Toyota Echo

kneisl1 · January 2012

Follow this link to a picture from the service manual of the disassembly of the shift lever to get to the bulb:

http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?p=624601#post624601

mcg11191 · January 2012

Thanks for that. I knew there was a screw on the top side of the shift knob, but didn't know where the other screws were. It looks like the bulb is close to the top of the console. If and when the light stops working again I'll give it a try.

nlwpsms · February 2012

I have a 2000 Toyota Echo sedan automatic that is making an odd clicking noise when the engine is on. I can hear it when I am driving down the highway and when I am stopped at stop signs and when parked in my driveway. I'm not sure where to begin looking. No engine codes are currently showing up. (no light either but I have a reader that will show pending codes before the light goes on anyway) Last June my left front wheel baring was replaced. Last July the front brakes were replaced and the fuel vapor assembly was replaced. I have no trouble stopping when I brake. The clicking started in late August and has gotten louder. The local Toyota dealer wants to charge me $115 to check my engine codes. Since I already know there are no codes I need other options.

echofan · February 2012

Does the clicking speed up as the engine is revved? If so, I'd look at the things that the belts are turning: the alternator, power steering pump, AC compressor, and water pump.

Maybe one of the more knowledgeable people will chime in; I'm definitely not any kind of great mechanic...

Also, if you ever need engine codes read, Auto Zone will do it free. And Harbor Freight has cheapo code readers for about $40

kneisl1 · February 2012

I will think about it.

Right off the bat though I have this advice.

Stay away from the dealer unless you want to spend $$$$ for nothing.

nlwpsms · February 2012

I have an Android phone with an application on it for reading engine codes via a Bluetooth adapter that goes into my cars code reading port so I know for a fact that there are no engine codes. I had all the belts replaced last year. The car does not have a timing belt. It has a timing chain that is good for the life of the car. (I suspect this means when the chain goes the car is dead for good) The clicking noise is whenever the engine is on but doesn't speed up if I rev the engine and doesn't slow down if I am merrily at idle. It doesn't speed up or slow down in relation to the cars current speed either. Brakes still work fine and the car still has no pending or current engine codes.

kneisl1 · February 2012

If the chain DOES go it can be replaced. But I have never heard of that happening. Possibly there are other issues by that time which would cause the car to be uneconomical to repair.

I think its a good sign the noise doesnt get more or less frequent. Also that there are no engine codes. Its just one of those noises that dont mean trouble just drive you crazy.

You will get used to it and it will become "normal".

But its possible the cause will be revealed to you one day.

If so post it here for others to benefit!

babyboomer · March 2012

Humming along like it's gonna live forever.

kneisl1 · March 2012

How many miles now?

babyboomer · March 2012

135,000 miles, and hoping for at least another 135,000.

kneisl1 · March 2012

awesome!

nospringchick · April 2012

There is indeed a cabin filter in the 2oo1 Toyota Echo. When I bought my car, I asked the service department to install one. They told me the 2001s didn't have one.

After my car was off warrenty, I started taking it to another business for servicing and they asked me if I wanted one installed, since mine was missing. I told them what I had been told and they just started laughing, and then showed me where to find it.

Since then I have replaced my own every year - it's easy. I am an older female and don't appreciate service personnel pulling the wool over my eyes - I have not been back to the local Toyota dealership since that time.

For anyone with allergies - the cabin filter is a godsend!

echofan · April 2012

Yeah, I never understood why Toyota made a place for a filter but didn't install one when the car was manufactured. They did the same thing with my '06 Scion xB (which is basically the same car with a different body).

For my Echo, Scion, and Sienna I buy a big home air conditioner filter, and cut pieces to fit each car. Really cheap, and looks to be a better filter than the ones from the auto parts store.

fendley · August 2012

I have a 2003 echo. The cheap plastic undercarriage is attached to the bumper and chassis by even cheaper plastic thumb snaps, most of which have fallen off, leaving half of the undercarriage to drag along the ground when I drive. I have scoured the web looking for a replacement undercarriage and tabs, but can't find anything. Replacement bumpers abound, but no undercarriages. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

kneisl1 · August 2012

I have used zip ties to secure the plastic undercarriage on my sons 180,000 miles 2000 ECHO.

Have you looked in junkyards?

Go online used parts and ask people.

nippononly · August 2012

just rip the thing off and call it a day - it is only there to slightly improve fuel economy, and I mean SLIGHTLY.

babyboomer · August 2012

Am I correct to conclude that since there are no major complaints or repair postings, despite the aging of the Echo, that the reliability is still excellent?

mcdawgg · August 2012

Check Consumer Reports (if you don't know someone who subscribes, go to the library.)

I think you will see it is very reliable.

nospringchick · August 2012

Mine certainly has been. Other than regular maintenance (spark plugs, oil and air filter changes) and buying new tires when needed, I have spent nothing on repairs.

kneisl1 · August 2012

ECHOs are getting to be 10 year old vehicles now. So things will start going wrong in spite of the good vibe the car has.

Be careful cause the cars good repair record is well known and scum are selling them for top dollar. You could get scamed with car with major problems...

dake · October 2012

I just replaced an ignition coil on my '01 (easy fix - 100 bucks for a new coil at O'Reilly's). It's the first mechanical issue since I've owned the car. Now, there are a couple of small nuisance issues otherwise. The power lock on the front passenger door no longer moves (unless you manually lock or unlock it) and the cable from the interior trunk release let go, so you have to use the key to get into the trunk.

Still, not bad considering (and the trunk issue should be fairly easy to fix).

kneisl1 · October 2012

Was the coil one of the four that sit atop each sparkplug?

You might consider on line junkyards they wight be cheaper than $100.

mIGHT.

The lock and the trunk problems can be fixed but might entail doing cosmetic dammage to the car.

Or not if you are good at that sort of thing.

Since they can be worked around they are pretty much part of the ageing process and not critical like a tranmission or internal engine problem would be.

The car is flat out amazing longevity wise.

englishe30 · December 2012

Hello all.. I am about to acquire a 2001 Toyota Echo 2dr 5spd for $2,000. It has around 165,000 miles on it. Currently it is in the shop getting the heater and defroster fixed. I know the owner personally and she has stated the car is great and this is the first issue she has had with it other than routine maintenance items. My father had one as well when they were new. At the time I hated the car but now that I do a lot of commuting the idea of the Echo sounds great. So here is my question. Does anyone have any tips for the Echo? Anything I should be aware of? Thanks!

kneisl1 · December 2012

ECHOs tend to run and run. Theres nothing specificially that goes wrong with them

EXCEPT

if the CEL goes on the mass air flow sensor is often why. THESE THINGS ARE KNOWN TO FAIL AS THE CAR AGES.

gOOD LUCK AND TELL US WHAT HAPPENS AND YOUR IMPRESSSIONS!

sorry for caps!

mnman · January 2013

I'm looking for a deal on two stock wheels for my 01 sedan. 14- 5 1/2 is the size I think. My zip is 54896 if anyone has some spares to sell. I'm unemployed 2 1/2 years now so scroungin'

herm.mark@gmail.com

Kirstie_H · January 2013

Since this forum has people from all over the US and other parts of the world, it's not really a good venue to buy/sell parts. To target a local audience, your best bet is craigslist.org.

ztramno27 · May 2013

Hi
Can you add this to the Echo's as well???

kneisl1 · May 2013

No the ECHO uses a mechanical/electrical cruise control and the accelerator is connected to the throttle by a cable. The CC for the YAris (and probably everything else made recently) is contained in the ECM that runs the engine and the throttle is connected to the gas pedal electronically. Basically the CC is on every car with this feature whether its sold with cc or not. You would just have to add the stalk.

The good news for ECHO owners is the cable allows a smooth transition from standing still to moving. Like at a light or stop sign. The fly by wire of the Yaris has a very jerky and uneven transition.

nippononly · May 2013

Indeed the throttle by wire pretty much wrecks what would otherwise be a very decent little driver's car, with the SE trim in the new model. I like so much about it I might consider keeping it at the end of the lease even though the throttle is so awful.

kneisl1 · May 2013

Hi Nip what are you driving now? I thought I remember you sold the ECHO....

slackur · May 2013

Hi, my Echo developed a clicking noise under the hood. It does not speed up as I accelerate, it actually seems to go away when I am pressing on the gas pedal. It speeds up when I kick on the AC. When I start the car it takes a min before it begins to make the clicking sound. On the way home from work I noticed that the sound would come and go. Pretty annoying and not sure what to look at. Any tips?

Thanks

kneisl1 · July 2013

Who from the old days is still checking this forum?

I wish I had an ECHO but my son still has his!

nippononly · August 2013

I still stop by occasionally. My brother in law has my old Echo, now passing 185K and still going strong, and still no repairs EVER! Quite a record. He did finally have to replace the front brake pads though, something I never did the whole time (10 years, 165K miles) I had it.

My '12 Yaris SE is much much more fun to drive, what with the vastly improved handling and somewhat better steering as well. The deal-breaker in this car is unfortunately the throttle-by-wire, which is so calibrated so poorly that you have to count one-one-thousand-two-one-thousand after you press the gas pedal before the engine starts to rev. And it actually has "dead" space - the first couple inches of travel of the pedal don't cause the engine to rev at all, even if you sit there for a count of ten.

I think they do it in the name of fuel efficiency, but all it does is irritate the driver immensely and make the stick-shift version almost impossible to drive smoothly. This is the first time I have ever leased, and I was sort of thinking of buying it at the end of the lease when I first picked it up. Now I think they would have to offer me a really great deal, WAY below the residual price listed in the paperwork, for me to buy this out of the lease, just because of that issue.

It's still great as cheap transportation though, and I continue to pull 40 MPG on average, which is nice even though gas prices really didn't jump up this summer like in years past.

kneisl1 · August 2013

To deal with the throttle lag with an automatic you can just take your foot off the brake and let it roll. Once you are moving then give it a little gas. It makes for smoother starts. Perhaps you can do something similiar with a manual I dont know.

I think more people are buying small cars now and that may be the reason for the price stability of gas. Certainly the average use of a vehicle, a short trip to work with a single occupant, doesnt justify a Ford F150 with a V8 engine, or even a V6 in a sedan. Buying a big car which is what the public does, gaurantees they will pay through the nose for gas. Its like putting a sign on your back that says "KICK ME!"

Dont worry gas is going up in the long run...

nippononly · August 2013

What's so annoying about the throttle lag in the Yaris is that it is the result of a design choice. They could have designed it to rev quickly and promptly whenever there was any input from the gas pedal, but they chose not to.

My Subaru also has e-throttle, but it revs right away and quickly with pressure on the gas pedal. Toyota should have made the one in the Yaris mimic the old days of being connected to the throttle plate by a cable more than they did.

My old Echo was old enough to still actually have a cable connection to the throttle. I miss that soooo much in the car that replaced it.... :-(

kneisl1 · August 2013

Wow I was stunned when I got my Yaris and encountered the throttle lag due to e throttle. I shouldnt have been suprised my wifes 04 Camry has it too. Im even MORE shocked to hear that Subaru doesnt do it even with e throttle! To me its a safety issue. A potentially serious one. What happens manuvering in tight spaces for instance when you cant control the car?Not good!

Are you on Yaris World?

nippononly · August 2013

I am, but I can't recall the last time I actually visited there... will have to check it out again soon.

kneisl1 · August 2013

They have a helper CT Scott who is amazing. He came up with a $10 way to add cruise control (its all in the computer not cables and servos anymore) and I did it to my YAris and it works!

soldat · October 2013

Well, I'm not from the 'old days', but I've been researching on here for about three years... Does that count? :-)

I bought a 2000 Echo with about 155k miles three years ago for a second car, and have been extremely pleased with it. Only real issue right now is a recurring problem with auto trans slipping. problem begins with while driving residential speed of maybe 30mph trans will slip, or disengage, engine revs, and after coasting a few seconds, will reengage and function normally. however at same time, speedometer will go crazy; down to zero, bounce back up, etc. Check engine light comes on also. speedometer error will continue even if trans does not slip anymore. condition will persist maybe several days intermittently, and then disappear for many months. Normal use of the car is usually around only 150 miles per month. I found a similar posting here; any suggestions?

Thanks guys...

kneisl1 · October 2013

Wow you are brave!

At 150 miles a month/1500 miles a year it doesnt make sense to fix it. Just take your foot off the gas when it slips. Just drive it!

Is the trans oil level good?

Get a used trans from a junkyard and have a shop put it in. Either now or when it goes.

Please post whenever you feel like it!

The ECHO is too good a car not to have followers and a place people who own them/have problems can talk about!

And its lonely being the only one here!

soldat · October 2013

Roger that; it's a dang good car, and we have no intention of letting it go... :-) Was just taking a shot in the dark here to see if it may have been a known problem with a possible easy fix by changing out a sensor component or something. I also need to change out the fuel gauge illumination bulb; thought I had seen that here once but can't seem to locate the posting now. I'm also thinking about trying to fix the climate control air flow direction knob, but don't know how deep I'd have to go. Air blows now only thru dash vents. A/C blows icy cold, but would be nice to have selection for heat and defog. Of course, doesn't stay cold for too long here in Texas... :-) Just put four new tires on last month for grins; can't beat $300 deal!

kneisl1 · October 2013

Sounds like a lot of work and difficult to do....

But keep in touch and the best of luck with your ECHO!

nippononly · December 2013

with my friend who I gave my '02 Echo to, and he now has 192K miles on it. He has had a couple of minor fender benders and the rear outside door handles are now flapping around loosely - the spring that is supposed to make them sit flat is broken I guess - but he still has had no mechanical repairs of any kind. He has changed the oil once or twice and that is it.

It's a good thing too, because he is trying to pay off his wife's car before replacing the Echo, and so hopes to get another couple of years out of the old Echo. I told him he had to let me know when it crosses the 200K threshold. ;-)

Mine was a 5-speed, 4-door. And on a sidenote: I just traded in the '12 Yaris that replaced it. Just not a good enough car to go on paying for after the lease was up. Did not have the purity of purpose the Echo had, and felt much cheaper, more poorly designed, and less well put together than the Echo. So I have moved up to a Civic SI and put Toyota in my rear-view mirror - first time in 25 years I haven't owned a Toyota, and not sure when I will be going back, if ever.

kneisl1 · December 2013

I agree there is no replacement for the ECHO today on the market.

MY 09 Yaris has needed a water pump and the oil pressure sensor recently leaked and had to be replaced! 35k miles.

Still I feel the Yaris is the only thing out there for me...

nippononly · December 2013

There seems to be a strong consensus out there that Fit and Fiesta are both very worthy alternatives to the Yaris...and to those I would add that I know a couple of people who have bought Accents and been very happy with them...just saying, in case you might want to look at an alternative... ;-)

kneisl1 · December 2013

Yes and theres the Mazda 2 and mitsubishi has come out with a Fit clone. Not to mention the 1.2 liter car made in Korea Chevy is selling.

Its possible I will swap my Yaris for my sons 2000 ECHO. It has ~200k and my son needs a newer car maybe. I just need to drive to work for another year...

All in all I think my new car buying days are over.

mnman · February 2014

I haven't checked in for a few years but I still drive my 01 Echo sedan daily. It's been banged up by bigger cars but at 184,000 miles it still drives like new. I finally replaced the battery this winter, I thought it'd never die! 13 years in a very cold climate, good job Toyota!

mnman · February 2014

I put Cooper snow tires on the Echo and it makes all the difference in winter driving! When my Echo does meet it's end I'll buy another one! A great money saver overlooked by many!

kneisl1 · February 2014

Hi folks I wrote a book!

See it at www.outskirtspress.com

Click on bookstore and search for The Storys

Thanks!

kneisl1 · February 2014

@mnman said:
I put Cooper snow tires on the Echo and it makes all the difference in winter driving! When my Echo does meet it's end I'll buy another one! A great money saver overlooked by many!

The best small car made IMHO!

Toyota Echo

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