- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- 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.
- The fix
- 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.
Vehicle safety record
2002 Toyota Echo Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 61 complaints about the 2002 Toyota Echo with NHTSA, most often about the brakes (11) and the transmission & drivetrain (9). Those complaints describe 15 crashes, 2 fires and 13 injuries. It is covered by 2 recalls, the latest in July 2006 for the engine and engine cooling. For comparison, the 2001 has 55 and the 2003 has 29.
NHTSA data checked
DMore problems than a typical Echo year, for its age
#141 most complained-about 2002 vehicle
- Complaints
- 61
- Recalls
- 2
- Crashes
- 15
- Fires
- 2
- Injuries
- 13
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2002 Toyota Echo problems
Share of all 61 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2002 Toyota Echo recalls 2
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- 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.
- The fix
- 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.
What owners say
Problems or none - your experience is exactly what the next buyer is looking for. Write it now
61 complaints about the 2002 Toyota Echo
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 3.
Air bag front passenger looks that is not working, alarm in red shows that there is a problem with the airbag
Takata recall.Nothing has happened so far. I want to know if this is one of the models of cars affected by the takata air bag recall? Please let me know,so I can get it repaired, if necessary. Thank you!
Our toyota excels to top speed on its own full speed. This almost had us in a very serious accident. The dealer says there is nothing wrong with the car but this happened twice last week 12/30/15 toyota gave us a case # ni50883640 however, they have not done anything about it, what can we do?
2002 Toyota echo. Consumer writes in regards to gasoline burning too much in the exhaust system. *Smd consumer sent additional correspondence. *Smd *js
Another vehicle traveling north, crossed center line and hit daughter in 2002 toyota echo head on. As a result of impact toyota echo caught on fire resulting in daughter receiving 3rd degree burns on right arm, head and leg. The air bag deployed as noted by -stander that removed daughter from vehicle and helped extinguish flames on daughter. Daughter was unconscious after impact. Vehicle was completely consumed by fire and daughter airlifted to burn center for treatment.
I shifted into reverse to back out of a driveway when the car suddenly accelerated on its own. It crossed the street and ran over a brick planter box, knocked down a crape myrtle tree and finally hit the neighbor's suv. I applied the brakes to no avail and had no time to shift into neutral or turn off the ignition. After the accident, I checked the gas pedal to see if it was against the floor or if the floor mat was interfering with it, but found nothing wrong. The car was totaled and my back was injured. *Tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota echo. The contact stated that a burning odor was present inside the vehicle while driving. The contact soon discovered smoke coming from the rear window brake light. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the rear window brake light socket and housing, which were made of plastic, had both melted from the heat of the light bulb. The failure was not repaired. The contact removed the light bulb from the socket. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 70,000. Updated 06/10/14 ma the consumer purchased the parts and vehicle has since been repaired. *Tr
Low beam headlights were engaged using the dimmer switch located on the steering column per normal operations. The low beams switched to high beams display. Unable to disengage without totally switching off the lights. The high beam indicator appeared on the dashboard display as well. This event occurred when the temperatures were at or below 20 degrees fahrenheit and the car had been parked for about 8 hours (in a park and ride lot). Once the interior cabin warmed up after about 20 minutes I was able to "jiggle" the lights back to low beams.
Stuck throttle on jan 19th, 2012 when accelerator pressed to floor. Recovered by pulling up with foot. Tried to reproduce the same day and was able to. Took to dealer (boulder toyota) on jan 30th. They claimed they were unable to reproduce but thought carpet might be interfering with foot pedal and recommended I change all of carpet in car at a cost of $1200. I asked them to just trim the card around the pedal, and they told me they couldn't do that. Tried to reproduce after dealer visit and was unable. Inspected...
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on feb 3rd, and it appeared like carpet might have been pulled back around hole in floor. I pushed it back into position, and then tried to reproduce the stuck throttle and was able. *Tr
My 2002 toyota echo on nov. 16Th 2010 while driving on the freeway in the county of los angeles ca. Went into reverse while still in drive. There was traffic ahead of me so I was only driving about 2 mph when it went into reverse while the automatic shift was still in drive. I went to put on the brake but the brakes did not work. I turned off the car and put on the hazards. Two minutes went by when I turned on the car and it went into drive. I then took it to the keyes toyota in van nuys ca, and was told that they never heard of this before from any toyota cars and that if they were even to look it would be completely at my expense. I sold the car for parts on 11/18/10. *Tr
2002 Toyota sienna minivan. When I try to open the driver side sliding door, I can hear it unlatch but remains shut. You have to push the rear part of the door back in until you hear a click, then you have to violently pull the handle and the door will open. *Tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota echo. The contact stated when traveling at speeds of 40 mph and up, the traction would feel as if she was driving on ice and the vehicle would slide back and forth. The vehicle was taken to a local repair facility where the mechanic advised that the sway bar was worn. The mechanic replaced the sway bar, a rear shock that was leaking and all four tires. The failure persisted. The manufacturer advised the contact to have the vehicle diagnosed by an authorized dealer. The vehicle was not further repaired. The failure mileage was 127,220 and the current mileage was 128,443.
Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(B)(6) nhtsa recall 06v266000 recalled 02 toyota echo for crankshaft sensor failures which could cause the vehicles to stall and not restart, risking a crash. Toyota only recalled vehicles up to serial numbers ending in 212671. My 02 echo just had the exact crankshaft sensor failure described in the recall. My vin number is[[redacted]]. So I was told by toyota that by vehicle did not qualify for the recall, even though I have the exact failure. The recall needs to be extended to higher vehicle numbers. *Tr
1. Approaching a left turn at 15 to 25 mph, gap in on-coming traffic, press accelerator and turn left. 2. The car decelerates as the transmission takes over and lethargically downshifts, 98% of the time, causing near misses. 3. I doubt anyone cares to consider it a problem. So, how many more broadsides occur with echoes than the average for other cars, or has no one ever checked? *Tr
Tl*the contact owns a 2002 toyota echo. The contact stated that while he was at a traffic light with his foot off of the accelerator pedal the engine idled and accelerated to a higher speed. He had to put his foot on the brakes and shift into neutral gear in order to stop the vehicle from idling. The failure has occurred several times. The manufacturer was called and a claim was filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and a diagnostic test was performed which confirmed the accelerator pedal malfunctioned. The...
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dealer advised the contact the he would be responsible for the repair cost since there were no recalls. The dealer refused to repair the vehicle. The failure mileage was 80,000. Updated 03/12/10. *Lj when the beginning acceleration, the engine would rev at a high idle and the vehicle would pick up speed and severe brake pressure was need to stop the vehicle. Updated 09/14/10
Toyota floor mat over accelerator- this happened to me! More than once! I discovered what it was the second time it happened. I pulled the emergency brake and put the car in neutral both times. Toyota echo, 2002 . *Tr
Tl*the contact owns a 2002 toyota echo. While driving 60 mph, the vehicle shut off. Prior to the failure, the dealer informed the contact that she needed a starter and the part had to be ordered. The vehicle was placed on a lift and a hole was discovered in the engine. The failure has been recurring for four or five years. When she drives over 80 miles, the oil light illuminates. The dealer diagnosed the failure on several occasions. The vehicle's maintenance has always been current. The dealer also stated...
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that they repaired the vehicle according to nhtsa campaign id number 06v266000 (engine and engine cooling), but the failure continued. Currently, the engine is being replaced with a used engine at the contact's expense. The replacement will cost over $3,000. The failure and current mileages were 97,500.
I have a 2002 toyota sequoia with 62,000 mi. I have been to two toyota dealers to figure out my problem. The vsc trac, vsc off, abs and brake lights are coming on. Finally after @$700 of my money, they figured out the problem to be the ecu. This will now cost me @1800 for parts, and who knows yet for labor. I have read online that many other toyota owners have the same problem. This is an expensive situation, unless you have the ext. Warranty. I feel that toyota needs to do something about this, maybe recall...
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this and fix these cars before there is an accident. I live in new york where there is alot of snow. My vsc will not work until I get this fixed. I have two small children and have to relay on standard brakes in the snow until this is fixed. Toyota should stand behind their reputable name and fix these problems asap..... *Tr
Tl*the contact owns a 2002 toyota prius. Each time the vehicle is driving forward or in reverse at approximately 4 to 10 mph, it shakes violently. The failure occurs intermittently and usually in cold weather. The vehicle shakes roughly after it has been driven for a while. The vehicle was taken to a dealer on two occasions. Service bulletin number 20040604 was referenced. The dealer discovered that the steering rack and steering computer failed and needed to be replaced at the cost of $2,200. The current mileage was 50,000 and failure mileage was 40,000.
I purchased a 2002 toyota sequoia in november 2002. When the vehicle was purchased the sales person told me that the heating/air conditioner system appeared to be a poorly designed, but I did not think that a big obstacle to my purchase. I had continual problems trying to regulate the temperature in the vehicle. It was either 65 degrees and the next level down was cold. I was always flipping the knob back and forth trying to regulate the temperature. This was not a big safety issue unless taking my...
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eyes off the road for these adjustments can be considered hazardous. But I live in a somewhat cold climate and I have had trouble keeping the windows defrosted on some days particularly if the humidity was high. This could be considered a safety issue. I just took the vehicle to the toyota service department because air conditioner light was blinking. Looking at a repair bill of around $1,600.00 For a new compressor and clutch. Of course, I do not have an extended warranty as this was my sixth toyota ,and I have never had any problems such as this is the past. Since I have read that others have experienced the same problems I would urge someone to look into the issue before someone got killed because of inability to see out the front window. *Ak
One week ago I was running errands with the toyota sequoia, but the car refused to start once I completed my errands. Eventually, the car had to be towed and the repair shop reported that the gear shift bracket and lever were broken and therefore prevented the gear from properly going into park. The repair shop reported seeing several such cases recently but stated that toyota has informed him that the problem resulted from improper handling of the gear shift. I had thecar for more than 5 years and have always followed the proper procedure. Perhaps this needed further investigation. *Ak
I was driving down a 4 lane highway (us 29 s), when a car tried to turn into the median three cars ahead of me. One car swerved to avoid the front two vehicles. When they did I was able to see the cars trying to stop. I slammed on my brakes, by the time I did it was too late. So going about 65 with about 50 feet of stopping distance I guess I was going 40 - 50 mph. I could not move to the other lane since there was tractor trailer in the other lane. So I rear ended the vehicle in front of me. Impacting on the...
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driver side front corner. My airbags failed to deploy. The following day inspecting the damage, the air bag sensor was right next to the damaged area and should have been able to pick up the impact. *Jb
1:40 Pm, jan 20, 2007, I was driving my sequoia n/b on sierra hwy in the city of santa clarita. I was traveling approx 40-45 mph. I noticed a slight stiffness in the steering. A short time later the left front of my vehicle violently fell to the ground. There were vehicles behind me and with difficulty I steered to the curb. When the vehicle fell to the ground, I heard a loud 'bang', and I felt that I lost some of my brakes. One of the drivers behind me told me she saw sparks coming from under my vehicle. I looked...
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at the front of my vehicle. I saw the left front tire, wheel & hub (all still attached) folded under the left running board preventing the front fender and bumper from falling directly to the roadway. I saw that the brake lines appeared to be broken. I had the vehicle towed to toyota on mon, jan 22, 2007. I was told that it appeared the left upper ball joint had broken causing the wheel to break away from the vehicle. The dealership contacted their service director to determine what repairs should be made. I was subsequently told that my vehicle was out of warranty and that toyota had 'no liability' to repair my vehicle at their expense. Repair estimate is approx $5,000. + The rental vehicle they arranged. I was told a regional service inspector would look at my vehicle. I told them that I wanted the old parts if repairs were to be made. I am now afraid to drive my vehicle. I went to the toyota web site and noticed numerous recall notices from toyota for front ball joint failures on my type of vehicle. I received no recall notices from toyota. Toyota stated my vin was not on the list for any recall notices. The toyota service dept stated that this would not be considered 'normal wear and tear' that would require me to have this item checked during all of my regular maintenance services. This failure could have been much worse, causing serious injury to myself and others on the road. As of this date I have not been notified that the regional inspector has inspected my vehicle. *Jb
Dt: 2002 toyota echo. The contact stated when closing the passenger door the rear window collapsed and shattered. The vehicle has not been taken to the dealership, but it was at a local auto glass repair shop. Toyota stated they had not heard of this problem, and asked the repair shop to file a letter of cause, condition, and remedy. This occurred on october 14, 2005. There had been no trouble with that window prior to this. *Ak
Dt: 2002 toyota runner. The consumer received a recall letter for lower ball joint. The consumer stated the wheels were cutting the tires on front where lower ball joint was located. The consumer contacted toyota, who said it is not related to lower ball joint, and they could not do anything else for the consumer. This has being happening since the consumer bought vehicle. It has 30,000 miles , and needed new tires.*Ak
Toyota Echo: every year compared
All Echo years2002 Toyota Echo vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 Toyota Echo | 61 | 2 | D | |
| 2002 Toyota Camry | 1,039 | 4 | F | Compare |
| 2002 Toyota Sequoia | 692 | 8 | F | Compare |
| 2002 Toyota RAV4 | 555 | 0 | F | Compare |
| 2002 Toyota RAV4 EV | 555 | 0 | F | Compare |
| 2002 Toyota Highlander | 327 | 2 | D | Compare |
| 2002 Toyota 4RUNNER | 251 | 3 | F | Compare |
| 2002 Toyota Sienna | 207 | 1 | F | Compare |
| 2002 Toyota Prius | 193 | 2 | C | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2002 Toyota Echo
Does the 2002 Toyota Echo have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2002 Toyota Echo: engine and engine cooling (July 2006); hoses, lines / piping, and fittings (October 2002). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Toyota Echo?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the brakes (11), transmission & drivetrain (9), acceleration & cruise control (8).
How many complaints has the 2002 Toyota Echo had?
61 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on June 12, 2002 and the latest on April 25, 2018. Of these, 15 describe a crash and 2 a fire, and together they report 13 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2002 Toyota Echo a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 37 out of 100 (grade D: more problems than a typical Toyota Echo year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Toyota Echo years have the most complaints?
2000 (86), 2002 (61), 2001 (55). See every Toyota Echo year compared.
What should I do if my 2002 Toyota Echo has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data