Problems · NHTSA complaints
2005 Toyota Echo problems
Owners filed 5 complaints about the 2005 Toyota Echo with NHTSA between Aug 2005 and May 2011. The most-cited component is air bags (3).
Complaints
5
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Air bags3
- Service brakes, hydraulic2
- Vehicle speed control1
- Suspension1
- Engine and engine cooling1
- Power train1
- Structure1
- Latches/locks/linkages1
- Fuel system, gasoline1
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 Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
2
1
0
0
0
1
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 2 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Air bags
3 reports3 crashes
“TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA ECHO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHERE THE VEHICLE WENT AIRBORNE AND FLIPPED OVER TWICE. IN ADDITION, NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE DRIVER WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A MINOR CONTUSION AND INJURIES TO THE CHEST BONE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 10,000.”
Service brakes, hydraulic
2 reports1 crash
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, WITHOUT ANY WARNING SIGNAL, THE BRAKES MADE THE VEHICLE PULL VIOLENT TO THE RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO DETERMINED THE DISC WHERE BENT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME THE BRAKES FAILED AGAIN AND THE DEALERSHIP O MACHINED THEM TO EVEN THE SURFACES. FIVE MONTHS LATER, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED AND THE DEALERSHIP MACHINED THE DISCS AGAIN. AFTER THE FORTH FAILURE OF THE BRAKES, THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO A LOCAL CONSUMER PROTECTION AGENCY RELATING TO THE LEMON LAW, BUT WAS REFERRED TO NHTSA. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT THEY PROVIDED A REFERRAL TO THE OFFICE IN PUERTO RICO. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERN BECAUSE DRIVING ON A HILLY AREA WITH DEFECTIVES BRAKES WOULD BE HIGHLY RISKY.”
Vehicle speed control
1 report1 crash
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA ECHO. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN HE TRIED TO SLOW DOWN AND WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. A CRASH OCCURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE DRIVER STATED THAT THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 75000.”
Suspension
1 report1 crash
“DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA ECHO. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ON JULY 14, 2004. THE CONSUMER FELT VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END, THE SHOCK ABSORBERS LEAKED AND THE DOOR LATCHES WERE BROKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY FIXED THE LEAKING SHOCK ABSORBERS AND BROKEN DOOR LATCHES . THE WINDOW STICKER STATED THAT IT WOULD GET 39 MILES PER GALLON OF GAS WHEN IT ONLY GOT 24 TO 27 MILES PER GALLON OF GAS. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STAY IN OVERDRIVE. A WEEK AGO THE VEHICLE WAS IN A FRONT END COLLISION AND UPON IMPACT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE CONSUMER SUSTAINED BACK, NECK, LEFT SHOULDER AND A RIGHT KNEE INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THERE WERE NO FIRES. *AK (11/30/05) OTHER PROBLEMS: TRANSMISSION SHIFTED HARD, ENGINE NOISE (TICKING/RATTLEING), THE BRAKES SQUEAKED, THERE WERE LOUD INTERIOR SQUEAKS, PULLING TO THE RIGHT AND ROUGH IDLE. *SC”
Engine and engine cooling
1 report1 crash
Power train
1 report1 crash
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.