IllustrationDT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE COMMONLY SHUTS OFF WHILE BRAKING OR DECELERATING TO 20 MPH. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO A SERVICE DEALER TWICE BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE ISSUE.
2003 Toyota Echo
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.
About this comparison →17Owner complaints
Model-year median: 26
0Recall campaignsView recall details →
0InvestigationsView investigation details →
Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Inspection summary
2003 Toyota Echo
NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 17 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.
Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.
Top reported categories (up to 5)
- Air Bags: 5 reports
- Power Train: 4 reports
- Engine And Engine Cooling: 3 reports
- Electrical System: 2 reports
- Vehicle Speed Control: 2 reports
Full reported-category list and vehicle report
Recall links
No recall campaigns in this snapshot.
Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.
How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Echo years →Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 9 of 17 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
3 reportsI OWNED MY NEW 2003 TOYOTA ECHO LESS THAN A WEEK WHEN IT STARTED STALLING INTERMITTENTLY WHEN DECELERATING--SOMETIMES WHEN SLOWING THROUGH A TOLL BOOTH, OR SLOWING THROUGH A TURN, OR EXITING A HIGHWAY, OR MERGING WITH TRAFFIC, OR COMING TO A STOP. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED IT FROM ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASI…
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I OWNED MY NEW 2003 TOYOTA ECHO LESS THAN A WEEK WHEN IT STARTED STALLING INTERMITTENTLY WHEN DECELERATING--SOMETIMES WHEN SLOWING THROUGH A TOLL BOOTH, OR SLOWING THROUGH A TURN, OR EXITING A HIGHWAY, OR MERGING WITH TRAFFIC, OR COMING TO A STOP. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED IT FROM ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP REPLICATED THE PROBLEM ONCE AND TRIED TO FIND A SOLUTION (BRINGING IN REGIONAL TOYOTA EXPERTS, AND EVEN KEEPING MY CAR ONCE FOR EIGHT DAYS), BUT THE PROBLEM HAS NEVER BEEN FIXED. ONCE I WENT SIX WEEKS WITHOUT A STALL, BUT IT CAN ALSO STALL MULTIPLE TIMES IN ONE DAY--AT TIMES AND IN WAYS THAT ARE LIFE THREATENING. WHEN TOYOTA TOOK ADVANTAGE OF ITS FINAL OPPORTUNITY TO REPAIR (BEFORE I PURSUE REMEDY THROUGH MAINE'S LEMON LAW), I WAS TOLD THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG, NOTHING TO FIX.*AK
RE: VALVE COVER OIL BAFFLE WE RECENTLY PURCHASED A NEW TOYOTA ECHO ON 3-23 03. ON 9-14-03 WE EXPERIENCED ENGINE TROUBLE. LEAVING US STRANDED ON A DESOLATE STRETCH OF HIGHWAY. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO FRONTIER TOYOTA IN SANTA CLARITA. UPON THEIR INSPECTION THEY STATED THAT WHO EVER LAST CHANGED THE OIL HAD BENT THE OIL BAFFLE…
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RE: VALVE COVER OIL BAFFLE WE RECENTLY PURCHASED A NEW TOYOTA ECHO ON 3-23 03. ON 9-14-03 WE EXPERIENCED ENGINE TROUBLE. LEAVING US STRANDED ON A DESOLATE STRETCH OF HIGHWAY. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO FRONTIER TOYOTA IN SANTA CLARITA. UPON THEIR INSPECTION THEY STATED THAT WHO EVER LAST CHANGED THE OIL HAD BENT THE OIL BAFFLE CAUSING IT TO LODGE INTO THE TIMING CHAIN. REVIEWING OUR RECORDS OUR LAST OIL CHANGE WAS ONE MONTH EARLIER AND 2,200 MILES EARLIER. RESEARCHING FURTHER THERE IS A TSB DATED ON 3-02-02 UNDER THE HEADING EGOO7-02 VALVE COVER OIL BAFFLE -DAMAGE PREVENTION. IN THEIR OIL FILLING PROCEDURE THEY STATE "PLEASE TAKE MEASURES TO ENSURE THAT THE BAFFLE IS NOT DAMAGED DURING THE OIL FILL PROCESS" I HAVE RECORDS OF ALL THE OIL CHANGES 3 TOTAL, THE VEHICLE. ONLY HAS 14,958. I HAVE SPOKE WITH THE OIL CHANGE SERVICE MEN THEY HAVE INVESTIGATED THE VEHICLE. THEY WERE NEVER NOTIFIED OF THE TSB. NOWHERE IN THE SERVICE MANUAL IS THERE NOTICE OF THIS OIL BAFFLE WARNING,OR ANY KIND OF WARNING ON THE OIL FILL CAP OR ON THE VALVE COVER. IN FACT AS FAR AS I CAN SEE THERE WERE NO MEASURES TAKEN OTHER THAN THE TSB WHICH WAS NOT PRESENTED TO US UPON PURCHASING THE VEHICLE ALMOST 1 YEAR AFTER THE TSB WAS ISSUED THE DEALERSHIP FRONTIER TOYOTA WILL NOT HONOR THE FACTORY WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THE VALVE COVER IS COVERED UNDER THEIR WARRANTY MANUAL. *JB
Recall campaigns
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
Defect investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.