Daihatsu Sirion M100: common faults & what to check

You're looking at the M100

2 engine variants are documented for this generation. Pick yours to narrow further, or keep reading for the generation as a whole.

2000–2005M100 Selected2000–2005M1001.0 petrolPetrolDocumented issues7 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Vauxford via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

2000–2005M100 Selected2000–2005M1001.3 petrolPetrolDocumented issues6 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Vauxford via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

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 Sirion

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 Sirion before you hand over any money. Every documented fault is listed below, each with its own page.

• Costly issue

  Run a finger along the bottom hem of each door — bubbling paint indicates trapped moisture and rust behind the hem.

  See why

  Rear Sill and Door Bottom Edge Corrosion

  M100 and M300 Sirion bodies corrode predictably at the rear sill ends where road water is thrown by the rear tyres, and along the bottom edges of all four doors where the hemmed seam traps moisture. The rear quarter panel above the rear wheel arch also blisters. NZ-imported M300 units often show this rust pattern earlier than Australian-delivered vehicles owing to higher rainfall and coastal salt exposure. Rust in the door bottoms is largely cosmetic but untreated sill rot can spread to the structural floor pan.

  What you would notice

  • Paint bubbling along the bottom edges of doors
  • Rust staining or perforation on the rear sill ends behind the rear wheels
  • Blistering paint on the rear quarter panels above the wheel arch
  • Water ingress on interior carpet near the sills

  Typically $400–$2,500 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Get underneath with a torch and check the sills, arch lips, subframe and suspension mounts.

  See why

  Corrosion under the wheel arches, sills and subframe

  Across both Sirion generations, corrosion is the standout issue in NZ/AU conditions - especially beneath the wheel arches, along the sills, and around suspension mounting points and the subframe. Left alone it moves from surface scale into structure and becomes a WOF failure and an expensive weld job. On a cheap older car, rust in the wrong place can be the difference between a bargain and a money pit, so inspect underneath thoroughly.

  What you would notice

  • Flaking or bubbling rust under the arches and along the sills
  • Crusty rust around the subframe and suspension mounts
  • Rust flagged on recent WOF sheets

  Typically $500–$2,500 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Lift each front wheel and rock it at 12 and 6 o'clock — any movement indicates bearing play.

  See why

  Front wheel bearing failure

  Both M100 and M300 Sirion generations are reported on owner forums and NZ workshop writeups as having above-average front wheel bearing wear. The compact hub and bearing assembly is subjected to lateral loads from the tight turning radius used in urban driving, and gravel road or kerb strike impacts accelerate wear. Failed bearings produce a characteristic wheel-speed-proportional drone from the front end that changes pitch on a sweeping corner as load transfers off the worn side. NZ WoF inspectors frequently identify play on Sirion front hubs at high mileage.

  What you would notice

  • Droning or growling noise from the front that increases with vehicle speed
  • Noise changes when cornering (louder one way, quieter the other)
  • Vibration through the steering wheel at highway speed
  • Play felt when the front wheel is rocked at 12 and 6 o'clock positions

  Typically $250–$550 to put right.

• Common issue

  At idle watch for the revs hunting up and down or the engine stalling.

  See why

  Rough idle / stalling from the idle-air valve and no-start sensor faults (M100)

  First-generation Sirions commonly idle poorly or stall at junctions, most often due to a dirty or failing idle-air control (IAC) valve. Some cars also suffer no-start or misfire problems traced to the crankshaft or camshaft position sensors and their wiring, which disrupt ignition timing. These are relatively cheap fixes but frustrating and common on this age of car; a Sirion that hunts at idle, stalls or is hard to start needs the idle system and sensors checked.

  What you would notice

  • Rough or hunting idle, stalling when you stop
  • Hard starting or intermittent no-start
  • Misfire or stumble with a check-engine light

  Typically $250–$600 to put right.

Daihatsu Sirion service schedule

The 3 engines a 2000 Daihatsu Sirion was sold with, each with its own intervals. Pick your engine above to narrow this to one. 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 Sirion’s documented faults are repairs other models share. Each page lists the documented NZ cost for every model it affects.

• Cambelt Replacement Cost
• Timing Chain Replacement Cost
• CVT Gearbox Repair Cost
• Head Gasket Repair Cost
• EGR Valve and Cooler Repair Cost

Other Daihatsu models