2003 Toyota EchoRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

“ON MARCH 17, 2005 I PURCHASED A 2003 TOYOTA ECHO FROM TOYOTA OF NASHUA IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR AND LEAVING TOYOTA OF NASHUA TO DRIVE HOME, THE ENGINE STOPPED AS I APPROACHED A STOPLIGHT AT THE END OF THE HIGHWAY EXIT NEAR MY HOUSE. I HAD SIMPLY DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH TO COAST TOWARD THE RED LIGHT. I DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT AT THE TIME, ASSUMING THAT IT STALLED DUE TO STALE GAS. HOWEVER, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO QUIT PERIODICALLY. SOMETIMES THE ENGINE WOULD QUIT SEVERAL TIMES IN A WEEK AND THEN GO SEVERAL MONTHS WITH NO PROBLEM. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN TO HAVE THE OIL CHANGED ON JUNE 2, 2005 I DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AND ASKED THAT IT BE FIXED. AT THAT TIME, THE CAR HAD 28,606 MILES ON IT AND WAS STILL UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY. THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. (SERVICE REPORT IS AVAILABLE) THE PROBLEM PERSISTED THROUGHOUT THE FOLLOWING YEAR SO WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO BE INSPECTED ON JUNE 29, 2006, I ASKED THE SERVICE MANAGER TO HAVE A TECHNICIAN USE THE CAR TO COMMUTE TO WORK UNTIL THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AND FIXED. ON JULY 19, 2006, THE DEALER CALLED AND ASKED ME TO PICK UP THE CAR. THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN…”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA ECHO. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED RAPIDLY ON ITS OWN WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. DUE TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE RAN A RED LIGHT. THE CONTACT PULLED INTO A DRIVEWAY AND TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CALLED FITZGERALD TOYOTA GAITHERSBURG AT (301) 921-0300 (LOCATED AT 907 N FREDERICK AVE, GAITHERSBURG, MD 20879), BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000. *TT CONSUMER STATED CALLED FITZGERALD TOYOTA BACK AFTER THEY CALLED. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT IT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN, BUT TO DO A DIAGNOSTIC WOULD BE $180/HR. HE SAID THEY COULD LOOK AT IT. IT HAS BEEN SERVICED FOR ENTIRE TIME THAT WE HAVE HAD AND NO PROBLEMS, I WAS NOT GOING TO PAY $180/HR TO HAVE THAT DONE, WHEN REPOTS FROMECHP BURNERS HAVE HAD SAME PROBLEM AND TOYOTA WON'T FIX. UPDATED 10/16/18*JB”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD TICKING AND RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. SHE IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER AND THEY PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE TEST INDICATED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS SEPARATING FROM THE INSIDE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD TOO MANY MILES TO BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 62,000.”