MajorCommonEngine

Daihatsu Mira: Oil consumption on the little three-cylinder (EF/KF)

Oil consumption on the little three-cylinder (EF/KF) is a common engine fault on the Daihatsu Mira on the 2000 onward cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $600 to $1,800 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. 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 12 documented faults on the Daihatsu Mira.

Vehicle: Daihatsu Mira
Years: 2000 onward
Fuel: petrol
System: Engine

This page covers the Daihatsu Mira 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 Mira faults12 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph for this fault yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of something else.

What goes wrong

The Mira's three-cylinder kei engines (older EF, newer KF) commonly develop oil consumption as valve stem seals harden and piston rings wear, burning oil and showing blue smoke on start-up. These are tiny engines in cheap, hard-used cars, so maintenance history is everything. A Mira that needs regular oil top-ups, or that puffs blue when it fires up, is telling you the rings or seals are on the way out - a big job relative to the car's value.

What you would notice

Blue smoke on cold start or when accelerating
Oil level dropping between services
Oily, smoky exhaust smell

How to check it

Where to look. Engine block and cylinder head (rings and valve seals)

Check the dipstick for level and colour and ask how much oil it uses.
Watch the exhaust as you start it cold - a blue puff points to valve seals.
Favour a car with proof of regular oil changes over a cheaper one with no history.

What it costs to put right

$600 to $1,800 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, 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

“How much oil does it use between services?”
“Does it blow blue smoke on start-up?”
“Is there a service history of regular oil changes?”

Now check the Daihatsu Mira 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 has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

2carpros.com - Daihatsu Mira oil consumption questions
Daihatsu K-series engine - Wikipedia (KF engine)
carinterior.alibaba.com - Daihatsu EF engine guide, specs and issues

Daihatsu Mira buyer questions

Is oil consumption on the little three-cylinder (ef/kf) serious on a Daihatsu Mira?

We rate it major and common on the Daihatsu Mira. The Mira's three-cylinder kei engines (older EF, newer KF) commonly develop oil consumption as valve stem seals harden and piston rings wear, burning oil and showing blue smoke on start-up. These are tiny engines in cheap, hard-used cars, so maintenance history is everything. A Mira that needs regular oil top-ups, or that puffs blue when it fires up, is telling you the rings or seals are on the way out - a big job relative to the car's value.

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

$600 to $1,800 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. 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 Mira years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2000 onward Daihatsu Mira. 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?

Check the dipstick for level and colour and ask how much oil it uses. Watch the exhaust as you start it cold - a blue puff points to valve seals. Favour a car with proof of regular oil changes over a cheaper one with no history. Look here: Engine block and cylinder head (rings and valve seals)