By Farhad Musazada, owner of Skyline Kei Trucks. Last updated: October 21, 2026. Based on Suzuki and Honda catalogs, GS Yuasa's JIS battery guide, NGK's spark plug catalog, Japan Post and manufacturer and Wikipedia model pages; catalog, battery, spark plug and model pages verified October 2026; delivery times not verified (sources at the end). General information; confirm codes against your own truck's plate and manual before ordering.
Key facts
- Three codes identify the truck: The model code, chassis number and engine code on the export certificate identify the truck to any supplier. A Japanese chassis number is the model code, a hyphen and a five- to seven-digit serial, in the pattern S210P-0123456 (a format example).
- The prefix is an emissions code: Letters before the hyphen (V-, GD-, GF-, TA-) show which Japanese emissions rules the truck was certified under. GD-DA52T is the 1999 Suzuki Carry 2WD truck and GD-DB52T the 4WD.
- Consumables use standard codes: A battery code such as 38B20L, a tire size such as 145R12 6PR LT and an NGK plug code such as BPR5ES describe the part itself, so a US store can match them; GS Yuasa lists 38B20L for the 1999 Carry.
- Larger JDM models have US twins: A first-generation CR-V, a V6 Harrier (Lexus RX 300), a V6 Pajero (Montero) and a gasoline Bighorn (Isuzu Trooper, Acura SLX) share engines with vehicles sold new in the US. A 660 cc kei truck does not.
- We sell trucks, not parts: We don't stock parts. Every vehicle leaves our lot with its export certificate, and our parts and service FAQ covers who supplies what.
How do I identify exactly which truck I have?
Every supplier asks the same three questions: model code, chassis number and engine code. All three are on the export certificate that comes with every vehicle we sell (with an English translation), and the chassis number is stamped into the body or frame and repeated on the maker's nameplate. Photograph that plate the day you pick the truck up.
A Japanese chassis number is not a 17-character VIN. It is the model code, a hyphen and a serial of five to seven digits, in the pattern S210P-0123456. The model code alone tells a supplier the generation, body and drivetrain: on a Daihatsu Hijet, S100P is the 1994–1999 2WD truck and S110P the 4WD.
The letters before the hyphen (V-, GD-, GF-, TA-, KD-) are Japan's emissions-certification prefix. They change when the emissions rules change, not when the truck does, but write the prefix down: catalogs and fitment tables sort by it.
The engine code matters because some trucks changed engines without changing their body: the Carry moved from the F6A to the K6A in September 2001. Most nameplates also carry the body color code; copy it exactly, because paint and painted panels are ordered by that code.
| Model | Codes (2WD / 4WD) and years | Engine |
|---|---|---|
| Daihatsu Hijet truck | S82P / S83P (1990–1994); S100P / S110P (1994–1999); S200P / S210P (1999–2007) | EF, 659 cc, three-cylinder |
| Suzuki Carry | DC51T / DD51T (1991–1999); DA52T / DB52T (1999–2001) | F6A, 657 cc; K6A from September 2001 |
| Honda Acty truck | HA3 / HA4 (1990–1999); HA6 / HA7 (1999–2009) | E07A, then E07Z, 656 cc |
| Subaru Sambar truck | KS3 / KS4 (1990–1999); TT1 / TT2 (1999–2012) | EN07, 658 cc, four-cylinder |
| Suzuki Jimny (kei, all 4WD) | JA11 (1990–1995); JA12 and JA22 (1995–1998); JB23 (1998 on) | F6A (JA11, JA12); K6A, 658 cc (JA22, JB23) |
Each model page has a buyer's guide with the full code list, for example the Carry guide.
How do Japanese part numbers work?
Each maker runs its own numbering, and a number only means something inside that maker's electronic parts catalog (EPC). The catalog is organized by model code, then trim level and production period. A supplier opens it with your chassis number because the serial pins down the build date, and a part can change part way through a run. "A 1999 Carry" is not enough; "GD-DB52T, chassis DB52T-0123456, F6A, built March 1999" is.
- Copy the number exactly, hyphens included. A dropped letter or trailing block can point at a different version of the part.
- Expect supersessions. A revised part gets a new number and the catalog marks the old one replaced; keep both.
- Read the number off the old part. Castings, electrical parts and rubber parts often have it molded in; a photo of it beside the chassis number gets the right part the first time.
The kei makers' catalogs are Japanese-language dealer tools, so you rarely open one yourself; a Japanese parts exporter or a US kei specialist pulls the number from your chassis number and a photo.
Which parts can I buy at a US parts store?
Consumables carry standardized codes rather than maker part numbers, so a general parts store or tire shop can supply them. Match the code, not the vehicle; the store's computer will not list a Hijet.
Battery: read the JIS code
Japanese batteries are sized under JIS, not the BCI group numbers on American cars. As GS Yuasa explains, a code such as 40B19L or 38B20L reads left to right: a performance rank (bigger means more starting power and capacity), a letter for the case's width and height, the approximate length in centimeters, and L or R for the side the positive post sits on when you look at the short end. So 38B20L, which GS Yuasa lists for the 1999 Carry (GD-DA52T and GD-DB52T), is a B case about 129 mm (5.1 in) wide, 203 mm (8.0 in) tall and 20 cm (7.9 in) long, positive post on the left. A store that cannot search by the code can match letter, length and terminal side; an equal or higher rank is fine.
| JIS letter | Case width | Case height |
|---|---|---|
| A | 127 mm (5.0 in) | 162 mm (6.4 in) |
| B | 129 mm (5.1 in) | 203 mm (8.0 in) |
| D | 173 mm (6.8 in) | 204 mm (8.0 in) |
| E | 176 mm (6.9 in) | 213 mm (8.4 in) |
| F | 182 mm (7.2 in) | 213 mm (8.4 in) |
| G | 222 mm (8.7 in) | 213 mm (8.4 in) |
| H | 278 mm (10.9 in) | 220 mm (8.7 in) |
Tires: 145R12 6PR LT
Suzuki's 1999 Carry catalog and Honda's Acty truck specifications both list 145R12 6PR LT: a 145 mm (5.7 in) wide radial on a 12-inch (305 mm) wheel, six-ply rating, light-truck marking. Ask for the same light-truck rating, not a passenger tire of the same size.
Spark plugs: an NGK code describes the plug
NGK prints a design-symbol chart at the front of its catalog. In BPR5ES, B is a 14 mm thread, P a projecting insulator, R a resistor type, 5 the heat rating (higher numbers are colder), E a 19.0 mm (3/4 in) reach and S the standard 2.5 mm center electrode; a suffix such as -11 sets the gap at 1.1 mm (0.044 in). Your engine's code is in the manual and on the old plug.
Bulbs, wipers, filters and fluids
Bulbs carry a base type on the glass; read it off the old bulb. Wipers are bought by length. The owner's manual specifies oil, coolant, brake fluid and gear oil by viscosity and standard, which is what to match on the US product. Filters, belts and brake parts are maker-numbered, but US kei specialists stock them for the common trucks. Our maintenance FAQ lists the routine service these trucks need.
Which parts have to come from Japan, and how long do they take?
Anything specific to the body or the right-hand-drive layout comes from Japan: panels, bumpers, glass, lamps, trim, wiring and model-specific mechanical parts such as clutch cables, axle shafts and 4WD actuators. The kinds of suppliers:
- Genuine dealer parts through a Japanese exporter. Ordered from the maker's dealer network by chassis number, for anything still made.
- Japanese parts exporters with their own catalogs. Searchable by model code; some also sell used and reproduction parts.
- US kei specialists. They import service and wear items in volume and ship domestically, the fastest route for filters, belts, brake parts and timing-belt kits.
- General US parts stores and tire shops, for the standardized consumables above.
Small parcels usually travel by Japan Post's EMS, which Japan Post describes as its fastest international mail service, for items up to 30 kg (66 lb); Japan Post publishes delivery-day estimates by destination. A bumper, a hood or an engine goes as air cargo or sea freight, and the exporter quotes it. Transit time depends on the service and on customs clearance, so order a service kit before you need it.
Which of our larger JDM models share parts with US vehicles?
The 660 cc kei trucks and SUVs were never sold new in the United States, so only their standardized consumables cross-reference to a US vehicle. Several of the larger JDM vehicles on our JDM SUV and 4x4 lot were sold here under another badge and share engines and driveline parts with the US version; right-hand-drive parts (steering, dash, pedals, wipers, headlamps) are the main exception.
| JDM model (codes) | US-market version | Shared | Not shared |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honda CR-V RD1, RD2 (1995–2001) | US CR-V, on sale February 1997, built at Honda's Sayama plant in Japan | 2.0-liter B20B and B20Z engines, running gear | RHD dash and steering parts |
| Toyota Harrier MCU10, MCU15 (1997–2003) | Lexus RX 300, exported from March 1998, built by Toyota Motor Kyushu | 3.0-liter 1MZ-FE V6 | Four-cylinder 2.2 and 2.4 Harriers (no Lexus version) |
| Mitsubishi Pajero V20 series (1991–1999) | Montero (North America), Shogun (UK) | 3.0-liter V6 (Montero 1992–1996); 3.5-liter V6 (Montero from 1994) | 4D56 and 4M40 turbo-diesels; US Monteros were V6 gasoline only |
| Isuzu Bighorn UBS (1991–2002) | Isuzu Trooper (1992–2002), Acura SLX (1996–1999) | 3.2-liter V6; 3.5-liter DOHC V6 from 1998 | 4JG2 and 4JX1 turbo-diesels in most Japanese Bighorns; US Troopers were gasoline |
At a US parts counter ask by engine and year (a 1998 Montero 3.5 V6 water pump, a 1999 Lexus RX 300 timing belt) and compare the number on the part with the Japanese catalog's number for your chassis before fitting it. The 1.3-liter Jimny Sierra (JB31, JB32) belongs on this list too: its G13BA engine went into the 1991–1995 Samurai, the 1989 Sidekick JA and the Geo Metro, per the Suzuki G engine page.
How should I keep a parts list for my truck?
One page, kept with the title paperwork and photographed, answers every question a supplier will ask:
- Model code with prefix (for example GD-DB52T), chassis number and engine code, checked against the nameplate.
- Build month and year, 2WD or 4WD, manual or automatic, and the trim badge.
- Body color code from the nameplate.
- Consumable codes as fitted: battery code, tire size, spark plug code, bulb base types and wiper lengths.
- Every part number you buy, with the date, odometer reading in kilometers, supplier and any superseded number.
Photograph the nameplate and the engine code stamp before you ask for a quote. If you are still choosing, our buyer's guide covers how the models differ, and you can ask us for the codes of any truck in the kei trucks collection before you reserve it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy kei truck parts in the United States?
Yes for anything with a standardized code (batteries, tires, spark plugs, bulbs, wipers, fluids) and for the service items US kei specialists import for the Hijet, Carry, Acty and Sambar. Body, trim, glass and model-specific mechanical parts are ordered from Japan by chassis number. Our FAQ has more on parts and service.
How long do parts from Japan take to arrive?
It depends on the service. Japan Post's EMS, for parcels up to 30 kg (66 lb), is the carrier's fastest international mail service, with delivery-day estimates published by destination; couriers and freight forwarders quote their own times for bulky items.
Will Suzuki Samurai parts fit a kei Jimny?
Not the engine. The US Samurai was the 1.3-liter SJ413 with the G13 engine; the kei Jimny (JA11, JA12, JA22, JB23) runs the 660 cc F6A or K6A. The 1.3-liter Jimny Sierra JB31 and JB32 do share the G13BA with the 1991–1995 Samurai. For everything else, compare part numbers rather than assuming a match.
Sources
- Suzuki Digital Library: Carry truck catalog, January 1999 (GD-DA52T / GD-DB52T)
- Honda auto-archive: Acty Truck specifications (2009 model data)
- Suzuki: 4WD history, 1995 Jimny JA12 / JA22 / JB32
- GS Yuasa: how to read a car battery model code (JIS)
- GS Yuasa: vehicle battery lookup, Suzuki Carry
- NGK: 2019 automotive spark plug catalog, design symbols chart (PDF)
- NGK: decoding spark plug part and stock numbers
- Japan Post: EMS (Express Mail Service)
- Wikipedia (Japanese): 車台番号 (chassis number)
- Wikipedia: Honda Acty
- Wikipedia: Suzuki G engine
- Wikipedia: Honda CR-V
- Wikipedia: Isuzu Trooper
- Wikipedia: Lexus RX
- Consumer Guide: 1992–2000 Mitsubishi Montero used-car review
Written by Farhad Musazada, owner of Skyline Kei Trucks
Farhad imports more than 300 kei trucks a year to Houston and meets buyers at the lot at 6100 Harvey Wilson Dr. He writes these guides from the paperwork our buyers take to the county tax office and the official sources listed on each page. Spotted something out of date? Email us and we will check it.
Ready to look? Browse kei trucks for sale in Houston, see what is in Houston now or arriving soon, or call or text (713) 385-9798.
All vehicles are sold by Wideway Motors LLC as is, with no warranty.