Parts for your 1997 Daihatsu Terios-Gas struts

1997 Daihatsu Terios gas struts — are they actually used?

Short answer: no, factory gas struts aren’t a thing on the 1997 Daihatsu Terios (J100 series). Technical references back this up. The Daihatsu Terios J100/J102 Workshop Manual (Body section: Back Door) details a side-hinged rear door with a mechanical door check/stopper and no liftgate struts. The Owner’s Manual for the same generation describes supporting the bonnet with a manual support rod, not gas struts. The Daihatsu Electronic Parts Catalogue (EPC) for J100 lists a “hood support rod” and a “back door check” assembly, but no gas-pressurised lift supports for either end. That’s why “gas struts” aren’t relevant for this model in standard form.

Why didn’t Daihatsu fit them? The Terios uses a side-opening rear door with the spare wheel hung on it. That design relies on robust hinges and a check strap, rather than overhead lift struts, to manage the door’s swing and hold-open position. Up front, a simple bonnet prop rod keeps weight, cost and complexity down — a common approach on compact 4x4s of the era. With no top-hinged tailgate and no heavy bonnet insulation to lug around, there’s little need for gas lift supports.

Owners looking to “service the gas struts” on a 1997 Terios can instead focus on the parts that actually do the job:

• Rear door check/stopper: Inspect for wear, looseness or binding