Family: Prius · filed with NHTSA as PRIUS
Owner report I was driving on the 91 freeway west exit ramp to merge into the 57 freeway in Orange County ca. when suddenly I lost all power steering on the car . We managed to get out the freeway on the first exit
Owner report DRIVING UP AND DOWN A SLIGHT INCLINE, POWER STEERING SUDDENLY GOES OUT. ONLY HAPPENED TWICE SO FAR BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. PROBABLY GOING ABOUT 15-20MPH UPHILL AND MAYBE 20-25MPH DOWNHILL. HAPPENED ON A CITY STREET.
Owner report I HAVE ALWAYS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES ON THE PRIUS, BUT THE DEALER KEEPS TELLING ME THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. YET YOU FIRST HIT THE BRAKES ON THEY ARE OK, BUT IF YOU HAVE TO HIT THEM HARD - NO BRAKES...YET THE DEALER CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. "THE COMPUTER DOESN'T SHOW ANYTHING WRONG" I GUESS I W…
Owner report WHILE DECELERATING AND DRIVING OVER SPEED BUMP/RAISED CROSS WALK, BRAKES FEEL LIKE THEY RELEASE AND THE CAR SURGES FORWARD. HAS HAPPENED ON A REGULAR BASIS WHEN SIMILAR CONDITIONS EXIST (POT HOLES, OR ANYTHING THAT MIGHT CAUSE LOSS OF TRACTION ON 1 WHEEL). DEALER INSISTS THAT THIS IS "NORMAL" FOR ANIT-LOCK BRAKES. R…
Owner report THIS VEHICLE HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE HYBRID BATTERY CAUSES A LOT OF PROBLEM IN MANY OF THE SYSTEMS, ENGINE, COMPUTER ETC AND DON'T EVEN HAS A 100,000 MILES IT SUPPOSE TO HAVE A LONG LIFE , THE DEALER IS CHARGING BIG BUCKS IN ORDER TO FIX IT AND I DON'T SEE WHY IT GOES DAMAGE WITH SUCH A LOW MILES. *TR
Owner report WHEN DRIVING IN TRAFFIC HYBRID BATTERY COMPLETELY DISCHARGES CAUSING CAR TO LURCH WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE. ONCE THE CAR IS OUT OF TRAFFIC THE BATTERY OVER CHARGES CAUSING THE BATTERY TO OVER HEAT AND CAUSE THE CABIN TO FILL WITH A SCARY SMELL OF BURNING. THE HYBRID BATTERY FAN IS ON. TOOK TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP PAI…
1% of complaints name no specific component and are left out of the shares above.
To compare years fairly, each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints.
| Model year | All complaints | First three years | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 165 | 45 | not compared |
| 2002 | 167 | 36 | not compared |
| 2003 | 99 | 20 | not compared |
Whether a recall has been fixed on a specific car depends on its VIN; check it at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Defect: TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2001 THROUGH 2003 PRIUS PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED FROM JANUARY 28, 2000, THROUGH MAY 30, 2003. THE STEERING LINKAGE MAY LOOSEN, RESULTING IN REDUCED ELECTRIC STEERING ASSISTANCE WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN.
Risk: LOSS OF POWER STEERING, PARTICULARLY WHEN AN OPERATOR IS ACTIVELY INTENDING TO STEER THE VEHICLE, MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE NUTS IN THE STEERING LINKAGE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 8, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Defect: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, DUE TO IMPROPER MOLDING OF THE RESIN BODY OF THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENOR INSTALLED ON THE ENGINE BLOCK, ENGINE OIL MAY PENETRATE THE SEAL AND ENTER THE SENSOR WIRING CONNECTOR. THE WIRE HARNESS CONNECTOR MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENTLY ATTACHED TO THE LOCKING TAB OF THE SENSOR WIRING CONNECTOR.
Risk: ENGINE OIL INSIDE THE SENSOR WIRING CONNECTOR COULD CAUSE EXPANSION DUE TO THE HEAT OF THE ENGINE AND COULD DEFORM THE SENSOR WIRING CONNECTOR. THE CONNECTOR MAY BECOME DISCONNECTED, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL WHILE DRIVING AND NOT BE ABLE TO BE RESTARTED INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 26, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
| Action | Component | Opened | Closed | Recall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DP22005 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2023-01-27 | 2023-08-07 | 22V063000 |
DP22005: Pedestrian alert sounds
| Version | Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Combined | Fuel cost / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prius | 1.5L 4cyl Hybrid | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | Front-Wheel Drive | 42 | 41 | 41 | $1500 |
Fuel cost is EPA's estimate at the fuel prices of its last update, not today's.
| Variant | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 Toyota Prius 4-DR. | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated |
Toyota issued 136 service bulletins listed against this model year, most often about equipment.
A bulletin tells dealers how to fix a known condition. It is not a recall and not a defect finding. Most bulletins cover several model years at once, so one listed here may not be specific to this year. The number of bulletins tracks how long and how widely a model was sold, so it is not a measure of reliability.
| Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-13 | ENGINE | OBSOLETE NOTICE February 13, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0009-26. |
| 2026-02-13 | ENGINE | This bulletin includes basic procedures for performing a rescue charge on Ni-MH high voltage (HV) batteries. This bulletin should be used in conjunction with the applicable model and model year Repair Manual while performing a rescue charge… |
| 2024-12-06 | STRUCTURE:BODY | Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood… |
| 2024-12-06 | STRUCTURE:BODY | To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and in… |
| 2024-12-06 | STRUCTURE:BODY | The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicl… |
| 2024-12-05 | STRUCTURE:BODY | Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. This material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination. Follow the Removal Procedure … |
| 2024-12-03 | STRUCTURE:BODY | Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc. This type of contamination can be identified by the … |
| 2024-07-12 | STRUCTURE:BODY | Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood… |
| 2024-07-12 | STRUCTURE:BODY | To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and in… |
| 2024-07-12 | STRUCTURE:BODY | The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicl… |
Complaint counts are not failure rates. A model that sells more cars draws more complaints, and owners file more often after news coverage or a recall. That is why this page compares a model year only with other years of the same generation, never with other models.
Each complaint is counted once, even when it names several components; a complaint that names several systems appears under each of them. Owner reports are quoted as filed and have not been verified by NHTSA or by us.
Every model year of this Prius, including the ones without a page of their own, is listed on the Toyota Prius model page.
MotorAlmanac is independent and not affiliated with NHTSA, EPA or any manufacturer. This page summarises public records; it is not a mechanical inspection. Before buying a used car, check its VIN for open recalls and have it inspected.