Toyota Echo

majorthomecho

I just got done with picking up a couch and bringing it back home. As my Echo was not quite big enough : ), I had to rent a 14ft U-Haul truck. The drive made me appreciate my Echo even more.

In the truck the bumps were jarring, the acceleration horrible, and the truck used more gas in that short trip than I use in a couple of days with my Echo.

Well, I have to make another short trip and it will feel good to take my Echo.

sonatafan

I got my anchor upgrade work done at the dealership this afternoon.

All they are doing is installing a second anchor hook at each of the three locations to make them double-thick and longer screws for the added thickness. Looks kinda generic but they have plastic covers over them when not in use so it's no big deal. Haven't tried to install my son's carseat yet so I don't know if the extra thickness affects hookup.

The armrest provides excellent support and is stable when attached on the sides of the console. It will rock side to side a little because the console is only held to the floor by one screw at the rear but the seats and seatbelt buckles give it side support. Plus the armrest adds more storage (like the Echo needs more places for storage)!

kaz6

I too have occasional balkiness when going into reverse...I just put it back into neutral and release the clutch then try it again. It is not unlike other japanese cars I've had.

majorthomecho

I mentioned the trip that I had to make in that 14ft U-Haul. Well, I about choked when I had to fill the tank back up to full and I figured out my mileage.

My trip was approximately 40 miles and it took about 10 gallons to bring the tank back to full on the gauge. I got a whopping 4 miles to the gallon!

Definitely appreciate my Echo and the 40mpg that it gets.

spiehler

In post 1890, I read "You need only to start in one corner of the wheel and wedge one corner into place ..."

Pretty funny :^)

janbee

bl2echo

recently purchased an electronic compass mailorder that included a battery condition scale,inside temp, outside temp. probe and a digital readout voltmeter. an all in one package that mounts conveniently on the front dash right over the wheel. the sun makes the inside temp. highly inaccurate but the rest seem to work well. i put the outside temp probe into one of the a/c outlets and watched the temp with the a/c in operation. during the day with the sun shining on the car the lowest it would go was about 48F. this was even on the few short highway trips i took. in the evening with the temp. about 10-12F cooler the a/c read 45.5F. lowest temps during the day were when speed was about 20-25 mph. highway speeds actually resulted in higher a/c temps. speculation is that beyond a certain rpm the compressor gains little efficiency but the engine generates more heat. surprisingly recirc. did not lower the temps even when the cabin began to cool. no explanation-only the facts! lastly with nyc a little cooler this week i ran the nipper without the a/c. under similar circumstances it would appear that the a/c usage penalty is about 3-4 mpg.

jhall7

I will attempt to install the armrest based on your detailed information.

I will let you know the outcome.

Thanks again for your help.

Jack

babyboomer

I had a plastic bottle of liquid car wax in the trunk of my Echo. The bottle leaked. But it was wrapped in a grocery store plastic bag so no mess. The bag also helped keep the item from rolling around in the trunk. So if you leave items, especially liquids, in trunk or elsewhere, wrap them in plastic bags. My next purchase of car wax will be paste and will not be stored in the trunk.

I feel like Dear Heloise!

fangio2

kaz6

I have the cargo net installed in my trunk and it is great for keeping small things put. The only drawback is that it needs to be pulled away slightly to access bulky items in the trunk. Other than that, I keep liquids in a plastic bin for that very reason...spills happen.

majorthomecho

I got the recall notice on the child seat tether anchor. I am not sure if I will take it in sometime this week or wait until it is scheduled for my next oil change.

What do my fellow posters suggest? Don't have children requiring car seats and not likely to be driving any around any time soon so time is not of the essence.

kaz6

I am also in the same situation; I will wait until my 15,000mi check-up to do it. I may bring it in earlier if they can do it and check the a/c as well...my a/c has been fine but just want to be sure.

echorick

In past messages, I recall a warning about tinting door windows and possible scratches due to no felt strip. Can someone please repost that info.

Has anyone had the door windows tinted without having a scratch problem?

sfecho

I have a 4-door Echo with power door locks. When driving with the doors locked, all four of the lock pulls rattle incessantly. I took it in to the dealer service department and the said there was nothing they could do unless Toyota gets enough complaints and comes up with a fix.
Does anyone else have this problem?

mbohun

Have no such behavior on my ECHO... however

You mention when all doors are locked, all pulls rattle. Does this happen on smooth highways? Have you tried manually locking either two forward or two aft and determine if you get the same results? How about none or one locked? Have you driven the car over excessively rough roads to loosen all locks?

You may have a machine that is missing some type of plastic lock spacer, if there is such a thing??? Keep bugging your Toyota Dealer and take him for a test ride to prove... then have him test drive a new ECHO from the dealers lot.

thoover

Yes our lock buttons rattle. We own two ECHOs and they both have this characteristic. I don't even notice it much any more, but I know you are right that if the buttons are in the unlock position, they don't rattle nearly as much. I always thought this was a strange thing for Toyota to miss since the car is so tight otherwise.

My favorite peeve about the ECHO is that I cannot put air on the windshield without the air conditioner turning on - I would rather make that choice myself!

I have 41MPG over the last 5 fillups on my automatic in mixed driving (you cannot trust just one tank MPG due to variable fill ups). This is my best 5 tank interval yet...

Love my ECHOs...

kaz6

I posted a comment a while back but didn't get a response. While I don't like having the rattle, at least I know it's not just my car. The dealer, ever so helpful, said all I could do was leave it overnight for them to look at! I don't really notice it much but will probably put some felt on the shaft to quiet any rattling. This is the only rattle I've had in 10k of driving.

schaeffz

I've got a 1993 Toyota Tercel, paid off a long time ago, a bit dented and dull, 241,000 miles, still gets 37 MPG regardless of city or highway. I replaced the engine with a short block at 150,000 ($3600), because I forget to give it oil changes (I commute about 600 miles a week). The "new" engine has 90,000+ on it and uses a little oil. I've replaced the brakes and tires three times. I change timing belt, plugs, and wires every once in a while. And today, unfortuneately, I'm having the exhaust pipe replaced. They said the cat.converter and muffler and shocks are fine (all original). Never had to charge the air conditioner. The clutch and tranny still work fine. So...I'm thinking about trading up to a new Echo. Why would I do it? Convince me! Do you think I'll get 240,000 cheap miles out of a slightly abused Echo?

majorthomecho

For my thoughts, please see the thread Echo vs. ???? under comparisons as you also posted this message there and I have started a response.

mbohun

Finally received the plastic hood deflector from Toyotaguys.com (out of stock for several weeks)... installs with four screws in existing holes in the leading bottom edge of hood.

This deflector makes the front end look good because it conforms to the body... not like the flat planks I see clamped on most trucks.

Should help prevent those rock digs as well as save a windshield from thrown foreign object road damage.

This deflector is made in Canada... where I believe most of the ECHO are driven. Address below can be copied and pasted into your search box or just click below.

http://www.toyotaguys.com/hooddef2001b.html

jhall7

I had my Echo tinted about a month ago and have had no problems with scratches or deformaties of any kind.

It made an amazing difference in cooling the vehicle. Prior to tinting, I would run the A/C on high most of the time. After tinting, I am comfortable on the first or second setting.

Watch out for the installer not folding the inside rubber piece back up. They failed to do mine and I had to take it back for them to do so.

Jack

echorick

Thanks for the response.

What brand and darkness tint film did you use?

smonk59

I got the darkest tint allowed by florida law. Which is the panther tint that 3M Corp makes. If you get it installed by a 3M authorized installer than it has a lifetime warranty, any bubbles or tears EVER get repaired for FREE, it is the kind of tint that looks like a mirror

jon

dfwecho

Echorick,
I had my windows tinted when the car was brand new
And I have experiended scratches on the front windows, at the top..In less than 6 months, the top 1/4 inch on each window were badly scratched.
I have smoke tint all around my Echo, limousine tint on the rear windows and the back glass.
Ventshades on the windows, bought at JC Whitneys
seems to help cool the interior. Wrapped the A/C line as suggested in here, it also helped.
2000 Electric green with cladding, 4 dr, Auto, Air, Cruise ( dealer installed ), 37500 miles so far.

majorthomecho

Anyone thinking of tinting their car and living in Missouri should know that tinting a car requires the permission of the Department of Public Safety.

This will change with a new law taking effect on August 28th. On that date, it will be possible to tint your rear and side windows without permission. I believe the darkest you can go is 35%.

In Missouri, the only way to get your windshield tinted is with an eye doctor's excuse. I do not believe that will change with the new law.

kengilbert

I test drove a 4-door as that was all the dealer had in stock that day and pulled the rear seat back down myself to see the tunnel into the trunk; I was told all Echos have this feature. But I later spoke to the owner of a 2-door (to tell her she was missing a hubcap) and during our chat she said, "not mine, there is no catch" and I didn't see one either. Anybody here know for sure or should I head back to the dealer? Also related, anybody hear of a possible 2002 hatch here in U.S.? Thanks.

gunny101

After months of research and test driving, today I finally bought my new Echo. I should be getting it early next week. Nice to be a part of the owners group

-Gunny

kaz6

Congrats on your new Echo!!! It really will grow on you!!!

janbee

where abouts in Canada are you???

levine90

If you mean the seats that fold down to allow access into the trunk from the cabin of the vehicle, that's an option and not standard equipment. My 2-door doesn't have it, either.

gunny101

I am in Brampton Ontario, right by the Nortel Networks headquarters (http://www.RobertBlake.net/images/GunnyWORK.jpg), and 20 minutes from Toronto.

cwo4

Ever since I bought the ECHO my AC has been weak and on long trips would ice up after hours of use. Luckily, I was close to my local dealership when it froze up again, and for once I could demonstrate what I had described for almost a year. Now that they had seen it, they took it in the shop and put some diagnotic computer attachments on it and ran it for four hours. Everything was fine EXCEPT a relay, which operates the AC and horn, was "sluggish" in its operation. They replaced it at no charge. Yesterday I made a nine hour trip with the AC on all the way. No problems! It worked! Hooray! Now my only complaint has been resolved. BTW, I went over 45K yesterday. With the AC on and speeds slightly above the speed limit, still managed 39.4 mpg. I'm one happy camper.

cliffy1

Fantastic! I'm glad they were finally able to track that issue down.

BTW, how goes the job hunt?

majorthomecho

I went to the grocery store for some ice cream and as I was waiting at the stop sign an Echo like mine went by. He honked first and then I honked and we both laughed. I was able to pull in behind him and I saw that he had bought his Echo the same place I bought mine.

Small world.

majorthomecho

I also post in the low end cars thread on the sedan section and one poster made reference to a relative not liking the cardboard trim in the trunk of the Echo.

I rechecked my Echo and I don't have any cardboard trim in my trunk. The divider between the spare tire and the carpeting is plastic and not particle board as many low end cars have.

Does anyone know what they might have been talking about?

echorick

I have a 2000 ECHO 2 door without split rear seats. The partition at the rear of the trunk is black cardboard. I believe that is what you are referring to. I also think it is a bit cheap. The good side of it is that it will move if pushed and you can fit more in the trunk!

sonatafan

I agree it must have been the black cardboard at the very back of the trunk.

Mine also doesn't have the split folding rear seats so I have the cardboard as well. I'm a traveling service rep for a major company and my trunk is always loaded with service gear and parts. Needless to say the cardboard back there is extremely creased, bent up and pushed in to the back of the seat cushion.

39,000 and all is well with my little black "fax mobile"!!

majorthomecho

I got up early this morning and washed Major Tom. Really enjoyed being the only one at the car wash and being able to take my time. Also enjoyed not having the hot sun beat down on the car and dry the car before I could.

Major Tom looks pretty sharp.

mpgman

I used to do the same with my Festiva. Kind of felt cheated though given its small size...Wanted to use dimes instead of quarters! So do you hear anything about the 02s that would make it worth waiting another month or 2?

jeffdz

Hi
Did anyone out there receive Key Fob's with their 2001 ECHO? I own a four door, Auto, with electronic locks. I was told by the dealer that no key fob's came with the car or with the electronic lock option. However, my owners manual, on page 11, says "my vehicle has wireless remote control system that can lock or unlock the doors or activate a Panic mode" What's the real deal?
Thanks
Jeffdz

majorthomecho

I don't think there are any changes. I believe the power windows are an option on the more recent '01s so you don't have to wait for the '02s to get it.

Not sure if power windows are an easily obtainable option or a factory order like ABS and side impact air bags, though.

zhz

I don't have an Echo, But I think most companies only design one booklet for each model, be it Echo, Corolla, or a Sentra. So not all what they said in there applys to your particular car

vocus

I have a friend with an Echo, and hers has an alarm on it. That's when you get the remote, not with the power locks. It comes with the ones that have an alarm or keyless entry installed on them.

mbohun

Those that don't want to spend the $s on window tint may want to consider window shades by Axius. These auto shades are called Suncutters...they have both rear window and sides and attach easily via suction cups via oil or water... you can see them on the web site.... plus they are very cheap under $10 for each set.

You can call Axius at 1-888-992-9487 or see there web site below...

www.axius.com

jeffdz

Thanks to "zhz" and "vocus" for the replies on the Remote Control. I agree with both of your answers.

sfecho

My 2001 I bought in May has upgrade package #3
which is power windows and keyless entry.

majorthomecho

I know that the reviews are written by two different people, but Edmunds is at it again. Ample storage space which is a object of derision for the Echo becomes a plus when it comes to the Kia Sedona.

spiehler

Awhile back, someone posted an item about teeth for the front grille openings (http://www.auto-expressions.com/home.htm). They look absolutely awesome on a Mazda Miata but not so great on an Echo. I pointed out http://www.magneticflames.com.

Well. I have received my California Teardrops and put them on my seafoam 4-door, and I think they look pretty darn good. So good that I ordered Fast Flames to go with them.

Once I put the flames on, those people in the Corvettes and Vipers are going to be mighty scared when I pull up next to them at a traffic light :^)

levine90

I got my 5 speed Echo to do a 0 to 60 time of almost exactly 8 seconds earlier tonight, a little better than the 8.5 Edmunds reports. The Echo's low curb weight has many advantages, and I think this is one of them; it's quite amusing to keep up with those 3 series BMWs at stoplights and watch them fumble! Of course, it's because they're not hitting it as hard as they can, but the Echo definately packs a punch you wouldn't expect from looking at it.

Hopefully if I practice a little more on my technique I can get the time to under 8 seconds. We shall see...

Cheers,
Peter