2002 Toyota ECHO: complaints, problems and recalls

NEW 2002 TOYOTA ECHO WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END COLLISION GOING 40-45MPH AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. NO ONE WAS INJURED DUE TO THE USE OF SEATBELTS. AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER CLAIMS FOR SAFETY.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000763 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN THE CONSUMER BECAME TO MOVE FROM A STOPPED POSITION THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO OSCILLATE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT WHICH CAUSED THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT A CURB. ONCE THE VEHICLE HIT THE CURB IT TIPPED OVER ONTO IT'S SIDE. NONE OF THE OCCUPANTS WERE INJURED. *PH *CB *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 8,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10027190 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE CLUTCH WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR, AND WOULD BECOME HARD TO STOP. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THE CLUTCH HAD TO BE RELEASED TO HEIGHT BEFORE THE VEHICLE MOVED (NO REMEDY), HARD START AT ANYTIME, ALARM WENT OFF BY ITSELF AT ANYTIME (NO REMEDY), WOULD NOT START AND OR CRANK (REMEDY-REPLACED THE STARTER ASSEMBLY/PROBLEM-STARTER RELAY), ALARM HAD GONE OFF RANDOMLY, WOULDN'T SHUT OFF AND COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN, HEAD LIGHTS FLASHED, ALARM WOULD COME ON, SOMETIME THE CLUTCH WOULD HAVE TO BE PLAYED WITH IN ORDER TO …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10031522 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ROLL DOWN A CLIFF. AS A RESULT OF SEVERE DAMAGE THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK AT AN EARLIER DATE, THE CONSUMER TRIED TO STOP THE VEHICLE BUT SPUN AROUND ON THE FRONT TIRES. TOYOTA INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THEY DID NOT COVER THE TIRES. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND SWERVED TO MISS AN ONCOMING VEHICLE. RECALL #02V268000 WAS ISSUED AFTER THE OCCURRENCE. ON THE SECOND OCCASION, THE VEHICLE HAD GONE OVER A CLIFF AND HIT A TREE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED COMPENSATION…

Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10050198 at NHTSA ↗

CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN ON A STRAIGHT, DRY ROAD AT 35 MPH. THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED OSCILLATING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT ON ITS OWN OUT OF CONTROL OF THE DRIVER. THE CAR HIT THE CURB AND TIPPED OVER ON ITS SIDE.

Owner-reported narrative. 8,188 miles reported. Look up ODI 10069354 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH ON A FLAT, STRIGHT HIGHWAY IN LIGHT-TO-MODERATE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS ON A ROAD WITH NO OBSTRUCTIONS OR VISIBLE FLUID/OIL SPOTS MY 2002 TOYOTA ECHO SUDDENLY AND SHARPLY VEERED RIGHT. I ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT MY TRAJECTORY, BUT THE CAR SWERVED COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL, FINAL TURNING COUNTER-CLOCKWISE TO HIT THE CONCRETE MEDIAN NEARLY-HEAD-ON, WITH MAJORITY OF IMPACT ON RIGHT FRONT OF CAR. THE RECOIL OF THE IMPACT TURNED THE CAR SO THAT IT WAS COMPLETELY 180 DEGREES FROM THE DRIVING DIRECTION ON THE FREEWAY. T…

Owner-reported narrative. 10,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10072878 at NHTSA ↗

1. NO PROBLEMS WHATSOEVER UNTIL EVENT. WE ARE ORIGINAL OWNERS AND THE CAR ONLY HAD 17,000+ MILES ON IT. 2. DRIVING ALONG AT NORMAL RATE OF SPEED, SUDDENLY METALLIC, GRINDING SOUNDS FROM UNDER HOOD (NOT LIKE A BLOW OUT OR TIRE TREAD COMING OFF), SLOWED DOWN TO PULL OVER WHEN CAR PULLED HARD TO THE RIGHT AND LOCKED. HUSBAND PULLED HARD ON THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT. THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED BUT THE WHEELS DIDN'T. NO CONTROL OF CAR WHATSOEVER. CAR HIT GUARDRAIL. AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. HUSBAND WAS TAKEN BY AMBULANCE WITH HEAD, CHEST, AND…

Owner-reported narrative. 17,296 miles reported. Look up ODI 10086611 at NHTSA ↗

MY BOY FRIEND WAS DRIVING MY 2002 TOYOTA ECHO 2-DOOR COUPE. WE WERE DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE LANE ON THE OUTERLOOP OF 495 (MARYLAND), RIGHT PAST THE CONNECTICUT/KENSINGTON EXIT WHEN TRAFFIC BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN (50MPH). THE MAZDA 626 IN FRONT OF US SUDDENLY SLAMMED ON HIS BREAKS SO MY BOYFRIEND SLAMMED ON HIS BREAKS WHEN HE NOTICED A CHEVY MALIBU COMING FULL SPEED BEHIND US WITH THE DRIVER UNCONSCIOUS AT THE STEERING WHEEL. HE GLANCED TO THE SIDE AND SAW NO ONE COMING ON HIS LEFT SO HE TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO CHANGE LANES. THE TOYOTA ECHO…

Owner-reported narrative. 24,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10088269 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2002-10-01 (October 1, 2002)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, IF THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN UNDER REPEATED START AND STOP OPERATION IN LOW AMBIENT TEMPERATURES AND IN DEEP SNOW, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT SNOW COULD ACCUMULATE IN LARGE QUANTITIES INSIDE THE REAR WHEEL AND FREEZE. THE SNOW FROZEN INSIDE THE WHEEL COULD CONTACT THE REAR BRAKE LINE DURING WHEEL ROTATION.

Consequence: IF THIS CONDITION OCCURS FREQUENTLY, THE REAR BRAKE LINE COULD BE DAMAGED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN LEAKAGE OF BRAKE FLUID, CAUSING A DECREASE IN BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR BRAKE LINES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN NOVEMBER 9, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

Reported: 2006-07-19 (July 19, 2006)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, DUE TO IMPROPER MOLDING OF THE RESIN BODY OF THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENOR INSTALLED ON THE ENGINE BLOCK, ENGINE OIL MAY PENETRATE THE SEAL AND ENTER THE SENSOR WIRING CONNECTOR. THE WIRE HARNESS CONNECTOR MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENTLY ATTACHED TO THE LOCKING TAB OF THE SENSOR WIRING CONNECTOR.

Consequence: ENGINE OIL INSIDE THE SENSOR WIRING CONNECTOR COULD CAUSE EXPANSION DUE TO THE HEAT OF THE ENGINE AND COULD DEFORM THE SENSOR WIRING CONNECTOR. THE CONNECTOR MAY BECOME DISCONNECTED, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL WHILE DRIVING AND NOT BE ABLE TO BE RESTARTED INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 26, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.