2001 Toyota Echo Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2001 Toyota Echo most often describe air bags that did not deploy during collisions. Other recurring reports involve the accelerator sticking or the car speeding up without warning, engine-compartment fires, and engines that stall or will not restart. Mileage is often not stated, but the stalling reports all give mileage, ranging from about 57,000 to 225,000 miles.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Air bags did not deploy in collisions

   • 14 complaints (28%)
   • median 64,000 mi at 2.9 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • 12 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2018

   Owners describe air bags that did not deploy in frontal, head-on and rear impacts, and some say the driver-side bag stayed closed while the passenger-side bag opened. An owner says the manufacturer explained that the bags were not designed to deploy in that impact because the other vehicle was larger. Mileage is often not stated, and where it is given it ranges from about 6,000 to 88,000 miles, with reported crash speeds from about 10 to 55 mph.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask the seller about any prior collision and check that the airbag warning light comes on at startup and then goes off. A service bulletin covers customer concerns about SRS airbag or pretensioner performance, so ask whether its steps were carried out.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Consumercomplained having problems with fire on the engine. Also stated that while driving the vehicle was involved on a front collision and the vehicle got on fire which it lead into a total lost of the vehicle and the air bags did not deployed . Dealer was not contacted at the time of this call. Ts moment after impact the fire had ignited underneath the hood. The driver side air bag did not deploy but the passenger side air bag did deploy.”

   NHTSA complaint #10001410, filed 2002-12, 6,000 miles

   “While driving at 55 MPH was involved in a front collision. Upon impact, air bags did not deploy. Manufacturer was contacted, and stated that they will be sending somebody to see the vehicle, but nobody has come to see the vehicle yet. Ts......”

   NHTSA complaint #10001207, filed 2002-12, 40,000 miles
2. 2
   Vehicle speed control

   Accelerator sticks or car speeds up unexpectedly

   • 5 complaints (10%)
   • median 103,500 mi at 9.0 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2003–2023

   Owners describe the accelerator pedal staying fully down, sometimes requiring a foot to pull it back, and the car speeding up without warning and becoming hard to slow. In some reports a floor mat is linked to the pedal sticking, and a dealer suggested the mat was the source, but the owner says the problem continued after aftermarket mats were fitted. A complaint describes a crash into a garage door after the car accelerated at 20 mph without warning. Where mileage is given, reports range from about 67,000 to 140,000 miles, and some describe the problem while entering a highway or ramp.

   What to check: Check that any floor mat is fixed in place and cannot slide toward the pedals, and ask whether the accelerator pedal has been inspected for sticking. Ask the seller whether the car has had any unexplained acceleration or pedal-related repairs.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While entering interstate accelerator was depressed all the way and became stuck on a couple of occasions. I had to use my foot to release it and it popped out. Dealership recommended it was floor mat. I purchased aftermarket ridged floor mats that will not curl up and it is still an issue.”

   NHTSA complaint #11506400, filed 2023-02

   “While driving at any speed and without warning the vehicle will accelerated and it becames difficult for the consumer to get the vehicle to decelerate resulting in vehicle damage, the dealer has been notified.”

   NHTSA complaint #10002413, filed 2003-01
3. 3
   Engine cooling

   Engine compartment fire after impact or while parked

   • 6 complaints (12%)
   • median 10,000 mi at 2.5 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2002–2014

   Owners describe smoke or flames from under the hood, with some vehicles burning completely. Most of these reports describe the fire starting after a front-end collision or a tree impact, while other reports describe flames while the car was parked after a drive. Mileage is given in only some reports, from about 6,000 to 72,000 miles, and most fires followed a collision or tree impact.

   What to check: Ask whether the vehicle has been in a front-end collision, and check the engine bay for oil or fuel residue, damaged wiring, or earlier repairs. Some sampled reports also describe fuel-line leaks, so ask about any fuel-line repairs.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Owner had been driving for approximately 35 minutes before arriving to work. The vehicle was parked for approximately 15 minutes before another co-worker noticed that flames were coming from under the hood. The fire department was notified and they extinguished the fire. Vehicle was inoperable. The entire passenger side of the vehicle was burned.”

   NHTSA complaint #10116993, filed 2005-03, 72,000 miles

   “While driving around a slight curve at about 35 MPH, consumer loss control off the vehicle and hit a tree. Consumer noticed smoke coming from under hood, and exited the car. The vehicle caught fire and completely burned. Consumer feels vehicle should not have burned so severely. Please provide any further information. Ph”

   NHTSA complaint #10004039, filed 2003-01
4. 4
   Engine cooling

   Engine stalls, will not restart, or loses power

   • 6 complaints (12%)
   • median 95,950 mi at 8.5 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2004–2016

   Owners describe the engine stopping while driving or after a stop, sometimes without warning, and then failing to restart. An owner reports stalling at speeds above 5 mph with the headlights on, and says the car restarted only after a jump. Some complaints name the crankshaft position sensor, which recall 06V266000 concerns on certain vehicles, and a complaint says the manufacturer stated the vehicle was not included in that campaign. In a power-loss report, the dealer said engine oil sludge resulted from poor maintenance, which the owner disputes. Every report in this group gives mileage, ranging from about 57,000 to 225,000 miles.

   Recall 06V266000

   What to check: Ask whether recall 06V266000 applies to this vehicle and whether the crankshaft position sensor and its connector have been checked. Ask for records of any stalling, no-start, or engine-light repairs, including oil-change history.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Crankshaft position sensor! I bought the vehicle from a gentleman who hasn't driven the car for awhile after it died on him and he was unable to start it up again. I hooked it up to an obd reader and it give s me the code for the crankshaft position sensor. I checked fuel pump spark plugs to make sure and those are good working order.”

   NHTSA complaint #10920010, filed 2016-10, 150,000 miles

   “My 2001 Toyota ECHO oil light came on so I checked the oil and it was full. I drove to the place where my oil was changed last and my engine light came on. The light stayed on until I turned off my engine and would reappear from time to time. When my car started making a loud clanking noise, I got concerned and was ready to take it to the dealer when it completely lost power and I had it towed to the dealer. There they tell me that because I did not maintain my vehicle properly, engine oil sludge occurred. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10254434, filed 2009-01, 82,900 miles
5. 5
   Brakes

   Rear brake recall repair delayed by missing parts

   Mentioned in 4 of 48 sampled complaints

   Owners describe trying to book the rear brake recall repair and being told by the dealer that parts were not available or that there was not enough time for the work. The recall text describes rear brake line contact with snow that freezes inside the wheel after repeated stop-and-start driving in low temperatures and deep snow. Complaints say the manufacturer was also contacted and gave the same answer about parts. None of the reports in this group state mileage, and they describe a repair delay rather than a particular driving pattern.

   Recall 02V268000

   What to check: Ask the dealer whether recall 02V268000 is open for this vehicle and whether the rear brake work has been completed. Get the completion record before buying, since these complaints describe waits for parts.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Consumer called complaining about having problems with brakes. Also stated that the brakes have a recall. Dealer was contacted and stated that did not have the parts and they don't know when they will have then either. Consumer also stated that contacted the manufacture and told them same thing that the dealer. Ts”

   NHTSA complaint #8023598, filed 2002-12

   “Consumer had attempted to make an appointment on 5 different occasions to have the recall repair work done, 02v268000 only to be told the dealer did not have enough time to perform the work, and on one occasion, consumer was told there were no parts.”

   NHTSA complaint #10011316, filed 2003-03

Buying note. Before buying a 2001 Echo, ask for proof that the rear brake recall work is done and check whether recall 06V266000 applies to the vehicle. Since several reports involve crashes, ask about accident history and check that the airbag warning light comes on at startup and then goes off.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 48 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.