2000 Echo with some problems

[ownerofcaroline]

Sorry this is so long!
I just bought a 2000 Echo with high miles and problems that didn't surface until after I purchased her from a private seller.

Caroline, my car, has the check engine light on. After going to Advance Auto Parts to get the codes scanned the first time, I was told get a tune up and it could be the Oxygen Sensor. The place I took her to for a tune up said they believe from doing their own free scan that it's the Catalytic Converter which could run me anywhere from 150-500 (yikes!). The code was reset and it was off for a few miles and came back on. Returned to Advance today and the same code came up and the girl there told me that it could be either the Catalytic Converter or the Oxygen Sensor (which is pretty pricey too).

I was told to get the timing belt checked out too. Someone else said that getting the oil changed a mechanic should tell you the condition of the timing belt and other belts. I did that and went to an actual garage to have it changed, not an instant place. The mechanic said that all the other belts are good, but he said that he would have to tear half of my car apart to look at the timing belt.

Now I've noticed another quirk, the shifter (Caroline's an Automatic) moves quite easily when it's out of park. I don't need to push the button to make it move from drive to neutral to reverse.

Now about me, I don't know cars well and I am pretty much near broke. My last cars were Chevy Malibus and the most I did to them is change the taillight and pour power steering fluid in them. I would love to know how to fix Caroline or cars in general (and even purchased Auto Repair for Dummies a few years ago), but too worried on screwing up.

Anyway, my questions are:
Is there a way to find out for sure if it's the Catalytic Converter or the Oxygen Sensor (and which Oxygen Sensor) without taking it to a place that says they have a better scanner than AAP, but charges 30.00-60.00 to use it?

Is that true about the timing belt, is it really that hard to get to?

Does anyone know what's wrong with the shifter, which I know is connected to the transmission, do I have to start worrying about my transmission now?

I have an uncle who works a bit on cars and what he cannot figure out he takes to a guy who doesn't charge too much and works for a dealership and on the side he fixes cars on his own time. However, they live about 150 miles away. It's not a problem to drive there, but should Caroline be driven that far in her condition, if they will take a look at them.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

[Bombcatter]

Well considering that it is a high milage vehicle it is quite possible to have a catalytic converter problem if the previous owners had a tendency to run the car on empty leading to misfires that stress the part. Perhaps you could find a used one from a local auto recycler (junkyard) that may canabalise from a crashed vehicle.

[Yaris Hilton]

The 1NZ-FE 1500cc engine used in the Echo has no timing belt. It uses a timing chain with an automatic tensioning and lubrication system, and there's no recommended replacement or inspection. Whether that mechanic's ignorant or dishonest, I wouldn't trust anything else he says.

[Dake]

Do you live in a city where you are required to pass an emissions test? If not, I wouldn't even worry about fixing it. Put a piece of electrical tape over the light on the dash and go about your business.

It is true that it's labor intensive to get to the timing belt or chain, but as Hilton mentioned it's not something you need to worry about.

I wouldn't really worry about the shifter. There's a switch that normally prevents it from moving, but it's not integral to the operation of the transmission itself - just be careful not to knock it into reverse when you're driving down the highway.

I'm always nervous about hearing about the catalytic converter going bad because that's one of those items that sounds fancy and is expensive and no one really knows anything about it. It also is not something that usually goes bad on newer cars.

The O2 sensor sounds more reasonable but shouldn't be as big a deal and again - if you don't need it inspected (or inspected right away), then don't worry about it for now. The car won't blow up with a faulty O2 sensor, at worst you just might not get as good a mileage as your supposed to. But try and get some second opinions on the codes - or get the codes themselves and post them on here.

[Yaris Hilton]

It's useful to have your own code reader. Nowadays it's not out of reach. I jumped and bought one instantly when I saw it at Wal-Mart for a bit under $60 a couple of years or so ago. It's more than paid for itself in saved service charges. Now some basic ones are approaching the $20 range. You can plug the thing in, get a code, look up the code in the reader's manual or on one of the many online sites that list code interpretations, and have a short list of problems that could cause that code.

[FiveSpeed]

I bought a code reader at an online auction for less then $30 for my 02 echo. Replacing the spark plugs and resetting the codes solved my check engine light problem. The echo has 2 O2 sensors and you can get them for a lot less at the online auction if you search for them. Try the simple and cheapest fixes first. Tune it with new plugs, change the oil and replace the filters. Reset the codes and go from there. A: what were the codes and B: How many miles are on it?

[jambo101]

What codes are being shown?