The 2017 Daihatsu Mira is a Japanese kei car with a 0.66L turbocharged 3-cylinder engine. While generally reliable for city commuting, these small-displacement motors work hard and develop valvetrain wear, timing chain stretch, and CVT cooling issues when pushed or poorly maintained.
Timing Chain Stretch and Noise
Common · high severityTypical onset: 80,000-120,000 mi
Symptoms: rattling on cold start that fades after 10-20 seconds, check engine light with cam/crank correlation codes, rough idle or hesitation under acceleration
Fix: Timing chain, guides, tensioner, and usually both cam phasers need replacement. Small engine bay makes this a 6-8 hour job. If delayed, chain can jump time and bend valves, requiring head work.
Estimated cost: $1,200-2,000
Hydraulic Lifter Tick and Collapse
Common · medium severityTypical onset: 70,000-110,000 mi
Symptoms: persistent ticking from valve cover that doesn't quiet down when warm, loss of power on highway merges, intermittent misfire codes
Fix: All 6 lifters should be replaced together along with fresh oil and filter. Takes 4-5 hours due to tight access. Running collapsed lifters can wear cam lobes prematurely, tripling the repair cost.
Estimated cost: $600-900
CVT Transmission Oil Cooler Failure
Occasional · high severityTypical onset: 60,000-100,000 mi
Symptoms: shuddering during acceleration especially from 20-40 mph, whining noise from transmission, overheating in stop-and-go traffic or hills, milky transmission fluid indicating coolant cross-contamination
Fix: External CVT cooler fails or lines corrode, causing fluid overheating. If coolant mixes with CVT fluid through internal cooler, entire transmission usually needs replacement. Cooler itself is 3-4 hours, but contaminated CVT means 8-10 hours for used unit swap.
Estimated cost: $400-800 cooler only, $2,500-4,000 with CVT replacement
Head Gasket Failure from Overheating
Occasional · high severityTypical onset: 90,000-140,000 mi
Symptoms: white smoke from exhaust on startup, coolant loss with no visible leaks, overheating especially in summer traffic, bubbling in coolant reservoir when running
Fix: The KF engine runs hot under load and thin head gaskets fail between cylinders or into coolant jackets. Head must be removed, resurfaced, and pressure tested. 8-10 hours labor. Often discover warped head requiring replacement, adding $400-600.
Estimated cost: $1,500-2,500
Harmonic Balancer Deterioration
Occasional · medium severityTypical onset: 100,000-150,000 mi
Symptoms: visible wobble on crank pulley when idling, serpentine belt wear or walking off pulley, vibration felt through steering wheel at idle, squealing from belt area
Fix: Rubber isolator separates from hub, causing pulley wobble. If pulley comes apart completely, it destroys the crank seal and front cover. Replacement takes 2-3 hours including belt.
Estimated cost: $350-550
Transmission Mount Failure
Common · low severityTypical onset: 60,000-90,000 mi
Symptoms: clunking when shifting from park to drive, excessive vibration at idle in gear, visible engine movement when revving in park
Fix: Hydraulic transmission mount collapses from heat and age. Simple 1-2 hour replacement but often ignored until it tears completely and causes driveline vibration.
Estimated cost: $200-350
Buy one under 60,000 miles with full service records or budget $2,000-3,000 for deferred maintenance — excellent city car if maintained, but these motors have no tolerance for abuse or neglect.
AI-assisted summary drawn from NHTSA recall data, our labor-times database, and platform knowledge. Not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on a specific vehicle.