Problems · NHTSA complaints

2001 Toyota Echo problems

Owners filed 55 complaints about the 2001 Toyota Echo with NHTSA between Nov 2000 and Feb 2023. The most-cited component is air bags (13).

Complaints
55
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
17
Reported by owners
Fires
6
Reported by owners
Injuries
16
People reported injured
Deaths
4
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags13
  2. Engine and engine cooling9
  3. Vehicle speed control7
  4. Service brakes, hydraulic7
  5. Power train4
  6. Tires4
  7. Electrical system3
  8. Seat belts3
  9. Visibility3
  10. Fuel system, gasoline2
  11. Wheels1
  12. Engine1
  13. Equipment adaptive/mobility1
  14. Fuel system, other1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20003
20017
20029
20038
20045
20054
20062
20071
20081
20095
20102
20111
20120
20130
20141
20152
20161
20170
20181
20190
20201
20210
20220
20231

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Air bags

13 reports12 crashes2 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA ECHO. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE AIR BAG AND CHECK ENGINE INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR DID NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN CHANGING GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE COMPUTER WAS RESET, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 3, 2018Power train, Air bags, EngineODI 11155661

Engine and engine cooling

9 reports3 crashes4 fires1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA ECHO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS ABOVE 5 MPH AND OPERATING THE HEADLIGHTS, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AFTER A JUMP AND WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 225,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 13, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10439785

Vehicle speed control

7 reports2 crashes
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 9, 2023Vehicle speed controlODI 11506400

Service brakes, hydraulic

7 reports1 crash1 related recall
“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. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 11, 2003Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10011316

Power train

4 reports
“DT: THE CONTACT STATES VEHICLE HAD A DEFECTIVE CLUTCH. THE CLUTCH HAS REPEATEDLY MALFUNCTIONED. HE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE CLUTCH TWICE WITHIN THREE YEARS. ALSO, CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. NO FURTHER CORRECTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE AT THIS TIME. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 3, 2005Power trainODI 10141650

Tires

4 reports
“THE CONSUMER STATED BUYING FOUR TIRES FOR VEHICLE, ONE FAILED A MONTH AFTER THE PURCHASE. CONSUMER'S SON HAD AN ACCIDENT AND NOBODY CHECKED THE TIRES, SINCE THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY PUNCTURE MARKS. TWO WEEKS LATER, HUSBAND HAD A FLAT TIRE. THE RUBBER DISINTEGRATED FROM THE INSIDE AND IT PEELED OFF. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOOK OFF BOTH TIRES. *AK THREE OUT OF THE FOUR TIRES FAILED WITHIN TWO MONTHS OF PURCHASE, 2 WERE FOUND TO BE BULDGING AND PEELING ON THE INSIDE. *SB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 3, 2005TiresODI 10119833
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.