Toyota Echo 2003

Model Echo made in 2003 by Toyota got 17 consumer complains as well as 11 service bulletins. Consumer complaints with reference, among others things, to air bags and electrical system. Technical service bulletines regarding air bags and engine and engine cooling. The car has one 1.5 engine.

Model 2003

Engine [L]CylindersTransmissionDriveEstimate MPG (city/highway/combined)Unadjusted MPG (city/highway/combined)FuelFuel costClassRelease date
1.5 4Lockup/automatic, 4 gearsF33/39/3636.7399/50.3196/41.8184Regular646COMPACT CARS
1.5 4Manual, 5 gearsF35/43/3839.2165/54.5414/44.8927Regular611COMPACT CARS

Bulletins


BulletinBulletin dateReplacement BulletinItem no.SummaryAdded
AIR BAGS
TSB-0122-1109/06/201110042555Toyota: information provided for replacing the seat covers for vehicles equipped with side airbags. *pe12/16/2011
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE
TSB-0064-1002/04/201010034284Toyota: techstream ecu flash reprogramming procedure. flash reprogramming allows the ecu software to be updated without replacing the ecu. flash calibration updates for specific vehicle models/ecus are released as field-fix procedures de11/01/2010
0250407/07/200410010306Malfunction indicator lamp on with diagnostic trouble code p0741. *tt11/15/2004
EQUIPMENT - OTHER - LABELS
0201812/16/200210000648Vacuum hose routing label replacement. *tt03/26/2003
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES - HOOD - LATCH
BO0180310/02/200310004514Shape change of hood lock assembly. *tt12/17/2003
POWER TRAIN
0090508/01/200510016638U340e/u341e transmission solenoid identification. *tt09/26/2005
SEATS
TSB-0122-1109/06/201110042555Toyota: information provided for replacing the seat covers for vehicles equipped with side airbags. *pe12/16/2011
STRUCTURE - BODY
0502010/24/20050502810016601Limited service campaign (lsc) - 50m phase 1. two phases to apply a floor corrosion protection enhancement kit due to interior floor surface (underneath the carpet) may show slight traces of surface rust. *tt phase 2. *tt09/23/2005
SUSPENSION - FRONT - STABILIZER BAR
0040304/07/200310001593New stabilizer bar bracket bolt. *tt06/09/2003
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
0020704/26/200710022143Techstream ecu flash reprogramming procedure. *kb07/06/2007
0060312/03/200310005761Security passive arming mode. also includes 2004 echo and scion xa. *tt03/15/2004

Consumer Complaints


Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
AIR BAGS
05/15/200601003/09/2005
 I own a 2004 echo. there are 3 main problems with this vehicle. one; the transmission hesitates when its switching gears. this is an automatic. two; i was in a car accident on december 2, and none of the air bags deployed. three; a lot of times when i try to start the car, it stalls. *nm
03/19/20041
 Consumer stated that while driving 50 mph her husband was involved in a head on collision. upon impact, air bags did not deploy. driver was slightly injured. *ak
AIR BAGS - FRONTAL
09/07/200529000101/01/2003
 This involves my uncle thomas barrett's toyota echo. the vehicle struck another vehicle. neither air bag deployed and the passenger side seat belt did not tension. the passenger occupant was injured. *jb
1
 The vehicle rear ended another motorist, and none of the air bag deployed. *jb
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
04/08/20036
 2003 toyota echo has problems stalling.*mr the dealer has tried numerous times to vehicle the vehicle, but has been unsuccessful, because the problem was intermittent and difficult to duplicate. the consumer did state that one time in may the dealer experience the vehicle stalling, but still could not fix the problem. the dealer replaced several parts, but the problem continued. the consumer believed the problem may have been electrical. *jb
04/08/2003604/01/2003
 While exiting the highway the vehicle stalled without warning. the dealer had been contacted. *nlm the consumer believed the problems may be attributed to electrical problems, the consumer stated there was a burning smell coming from the vehicle. *jb *nm while exiting the highway the vehicle stalled without warning. the dealer had been contacted. *nlm the consumer believed the problems may be attributed to electrical problems, the consumer stated there was a burning smell coming from the vehicle. *jb *nm the vehicle was unable to fixed. the vehicle stalled again after a recent attempt to repair. (the consumer requested odi to please refernce to odi#10065760 who has experienced the exact same problem.) *sc *jb
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
04/01/200513000203/01/2005
 Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle commonly shuts off while braking or decelerating to 20 mph. the vehicle had been to a service dealer twice but the dealer was unable to duplicate the issue.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE
07/16/20033607/10/2003
 I owned my new 2003 toyota echo less than a week when it started stalling intermittently when decelerating--sometimes when slowing through a toll booth, or slowing through a turn, or exiting a highway, or merging with traffic, or coming to a stop. i took the car back to the dealership i purchased it from on three separate occasions for this problem. the dealership replicated the problem once and tried to find a solution (bringing in regional toyota experts, and even keeping my car once for eight days), but the problem has never been fixed. once i went six weeks without a stall, but it can also stall multiple times in one day--at times and in ways that are life threatening. when toyota took advantage of its final opportunity to repair (before i pursue remedy through maine's lemon law), i was told they found nothing wrong, nothing to fix.*ak
08/14/200314958103/23/2003
 Re: valve cover oil baffle we recently purchased a new toyota echo on 3-23 03. on 9-14-03 we experienced engine trouble. leaving us stranded on a desolate stretch of highway. we had the vehicle towed to frontier toyota in santa clarita. upon their inspection they stated that who ever last changed the oil had bent the oil baffle causing it to lodge into the timing chain. reviewing our records our last oil change was one month earlier and 2,200 miles earlier. researching further there is a tsb dated on 3-02-02 under the heading egoo7-02 valve cover oil baffle -damage prevention. in their oil filling procedure they state please take measures to ensure that the baffle is not damaged during the oil fill process i have records of all the oil changes 3 total, the vehicle. only has 14,958. i have spoke with the oil change service men they have investigated the vehicle. they were never notified of the tsb. nowhere in the service manual is there notice of this oil baffle warning,or any kind of warning on the oil fill cap or on the valve cover. in fact as far as i can see there were no measures taken other than the tsb which was not presented to us upon purchasing the vehicle almost 1 year after the tsb was issued the dealership frontier toyota will not honor the factory warranty even though the valve cover is covered under their warranty manual. *jb
INTERIOR LIGHTING
05/15/20032000203/14/2003
 Dt: caller said the dash board light is not bright enough. caller can not see gas gauge and other gauges during the day time. dealer said the lights are normal and they said they can't do anything about it. manufacturer has not been contacted yet because he cant get through on the phone number he has. no air conditioning filter in the vehicle when it was purchased.*ak
OTHER
03/01/20051
 2003 toyota echo window sign stated that the vehicle had power equipment, this turned out to be false.*mr *jb
POWER TRAIN
12/13/2009131
 2003 toyota echo with manual transmission shuts off when slowing or stopping, especially on downgrades when clutch is depressed. i have learned to lessen these occurrences by not pushing in the clutch until the car is almost stopped, by never coasting with the clutch in, and by making turns with the car in gear. because it doesn't always happen, it never has happened for the dealer or other mechanics, so they say they can't fix it. or they tell me there is nothing wrong with it. this has been happening since i bought the car in 2005. the date i am using for the incident is the most recent time it happened. *tr
POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
05/15/200601003/09/2005
 I own a 2004 echo. there are 3 main problems with this vehicle. one; the transmission hesitates when its switching gears. this is an automatic. two; i was in a car accident on december 2, and none of the air bags deployed. three; a lot of times when i try to start the car, it stalls. *nm
POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE
02/28/20038102/08/2003
 From the date of purchase of this vehicle i hear a high pitched whine coming from the car. from doing research on forum sites dedicated to the echo it seems to be common on all cars. the whine is loudest on the highway between 45 - 65 mph. i contacted two different dealers about this issue and i was told to remove my stock hub caps / this does not work. i was also told that toyota will not look into the issue due to the car being discontinued. *jb
SEAT BELTS - FRONT
09/07/200529000101/01/2003
 This involves my uncle thomas barrett's toyota echo. the vehicle struck another vehicle. neither air bag deployed and the passenger side seat belt did not tension. the passenger occupant was injured. *jb
STEERING
02/21/2005102/21/2003
 Purchase a toyota echo from maroone dodge. window stick said car had power steering. equipment missing from car.dealership will not acknowledge. further more cars with rack and pinion without power steering are a potential safety hazard. attorney general working on case. *jb
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
02/13/201063536
 Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota echo. the contact stated that while his spouse was driving at approx 65 mph, the vehicle began to accelerate. the driver had to steer to the side of the road and hit a snowbank to avoid a serious accident. the contact noticed no prior experiences with the sudden acceleration before that day. the vehicle was towed to a dealership and the dealer test drove the vehicle and ran diagnostics tests. the dealer stated that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. the vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. the current mileage was approximately 63,800. the failure mileage was 63,536. updated 03/30/10 *bf

Car dealers selling


StateCityZipNamePhone
00PEMBROKE PINESMAROONE DODGE9544422000
CAVALENCIA91355FRONTIER TOYOTA661-291-2900
MABOSTONBOCH TOYOTA
MAWEYMOUTH02091TOYOTA OF WEYMOUTH781-337-2000
MEWATERVILLECENTRAL MAINE TOYOTA
NHPORTSMOUTHTOYOTA OF PORTSMOUTH
NVRENO89510RENO TOYOTA
PAGREENSBURGTOYOTA OF GREENSBURG