Diesel (DDiS) Jimny specifics

Introduction

This article is in the early process in the making! It should receive significant expansion in the near future.

Suzuki used to produce a factory diesel edition of Jimny, primarily for the market of Western Europe (excluding United Kingdom).

The catalogue model name for diesel Jimny edition is JB53. Its technical model name is SN415.

The marketing name for diesel Jimnys is "DDiS".

DDiS Jimnys were most popular in Portugal, Spain, Italy and France. A rough estimation is that almost every second Jimny in those countries, which was sold in the period 2003-2011, was DDiS.

DDiS Jimnys also had minor to moderate presence in several other European countries. Notable examples are Belgium, Germany and Austria. A rough estimation is that two in every ten sold Jimnys in those countries, in the period 2003-2011, were DDiS.

Note: DDiS Jimnys have never been available in United Kingdom.

Since DDiS Jimnys were produced "only" between 2003 and 2011, while petrol Jimnys have been in production since 1998 and still ongoing in 2017, DDiS Jimnys are relatively rare even in Europe.

Therefore, a potential Jimny buyer would normally be concerned what parts for the relatively rare DDiS Jimnys are specific to them, and how difficult is it to obtain those parts. Also, their typical concern is about servicing the diesel engine and other DDiS specifics.

Existing DDiS Jimny owners are usually struggling to find technical or service information about DDiS Jimnys, because there is hardly anything written about DDiS Jimnys in English language on the Internet.

The purpose of this article is to state all specifics about DDiS Jimnys which are not common with the ubiquitous petrol Jimny editions.

How to spot a DDiS Jimny on the road

DDiS Jimny have only two specific visible traits and one acoustic trait:

• All DDiS Jimnys have a prominent "power bulge" on its bonnet which looks like it has been glued to the bonnet.
• All DDiS Jimnys have a "DDiS" badge on both front wheel fenders, near side turning lights.
• Diesel engine's sound is easy to recognize due to characteristic diesel "knocking" sound.

If 7th and 8th character in vehicle's VIN are "53", than it's a DDiS edition.

Note: Petrol Jimnys made after 2012 also have bonnet bulge, but it is different than a DDiS bonnet bulge. DDiS bulge is narrower and taller. The post-2012 petrol bulge is much wider and lower.

Both bulges are fake. They are blanked with a black plastic blanking plate, so actually no air passes through them.

A DDiS bulge actually has a technical purpose - to provide some additional space for the top of the 1.5 DCI engine to fit under the bonnet when the bonnet is closed. The intercooler in newer 63 kW DDiS Jimnys has no connection nor relation with the bonnet bulge. The intercooler is positioned low right front, just behind the front bumper.

A post-2012 petrol bulge has no technical purpose. It has only a financial purpose - to increase sales.

DDiS bonnet bulge pictures

• DDiS Jimny bonnet - A01.jpg

  DDiS Jimny bonnet - front view

• DDiS Jimny bonnet - A02.jpg

  DDiS Jimny bonnet - front side view 1

• DDiS Jimny bonnet - A03.jpg

  DDiS Jimny bonnet - front side view 2

• DDiS Jimny bonnet - B01.jpg

  DDiS Jimny in action

Post-2012 petrol bonnet bulge pictures

• Post-2012 Jimny bonnet - A01.jpg

  Post-2012 Jimny bonnet - picture 1

• Post-2012 Jimny bonnet - A02.jpg

  Post-2012 Jimny bonnet - picture 2

• Post-2012 Jimny bonnet - B01.jpg

  Post-2012 Jimny bonnet - picture 3

• Post-2012 Jimny bonnet - C01.jpg

  Post-2012 Jimny bonnet - picture 4

Advantages and disadvantages of DDiS versus petrol

Advantages

• Lower fuel consumption, especially in city driving;
• Overall fuel consumption is probably the lowest among any proper all-terrain vehicle model ever produced.
• Much higher torque (pulling power), especially newer DDiS with 63 kW engine;
• Engine's RPM-torque curve is much more biased towards 1500-2000 RPM range, which is excellent for all-terrain driving;
• Much better suited for towing;
• Has a mean looking power bulge on the bonnet, which is different and larger than the power bulge on post-2012 petrol Jimnys;
• Engine sounds mean and utilitarian, making the vehicle appear like a larger serious 4WD truck both from inside and from outside.

Disadvantages

• Availability limited to certain European countries, and in most of them it is rather rare;
• The engine weights cca 80 kg more, so vehicle's already unbalanced front-to-rear weight distribution is further worsened - further increasing vehicle's tendency to oversteer in bends, lose traction on uphill bends, or especially when going uphill in reverse (all this in 2WD mode);
• The engine is noisier and certainly vibrates more than the petrol, decreasing interior comfort;
• Higher periodic engine maintenance costs;
• Generally, diesel engines are much more complex than petrol ones, increasing the overall risk of failures, some of which are very hard to diagnose and/or very expensive to repair;
• The overall reliability of Renault's 1.5 DCI diesel engines is not even close to the excellent reliability of Suzuki's M13 petrol engines.
• Older 48 kW Renault 1.5 DCI engines are notorious for developing catastrophic engine failures caused by some elements of the fuel supply and distribution/injection system;
• Vehicle is a half-breed of two completely different vehicle manufacturers. It has Renault's engine and some engine peripherals, with Suzuki's vehicle computer and some engine peripherals. So, if it develops a complicated engine issue, you will be stuck (or stretched) between two sides. Only Suzuki workshops can read and change all genuine failure/diagnostic codes, descriptions and settings, but most of those workshops have no experience and knowledge about Renault's engines. On the other hand, Renault workshops have the best knowledge and experience about servicing Renault engines, but no proper access to vehicle's ECU. You will most probably have to move the vehicle back and forth between those two to completely resolve the issue (if the two sides are that cooperative)!
• Not great for hard-core offroading, because turbocharger works only above cca 1500 RPM (standard turbocharger "turbolag" issue);
• If frequent stopping/pausing while offroading is performed (for example to take pictures etc.), the engine should not be turned off because turbocharger needs cooling down first (standard turbocharger issue);

DDiS revisions

There have been two major generations of DDiS Jimny editions, and one "intermediary" generation.

• The 1st generation corresponds to "Type 4" Jimny technical revision;
• The "1.5th" generation corresponds to "Type 5" Jimny revision in Suzuki's official technical classification;
• The 2nd generation corresponds to "Type 6" Jimny revision in Suzuki's official technical classification;

Note: For more information about Jimny "types", see wiki chapter Manuals and Owners Guides;

• The 1st DDiS model was produced from 2003 to the first part of 2005.
• The 1.5th DDiS model was produced for a short while in 2005.
• The 2nd DDiS model was produced from the end of 2005 to approx 2011. The second model had several minor revisions.

The change from 1st to 2nd DDiS model occurred at the same time period when all Jimnys (both petrol and diesel) changed from manually operated 4WD transfer box to electrically operated (push-button) transfer box and from 1st generation interior trim to 2nd generation interior trim and from 1st generation front bumper to 2nd generation front bumper. This transition occurred during the second half of 2005.

The "1.5th" intermediary generation-model existed in the transitional period during 2005, and it contains a mix of new and old components. For example, a DDiS vehicle with older 48 kW engine and 1st generation front bumper, but with electrically operated transfer box and new interior trim. There might be some other rare combinations as well in that intermediary generation. Suzuki was probably getting rid of some old parts to clear the production line. Vehicles from this intermediary generation are rare since it was not produced for a long time.

The most significant changes between 1st and 2nd DDiS models:

1. Change of engine from 48 kW (65 HP) to 63 kW (86 HP) by the addition of an intercooler.
2. Different fuel injection system;
3. Different fuel filter;
4. Different electrical generator and alternator;
5. Different air conditioning system and piping;
6. Different turbo charger;
7. Different engine sensors (crankshaft, camshaft, lambda, etc.);
8. Different engine cooling system and piping;
9. Different ECU (vehicle computer);
10. Change from manually (lever) shifted transfer box to electrically (push-button) shifted transfer box;
11. Possibly a different gearbox?
12. Change from 1st generation to 2nd generation front bumper (see wiki article "Front bumper issues");
13. Completely redesigned interior trim (dashboard, instrument panel, steering wheel, switches and dials, seats, etc.);

The summary of the changes in the engine bay is that, while the basic engine block might have remained the same, most of the peripheral engine components have changed, and an intercooler was added. This resulted in significant power and torque increase (from 160 Nm to 200 Nm). Fuel consumption remained the same, which is officially 5,6 l/100km extra-urban, 7,0 l/100km urban and 6,1 l/100km combined.

The change from 1st to 2nd DDiS model also contains many common technical changes which happened with petrol Jimnys during the same transitional period. Examples are different CV joints, front brake discs and front brake pads, handbrake cables, external side mirrors, etc.).

The newer intercooled 65 kW DCI engine requires the use of 2nd generation front bumper (to accommodate the intercooler and to feed it with air). That is why the 2nd generation front bumper was invented in the first place, but Suzuki sadly decided to bolt it onto every petrol Jimny as well from 2006 until 2012.

To be continued soon ! ...

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Page last edited on 17/01/2017 by user Bosanek