. The Hijet's compact front end places these joints close to the road surface and exposed to water splash.

  What you would notice

  • Clunking or knocking from the front suspension when going over small bumps or speed humps
  • Vague or wandering steering feel with the vehicle not tracking straight
  • Uneven or rapid front tyre wear on the inner edge

  Typically $180–$550 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Inspect the load floor, footwells, sills and chassis rails for scale and holes, probing any soft areas for structural rust.

  See why

  Floor and lower body rust from commercial use

  As a working commercial van the Hijet frequently develops rust in the load floor, sills, chassis rails and cab mounts, worsened by carrying wet or corrosive loads and NZ coastal exposure. Floor rust is a structural WoF failure. Cab-over layout means front floor and footwells are vulnerable.

  What you would notice

  • Rust through the load floor
  • Corroded sills and chassis rails
  • Soft footwells
  • Rust at cab mounts

  Typically $500–$3,500 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Check the oil level and condition at purchase; ask for service records showing oil top-up frequency.

  See why

  KF-VE Piston Ring Oil Consumption

  The KF-VE 660cc three-cylinder engine introduced in the S500P Hijet (2014–present) has documented piston ring wear leading to above-normal oil consumption. The narrow-profile rings used for low friction can lose sealing ability early, particularly in vehicles used for short stop-start commercial runs where the engine rarely reaches full operating temperature. Oil consumption of 1 litre per 1,000–2,000 km has been widely reported, and running low on oil accelerates cam and bearing wear.

  What you would notice

  • Needing to top up engine oil by 1 litre or more between standard service intervals
  • Blue-tinged smoke from the exhaust on acceleration after coasting or on cold start
  • Oily residue around the PCV hose and in the intake manifold

  Typically $2,500–$5,500 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Inspect both rear leaf spring packs from underneath with a torch.

  See why

  Rear Leaf Spring Cracking Under Sustained Load

  The Hijet Cargo uses a multi-leaf rear suspension designed for intermittent light commercial use at its 350 kg rated payload. Vehicles operated continuously at or near maximum payload — common in courier, market gardening, and small business delivery roles — experience fatigue cracking of the main leaf spring blade, typically at the centre clamp point or near the front eye. Cracking is accelerated by rough road surfaces and by aftermarket load beds that concentrate stress unevenly.

  What you would notice

  • Rear of the vehicle sits noticeably lower on one side, or sags excessively even without load
  • Clunking or banging from the rear suspension over bumps or when loading/unloading
  • Visible crack lines or displacement in one or more leaf spring blades when inspected from underneath

  Typically $400–$1,200 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Start the engine cold and listen immediately for chain rattle from the timing chain cover on the front of the engine.

  See why

  KF-VE Cold-Start Timing Chain Tensioner Rattle

  The KF-VE 660cc engine uses a hydraulic plunger-type timing chain tensioner that relies on oil pressure to maintain chain tension. On cold start, oil drains partially from the tensioner during extended engine-off periods, and the plunger takes several seconds to re-pressurise. A worn or fatigued tensioner plunger check-valve fails to hold residual oil, causing an audible metallic rattle lasting 3-10 seconds on start-up. As tensioner wear progresses, rattle duration increases and may persist beyond warm-up. Neglected cases risk chain guide wear and chain jump, which causes serious engine damage. Extended oil change intervals and low-viscosity oil accelerate tensioner wear.

  What you would notice

  • Metallic rattling noise from engine top-end on cold start lasting 3-10 seconds
  • Rattle persisting beyond initial warm-up at high mileage
  • Occasional check engine light with camshaft position correlation codes P0016 or P0017
  • Slight timing variation at idle after rattle episode

  Typically $380–$850 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Test drive at low speed from a standstill on level ground and on an incline with a full load.

  See why

  CVT Judder and Shudder Under Load (S500P)

  The D-CVT belt-type continuously variable transmission fitted to S500P Hijet Cargo variants exhibits judder — a low-frequency vibration — particularly during low-speed tip-in from rest or when climbing inclines under load. The judder is caused by degraded CVT fluid losing its friction-modifier properties, or by primary/secondary pulley face wear allowing micro-slippage of the steel push-belt. Commercial use with high payload accelerates fluid degradation, and Daihatsu's extended factory service interval for CVT fluid is widely considered too long for working vehicles.

  What you would notice

  • Vibration or shudder felt through the floor and seat when accelerating gently from rest, especially under load
  • Hesitation or surge at low speeds giving a bucking sensation
  • CVT fluid that is dark brown or has a burnt odour when checked on the dipstick

  Typically $200–$4,500 to put right.

Daihatsu Hijet service schedule

What falls due, and at what distance, for each generation of the Daihatsu Hijet. These are the model’s intervals — the car’s own service book is the only thing that can tell you what has actually been done to it.

What these repairs cost on other cars

Some of the Daihatsu Hijet’s documented faults are repairs other models share. Each page lists the documented NZ cost for every model it affects.

• Timing Chain Replacement Cost
• CVT Gearbox Repair Cost

Other Daihatsu models