Used car guide

2009 Daihatsu Terios: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2009 Daihatsu Terioss, from 523 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

523MOT tests in 2025
65%pass first time (all 2009 cars: 58%)
5,200typical miles a year
17.9×the usual rate for anti-roll bar link bushes

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2009 Daihatsu Terioss than on all cars registered in 2009.

  • Anti-roll bar link bushes17.9× usual
    Daihatsu Terios
    14.3% All 2009 cars
    0.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.3%, against 0.2% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£280 (pair of drop links) Checkatrade

    At the viewing: Drive slowly over bumps and listen for a knock or rattle from the front. Worn anti-roll bar links are a cheap fix.

  • Corroded fuel pipes13.7× usual
    Daihatsu Terios
    8.2% All 2009 cars
    0.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0%, against 0% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

  • Rust around suspension or steering mountings3.3× usual
    Daihatsu Terios
    10.1% All 2009 cars
    3.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.8%, against 1.4% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£450 our estimate

    At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.

Better than most

Tread depth: 9.9% here, against 22.6% of all 2009 cars. Brake discs: 6.7% here, against 14.4% of all 2009 cars.

By area

The share of 2009 Daihatsu Terios MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    50% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Brakes
    37% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Tyres
    26% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Lights and electrics
    25% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Rust and bodywork
    16% of testsRough price £150–£1,000

    At the viewing: Check the sills, wheel arches and underneath for rust, and look along the panels for uneven gaps or paint.

  • Exhaust and emissions
    12% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

    At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2008730Suspension 59%
2007966Suspension 57%
2006586Suspension 55%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2009 Daihatsu Terioss registered in 2009. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score