Parts for your 2002 Toyota Echo|yaris-Gas struts

2002 Toyota Echo/Yaris gas struts: what’s fitted and how to look after them

Referencing Toyota’s Electronic Parts Catalogue (EPC) for the NCP10/NCP13 series (1999–2005), the 2002 Echo/Yaris hatch is fitted with gas-charged back-door stays (gas struts), typically listed as “Stay, Back Door” with market-dependent part numbers such as 68950‑52020 (RH) and 68960‑52020 (LH). The Toyota repair manual for the same platform shows a bonnet prop rod rather than bonnet gas struts, and the Echo sedan’s boot lid is supported by torsion springs rather than gas struts. So, gas struts are relevant to the hatch’s tailgate only.

On the 2002 Echo/Yaris hatch, the tailgate gas struts do the heavy lifting so the back door opens smoothly and stays put, even in a bit of Wellington wind or a hot Perth arvo. Each strut is a sealed, nitrogen-charged spring that controls the tailgate’s speed and holds it open safely. When they’re healthy, loading groceries or the pram is a breeze