Common problems
Daihatsu Terios electrical and lighting problems
How often MOT testers find lights and electrics faults on the Daihatsu Terios at each age, against all cars of the same age, and which items come up most. From 14,631 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025.
MOT data updated
At 16 years, the most tested age
What stands out
- At 16 years, 12.7 of every 100 MOTs of the Daihatsu Terios found a lights and electrics fail (n=3,424), against 20.4 for all cars of that age (n=4,858,625).
- It is level with or below the all-car rate at every age with at least 1,000 tests.
- The gap is widest at 17 years: 12.5 per 100 MOTs against 21.0 for all cars.
- The lights and electrics fail item recorded most often at 16 years: side/position light not working, on 4.0 per 100 MOTs.
- The most common lights and electrics advisory or minor defect: headlamp: lens slightly defective, on 2.9 per 100 MOTs.
Lights and electrics fails by age
Solid line: this model. Dashed line: all cars at the same age.
| Age | Tests (n) | Fails | All cars | Advisories | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 years | 1,503 | 10.5 | 18.3 | 6.2 | 12.2 |
| 15 years | 2,755 | 11.9 | 19.5 | 8.3 | 13.7 |
| 16 years | 3,424 | 12.7 | 20.4 | 10.6 | 15.3 |
| 17 years | 3,149 | 12.5 | 21.0 | 11.3 | 16.9 |
| 18 years | 2,354 | 13.7 | 21.4 | 11.4 | 17.8 |
| 19 years | 1,446 | 14.2 | 21.5 | 12.0 | 17.9 |
Lights and electrics fail items at 16 years
| Item | Per 100 MOTs | All cars | Typical repair (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Side/position light not working | 4.0 | 5.9 | £10 to £47 per lamp |
| Brake light not working | 3.6 | 4.0 | £10 to £47 per lamp |
| Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect | 1.4 | 3.0 | £16 to £39 per car (rough guide) |
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | 1.0 | 1.9 | £10 to £47 per lamp |
Lights and electrics advisories and minor defects at 16 years
Advisories and minor defects are recorded, but the car still passes. Across all cars, a part with an advisory or minor defect failed at the next MOT 5.5 times in 100 (n=88,666,940 pairs of consecutive MOTs), against 0.3 times in 100 when the same part had none (n=12,936,860,350).
| Item | Per 100 MOTs | All cars | If it needs replacing (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headlamp: lens slightly defective | 2.9 | 2.8 | |
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 2.8 | 5.9 | |
| Headlamp: has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output | 2.6 | 2.5 | £28 to £98 per lamp (rough guide) |
Repair estimates are a guide for an independent garage: labour at the national median local garage rate (median £78 an hour from 65 garages, ONS price quotes) times estimated labour hours, plus a parts band. Labour hours and most parts bands are estimates, not quotes, and prices vary by model, engine and region. A warning light fault shows the cost of the diagnosis only.
What to check on a viewing
On the Daihatsu Terios, the lights and electrics items testers fail most are side/position light not working; brake light not working; headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect.
- With someone outside, try every light: dipped and main beam, indicators, brake lights, fog lights and number plate lamps.
- Check that the warning lights come on with the ignition and go out once the engine runs.
- Look for misted, cracked or yellowed headlamp lenses.
Ask for the car's MOT history: a lights and electrics advisory that repeats from year to year has not been fixed. GOV.UK MOT history.
Questions
What are the common electrical and lighting problems on the Daihatsu Terios?
At 16 years (3,424 MOTs), the lights and electrics fail items testers record most often are side/position light not working (4.0 per 100 MOTs), brake light not working (3.6 per 100 MOTs), headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect (1.4 per 100 MOTs). The most common lights and electrics advisories or minor defects are headlamp: lens slightly defective (2.9) and registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (2.8).
Does the Daihatsu Terios have more electrical and lighting problems than other cars?
At 16 years it has 12.7 lights and electrics fails per 100 MOTs against 20.4 for all cars of the same age (7.7 fewer). It is level with or below the all-car rate at every age with enough tests.
What does a lights and electrics repair cost on the Daihatsu Terios?
For side/position light not working, an independent garage estimate is £10 to £47 per lamp. This is a guide built from the national median garage labour rate and estimated labour hours, not a quote.
More on the Daihatsu Terios
Electrical and lighting problems on other Daihatsu models
The all cars figures cover all class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans) tested at the same age.
Looking at a Daihatsu Terios?
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Repair estimates: ONS consumer price quotes for local garage labour (09/2025 to 08/2026), the MOT inspection manual for defect wording, and estimated labour hours and parts bands. Not affiliated with or endorsed by ONS.
Source
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 28 September 2026.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources