We found the following complaints for TOYOTA PRIUS (2003)
Read complaints for TOYOTA PRIUS (2003)
Purchased car on ebay from a pa dealer, did not know, nor was i told that the car had no airbag.whether it was removed or not replaced i don't know.my wife was driving and received a compound fracture of her right leg.i understand that it is a federal offense not to notify a buyer of missing airbags.my wife had to be airlifted for treatment, and still is unable to walk correctly.she has continuous pain.
Computer failed.
My 2003 prius (first gen, from japan), has been thru a few recalls - 1 was to seal the battery better early on (04ish), then it was given new pinion shaft nuts. Latest issue has been an issue all along, just not diagnosed/fixed til now. Sometimes the 'check engine' light would come on, with the car/! /triangle graphic on touch screen. This time it didn't go away. Long story short, it was the electric water pump that needed to be replaced. Dealer said it wasn't cycling properly, leaking antifreeze; also a big hybrid battery issue was showing up, but they suspected when fixing water pump it might clear up battery issue. Did research, found this has been a big issue for a lot of prius owners. Saw the consumer reports & this story, from a toyota news release. The following is exactly what i've experienced, & my car was part of the pinion shaft nuts/steering column recall, but not water pump recall!: "toyota is recalling 670,000 of their popular prius hybrids in the us to correct two safety issues. They say all of the vehicles will be inspected to see if a part in the steering shaft needs to be replaced due to an issue that could cause excessive wear. 350,000 of these same prius vehicles (from 2001-2010 in japan ) are also being recalled to replace the electric water pump for the hybrid system. Toyota says the pump could fail and cause the hybrid system to stop running. They said its dealers will inspect & replace any defects free of charge. Recall notices will go to owners in dec. 2012. About 2.77m vehicles worldwide are affected."toyota did not pay for my repair, $669; that was with a 15% off coupon! i am keeping my receipt. Toyota needs to include my vin in the next batch of recalls for this defective water pump, which has been defective since day 1, but a slow diagnosis, that may have affected the overall function of the hybrid system battery permanently. No fun!
2003 toyota prius. Consumer writes in regards to recall notice concerning pinion shaft nuts on the electric power steering *tgwthe consumer stated the recall was performed at the dealership on august 10, 2011. Upon leaving the dealership, when the consumer attempted to use the horn, he discovered it was not working. The consumer returned to the dealer, to inform them, the horn had been disconnected or maybe a wire had come off.the dealer stated the recall had nothing to do with the horn. The consumer stated the horn was working prior to arriving at the dealer.the consumer then contacted toyota customer service and they contacted the dealer. The dealer stated it was just a coincidence that the horn broke while performing the recall. According to the service invoice,the horn and cruise control short power spiral cable was bad. The consumer stated the dealer refunded his money. Updated 09/23/11consumer's issue resolved 12/6/11 *et
There is no thermostat gauge in a 2003 toyota prius , the car over heats and you don't know until your in the middle of traffic nearly getting killed. Toyota was contacted, but say not a recall and they don'thonestly car cause car is old . That's not right , anything you still use from cars or even medicine have later come back to hurt orkilled people. There is no hot to cold gauge in the car , 2003 only . I have investigated and see people publish about this but let it slip by . I was driving with no installed gauge and survived through make a left hand turn on a stalled vehicle that over heated and was later check by toyota technicians that said f there was a thermostat gauge problem would of most likely be avoided. Somebody can't keep open and closing the radiator cap cause of this missing gauge . Oil has dipstick you check !!! safely too. Not going fry my face or burn my hands on keep checking the radiator. Plus with a proper gauge you might know if your car is cooled down or safer to check. Toyota had refused to address or claim any issues. Case# [xxx]. People lives on at stake cause they wanted to a. Save money b. Don't know how forget to install the part for the year on every 2003 prius !! please help , toyota does not car about my safety or anybody else safety - [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
2003 toyota prius with engine problems. Consumer states that the triangle and engine lights would illuminate upon starting the vehicle. Mechanic stated that there was oil in the air intake and on the sensors.the consumer stated twice while his wife was driving, the vehicle shut off, which left her driving with just the electric motor.
2003 toyota prius gas engine stalled, warning lights came on all over the screen, and it would only drive on "battery power." after stopping, i turned the car off but it would not re-start immediately. After a few tries and then waiting, the gas engine started when i turned the key. During the time it was running on battery, air conditioner was blowing hot air. After gas engine re-started, air conditioner blew cold air. Toyota service said they had never seen anything like what was on thescreenthey diagnosed and said it was the computer and ordered parts. They were also thinking the battery had something to do with it.1. They may not have diagnosed my car correctly since they do not know about this recall, and may not fix it correctly (including putting grease on certain wires). And 2. That news reports in the u.s. Say it is 2004 and 2005 priuses which are affected, so 2003 owners may not get letters to take their car in on this recall. This could result in people being killed.i want service dept to understand that prius 2003 owners may not be notified because toyota may not be aware that they also have the problem. They should inform toyota they have a 2003 in for repair with same problem as 2004-2005 cars. I am concerned they may not do repairs on my car in accordance with what is specified on the recall even if i did not get a letter. This upsets me and it also scares me. I am sure toyota would notify service & owners if they were aware it also affects 2003 prius'. So i want you to make them aware of it and be sure they send the 2003 owners letters too.
Warning light comes on and manual says do not operate vehicle, park immediately.this happened on my 2003 toyota prius in december.fortunately the dealer was open and when reported said it was not a big deal, the care was drivable and should be brought in for service.in service found master warning light codes p0300, 301, 302, 303, 304, -3191, p33101, c1202 then noted "found warranty enhancement to clean throttle body (eg9016.5 01.99).was never notified of this issue and was parked in dangerous location while attempting to ascertain what steps to take in light of the "do not operate vehicle" warning in the manual.same situation arose in our 2002 prius this date and awaiting results of dealer's analysis (although when the light went out they said we could just as easily cancel the service appointment).in both cases service departments seemed familiar with problem (and my service advisor referred to it as a "silent recall".)
The contact owns a 2003 toyota prius. While the contact was driving 5 mph out of a parking lot the vehicle suddenly stopped accelerating after the vehicle traveled over a patch of ice. The vehicle has not been taken to the dealership and there were no prior warnings. The current and failure mileages were 150,000.updated 03/30/10. *ljupdated 09/28/10
I took my car in a week before this incident because i needed service and was going on a trip to san diego with my 5 yr old daughter. Keyes toyota in van nuys did everything to it and replaced my front brakes and inspected everything including the other brakes... So yesterday, im on the freeway and suddenly a piercing, long beep happens and 2 warning lights come on. " brake and abs" ... I'm thinking " what just happened! i just had my car made perfect the other day!!?? .. And then, not two minutes after those warning lights came on, my brakes completely failed!!pedal to the floor nothing! :-( ... I was soooooo scared.... I put my hazards on and crept overto find a shoulder .... I weaved over without causing an accident thank god so i get to the shoulder thankfully but it's a short shoulder... And im praying as i roll to a stop ..i've been back and forth with the dealership and toyota corporate these past 24 hours because i should not have to pay over $2000 for something that is the manufacturers fault!!... I could have died or killed someone...what if my daughter was in the car and i was at an intersection slowing for a red light!!??oh my god!... Something has to be done... I'm fully ready to sue toyota...go to the news outlets...los angeles times...anyone who will make this public... No one should die because they are trying to help the environment.... And no one should die because a corporation won't own up! ..i'm putting a stop order on the repair tomorrowmorning....i'm hoping you can help me and others who could potentially be fatally injured (or their children) from an electrical system that just fails!both the dealership and corporate just said " well, that particular part only has a 3 yr warranty or 36,000 miles and so after that it's the owners responsibility. Really? it's my responsibility if your crazy faulty car kills me or my child? nuts!
2003 toyota prius -- in cold weather the cars computer does not act properly and will shut down the engine.
For no apparent reason when driving, the emergency brake will engage,without pressing the e brake pedal.also, intermittent once car is parked and doors locked, alarm will just start going off for nonreason.
2003 toyota prius had 12v battery replaced under toyota tsb el014-03 "battery capacity improvement"instructions were omitted as well as not followed.car was driven for approx. 2 weeks with battery not vented outside passenger compartment and not protected from damage by heavy objects in trunk.was corrected by me prior to further operation.potential for a fire starting in the trunk of the car due to hydrogen gas build up from charging/discharging igniting the trunk lining, passing up the plastic ventilation system for traction battery and fusing high voltage traction battery cables together was there prior to correcting vent situation.awaiting response from local dealer and would like to know if there are specific regulations about venting lead acid batteries outside passenger compartments other than federal motor safety administration 393.30 battery installation.
2003 toyota prius. Consumer writes in regards to recall notice concerning pinion shaft nuts on the electric power steering *tgwthe consumer stated the recall was performed at the dealership on august 10, 2011. Upon leaving the dealership, when the consumer attempted to use the horn, he discovered it was not working. The consumer returned to the dealer, to inform them, the horn had been disconnected or maybe a wire had come off.the dealer stated the recall had nothing to do with the horn. The consumer stated the horn was working prior to arriving at the dealer.the consumer then contacted toyota customer service and they contacted the dealer. The dealer stated it was just a coincidence that the horn broke while performing the recall. According to the service invoice,the horn and cruise control short power spiral cable was bad. The consumer stated the dealer refunded his money. Updated 09/23/11consumer's issue resolved 12/6/11 *et
My 2003 prius (first gen, from japan), has been thru a few recalls - 1 was to seal the battery better early on (04ish), then it was given new pinion shaft nuts. Latest issue has been an issue all along, just not diagnosed/fixed til now. Sometimes the 'check engine' light would come on, with the car/! /triangle graphic on touch screen. This time it didn't go away. Long story short, it was the electric water pump that needed to be replaced. Dealer said it wasn't cycling properly, leaking antifreeze; also a big hybrid battery issue was showing up, but they suspected when fixing water pump it might clear up battery issue. Did research, found this has been a big issue for a lot of prius owners. Saw the consumer reports & this story, from a toyota news release. The following is exactly what i've experienced, & my car was part of the pinion shaft nuts/steering column recall, but not water pump recall!: "toyota is recalling 670,000 of their popular prius hybrids in the us to correct two safety issues. They say all of the vehicles will be inspected to see if a part in the steering shaft needs to be replaced due to an issue that could cause excessive wear. 350,000 of these same prius vehicles (from 2001-2010 in japan ) are also being recalled to replace the electric water pump for the hybrid system. Toyota says the pump could fail and cause the hybrid system to stop running. They said its dealers will inspect & replace any defects free of charge. Recall notices will go to owners in dec. 2012. About 2.77m vehicles worldwide are affected."toyota did not pay for my repair, $669; that was with a 15% off coupon! i am keeping my receipt. Toyota needs to include my vin in the next batch of recalls for this defective water pump, which has been defective since day 1, but a slow diagnosis, that may have affected the overall function of the hybrid system battery permanently. No fun!
My 2003 toyota prius has a problem with the steering wheel shaking violently and uncontrollably, it used to only happen periodically but it happens all the time now, this was the subject of a recall in '01 & '02's and some '03's but mine in particular was not included although it definitely has a problem-this is a serious safety issue and toyota (dealer or manufacturer does not stand behind their product) they want me to pay for repairs.
After a series of problems with the prius engine the local toyota dealer informed me that i needed to have the car's transmission replaced.naturally the vehicle is no longer covered by its warranty.back ground:2003 prius, odometer reading 116,289.on 12/22/2008, i started the car and the check engine light appeared.i was towed to the dealership.the dealership informed me that the gasoline engine shut down and the battery ran out of power.the dealership could not reproduce the problem.on 12/27/2008, i started the car and the check engine light appeared again.i had the car towed to the toyota dealer.the dealership discovered oil in the intake manifold as per a tsb.the dealership did not charge me for part of the repairs.on 01/04/2008, i was driving when an intermittent grinding noise began on both braking and acceleration.i found that the noise disappeared if i braked and accelerated extremely gently.i immediately drove to the dealership.when i went to the dealership, i was told that the problem could be as simple as a shim in the braking system that may have slipped out of position.i authorized an estimate of $52.52.the following day, a service person of the dealership called and told me that the brakes were fine but that the problem could be resolved by changing the sparkplugs.i orally authorized an estimate of about $150.00 (i don?t remember the exact amount.).the service rep called me later that day (1/5) and explained that my problem wasn't?t really the sparkplugs but that the car's transmission needed to be replaced.the estimate for the parts and labor for this repair would be approximately $2,000.the service rep informed me on 1/6/2008 that a mistake was made and cost of the new transmission alone would be $5,000, with other parts, labor, and the cost of a rental car, the final estimate for repair was around $7,000.
Dt*: the contact stated while traveling various speeds, the vehicle intermittently stalled and lost power.the warning lights illuminated occasionally.the vehicle was taken to the dealership numerous times, but the problem persisted.the dealership replaced the hybrid engine computer, the mass air flow meter, fuel tank, and hybrid battery.
2003 toyota prius engine stalled three times. Dealer repaired and problem recurred again the same day. .updated 01/09/08.*ljthe dealer found oil inside the manifold. Updated
There is no thermostat gauge in a 2003 toyota prius , the car over heats and you don't know until your in the middle of traffic nearly getting killed. Toyota was contacted, but say not a recall and they don'thonestly car cause car is old . That's not right , anything you still use from cars or even medicine have later come back to hurt orkilled people. There is no hot to cold gauge in the car , 2003 only . I have investigated and see people publish about this but let it slip by . I was driving with no installed gauge and survived through make a left hand turn on a stalled vehicle that over heated and was later check by toyota technicians that said f there was a thermostat gauge problem would of most likely be avoided. Somebody can't keep open and closing the radiator cap cause of this missing gauge . Oil has dipstick you check !!! safely too. Not going fry my face or burn my hands on keep checking the radiator. Plus with a proper gauge you might know if your car is cooled down or safer to check. Toyota had refused to address or claim any issues. Case# [xxx]. People lives on at stake cause they wanted to a. Save money b. Don't know how forget to install the part for the year on every 2003 prius !! please help , toyota does not car about my safety or anybody else safety - [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
The contact owns a 2003 toyota prius. The contact stated his vehicle had been to the dealer approximately thirty times for various safety failures. The contact had experienced the vehicle stalling without warning while traveling uphill at speeds of 25 mph, the instrument panel warning lights remained illuminated, the vehicle would not engage from battery to gasoline power when warranted, and the contact intermittently was unable to move the gear shift selector into the reverse position. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where he advised that there may be engine oil in the throttle causing the stalling issues.the contact was awaiting a hybrid expert to further inspect the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000 and the current mileage was approximately 97,300.
Warning light comes on and manual says do not operate vehicle, park immediately.this happened on my 2003 toyota prius in december.fortunately the dealer was open and when reported said it was not a big deal, the care was drivable and should be brought in for service.in service found master warning light codes p0300, 301, 302, 303, 304, -3191, p33101, c1202 then noted "found warranty enhancement to clean throttle body (eg9016.5 01.99).was never notified of this issue and was parked in dangerous location while attempting to ascertain what steps to take in light of the "do not operate vehicle" warning in the manual.same situation arose in our 2002 prius this date and awaiting results of dealer's analysis (although when the light went out they said we could just as easily cancel the service appointment).in both cases service departments seemed familiar with problem (and my service advisor referred to it as a "silent recall".)
Reference investigation # pe05029:my toyota prius 2003 [xxx] gasoline/ electric hybrid vehicles that can be operated in gasoline or electric mode. On 4 separate occasions, the gasoline engine shut down suddenly without warning.each time i was driving with the speed of highway traffic. The three previous times the vehicle continued to operate using the electric mode for a period of time after the gas engine stalled.this last and 4th time the vehicle shut down at the same time that they felt the gas engine stalled.i was able to restart the vehicle after 3 immediate attempts to turn the car on.i was able to slowly drive the car off the highways and to park.as with the last 3 times, i again had the vehicle towed. Each of the 4 stalling incidents, i was alerted by an audible sound and various warning lights. After the car stalled the brake and steering operation continued to function as the car drifted to a stop. Each time the reason was for the failure to operate was caused by something different, as i am told by the service center.this last time, (4th) the dealership said the car is "fine" asked me to pay the tow and is sending me on my way.nothing was done.i drive about 90 miles a day with my 8 yr old daughter as my primary passenger.this is a very dangerous situation that has not been corrected by toyota.my dealership (kings toyota cincinnati ohio). Updated 07/17/2012 information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)
2003 toyota prius with engine problems. Consumer states that the triangle and engine lights would illuminate upon starting the vehicle. Mechanic stated that there was oil in the air intake and on the sensors.the consumer stated twice while his wife was driving, the vehicle shut off, which left her driving with just the electric motor.
2003 toyota prius -- in cold weather the cars computer does not act properly and will shut down the engine.
2003 toyota prius gas engine stalled, warning lights came on all over the screen, and it would only drive on "battery power." after stopping, i turned the car off but it would not re-start immediately. After a few tries and then waiting, the gas engine started when i turned the key. During the time it was running on battery, air conditioner was blowing hot air. After gas engine re-started, air conditioner blew cold air. Toyota service said they had never seen anything like what was on thescreenthey diagnosed and said it was the computer and ordered parts. They were also thinking the battery had something to do with it.1. They may not have diagnosed my car correctly since they do not know about this recall, and may not fix it correctly (including putting grease on certain wires). And 2. That news reports in the u.s. Say it is 2004 and 2005 priuses which are affected, so 2003 owners may not get letters to take their car in on this recall. This could result in people being killed.i want service dept to understand that prius 2003 owners may not be notified because toyota may not be aware that they also have the problem. They should inform toyota they have a 2003 in for repair with same problem as 2004-2005 cars. I am concerned they may not do repairs on my car in accordance with what is specified on the recall even if i did not get a letter. This upsets me and it also scares me. I am sure toyota would notify service & owners if they were aware it also affects 2003 prius'. So i want you to make them aware of it and be sure they send the 2003 owners letters too.
Toyota prius hybrid, 2003engine stalled without previous warning while driving on ca hwy 10 in the middle of the night, around 12:30 am. Was forced to exit the hwy, made unsafe turns in trying to reach a gas station while the car was still moving by inertia.
My 2003 prius (first gen, from japan), has been thru a few recalls - 1 was to seal the battery better early on (04ish), then it was given new pinion shaft nuts. Latest issue has been an issue all along, just not diagnosed/fixed til now. Sometimes the 'check engine' light would come on, with the car/! /triangle graphic on touch screen. This time it didn't go away. Long story short, it was the electric water pump that needed to be replaced. Dealer said it wasn't cycling properly, leaking antifreeze; also a big hybrid battery issue was showing up, but they suspected when fixing water pump it might clear up battery issue. Did research, found this has been a big issue for a lot of prius owners. Saw the consumer reports & this story, from a toyota news release. The following is exactly what i've experienced, & my car was part of the pinion shaft nuts/steering column recall, but not water pump recall!: "toyota is recalling 670,000 of their popular prius hybrids in the us to correct two safety issues. They say all of the vehicles will be inspected to see if a part in the steering shaft needs to be replaced due to an issue that could cause excessive wear. 350,000 of these same prius vehicles (from 2001-2010 in japan ) are also being recalled to replace the electric water pump for the hybrid system. Toyota says the pump could fail and cause the hybrid system to stop running. They said its dealers will inspect & replace any defects free of charge. Recall notices will go to owners in dec. 2012. About 2.77m vehicles worldwide are affected."toyota did not pay for my repair, $669; that was with a 15% off coupon! i am keeping my receipt. Toyota needs to include my vin in the next batch of recalls for this defective water pump, which has been defective since day 1, but a slow diagnosis, that may have affected the overall function of the hybrid system battery permanently. No fun!
Toyota consumer safety advisory potential floor mat interference with accelerator pedal. I've had issues with the floor mats in my 2003 prius almost from the beginning of owning my car. When i looked at the illustrations on the toyota web site it was clear that the retainingmechanism it identical to that of the 2004 prius. Yetthe model is not being covered by the recall. Please consider expanding the recall to all affected models and model years.
Consumer 2003 prius passenger side tire blew out.the consumer thoroughly read the owner's manual on hold to change the tire.the supplied jack was used to raise the car.when the vehicle was raised a short distance the jack slid forward and the car dropped to the ground.the consumer attempted to raise the vehicle three more times with the same result.
2003 toyota prius--headlight lenses cloud up, rendering the ability to see at night nearly impossible.i have tried the dyi kits to remove the cloudiness, but they only improve it slightly and only temporarily.within 3 months, they are just as bad again.now i am told that it will not pass state inspection as it is.new lenses are extremely expensive as it is evidently a dealer item only.
Dt:while driving at 25-30 mph vehicle lost power and stalled due to electronic throttle module failure.updated 12/6/2005 - the dealer replaced the fuel relay.
Since the first month after buying the car, gas mileage has been no more than 30 miles per gallon, which is at least 20 miles less than advertised...on more than one occasion the car has jerked forward in traffic almost causing accidents and when driving more than 60 mph the car loses control, also the car has shut off numerous times while driving 60 mph almost causing more accidents.*la
Vehicle would run out of gas, but the fuel gauge indicator would read that there was still enough fuel in the fuel tank.dealer notified.
There is no thermostat gauge in a 2003 toyota prius , the car over heats and you don't know until your in the middle of traffic nearly getting killed. Toyota was contacted, but say not a recall and they don'thonestly car cause car is old . That's not right , anything you still use from cars or even medicine have later come back to hurt orkilled people. There is no hot to cold gauge in the car , 2003 only . I have investigated and see people publish about this but let it slip by . I was driving with no installed gauge and survived through make a left hand turn on a stalled vehicle that over heated and was later check by toyota technicians that said f there was a thermostat gauge problem would of most likely be avoided. Somebody can't keep open and closing the radiator cap cause of this missing gauge . Oil has dipstick you check !!! safely too. Not going fry my face or burn my hands on keep checking the radiator. Plus with a proper gauge you might know if your car is cooled down or safer to check. Toyota had refused to address or claim any issues. Case# [xxx]. People lives on at stake cause they wanted to a. Save money b. Don't know how forget to install the part for the year on every 2003 prius !! please help , toyota does not car about my safety or anybody else safety - [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
The contact owns a 2003 toyota prius hybrid. The contact stated that she had experienced several failures within the vehicle since purchasing three months ago.the transmission was replaced, the left front tire had a leak and the inverter was replaced because several lights on the instrumental panel remained illuminated. On december 3, 2010, while driving approximately 10 mph the steering wheel began to shake violently. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer who performed a diagnostic test but was unable to locate a failure code. The dealer test drove the vehicle but was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 85,000 and the current mileage was 86,000.
2003 toyota prius - developed rattle and took to the dealer.after a long examination, dealer determined the problem was with the power steering rack.dealer acknowledged that there had been no accident and could not determine a cause. The repair cost quoted was $3,500, one half of the resale value of the car.i contacted toyota motor sales and was told that since the car had approx. 62,000 miles, they would do nothing.the dealer has indicated a willingness to negotiate on the repair price.
The contact owns a 2003 toyota prius. While the contact was driving 5 mph out of a parking lot the vehicle suddenly stopped accelerating after the vehicle traveled over a patch of ice. The vehicle has not been taken to the dealership and there were no prior warnings. The current and failure mileages were 150,000.updated 03/30/10. *ljupdated 09/28/10
2003 toyota prius - developed rattle and took to the dealer.after a long examination, dealer determined the problem was with the power steering rack.dealer acknowledged that there had been no accident and could not determine a cause. The repair cost quoted was $3,500, one half of the resale value of the car.i contacted toyota motor sales and was told that since the car had approx. 62,000 miles, they would do nothing.the dealer has indicated a willingness to negotiate on the repair price.
After a series of problems with the prius engine the local toyota dealer informed me that i needed to have the car's transmission replaced.naturally the vehicle is no longer covered by its warranty.back ground:2003 prius, odometer reading 116,289.on 12/22/2008, i started the car and the check engine light appeared.i was towed to the dealership.the dealership informed me that the gasoline engine shut down and the battery ran out of power.the dealership could not reproduce the problem.on 12/27/2008, i started the car and the check engine light appeared again.i had the car towed to the toyota dealer.the dealership discovered oil in the intake manifold as per a tsb.the dealership did not charge me for part of the repairs.on 01/04/2008, i was driving when an intermittent grinding noise began on both braking and acceleration.i found that the noise disappeared if i braked and accelerated extremely gently.i immediately drove to the dealership.when i went to the dealership, i was told that the problem could be as simple as a shim in the braking system that may have slipped out of position.i authorized an estimate of $52.52.the following day, a service person of the dealership called and told me that the brakes were fine but that the problem could be resolved by changing the sparkplugs.i orally authorized an estimate of about $150.00 (i don?t remember the exact amount.).the service rep called me later that day (1/5) and explained that my problem wasn't?t really the sparkplugs but that the car's transmission needed to be replaced.the estimate for the parts and labor for this repair would be approximately $2,000.the service rep informed me on 1/6/2008 that a mistake was made and cost of the new transmission alone would be $5,000, with other parts, labor, and the cost of a rental car, the final estimate for repair was around $7,000.
The contact owns a 2003 toyota prius. The contact stated his vehicle had been to the dealer approximately thirty times for various safety failures. The contact had experienced the vehicle stalling without warning while traveling uphill at speeds of 25 mph, the instrument panel warning lights remained illuminated, the vehicle would not engage from battery to gasoline power when warranted, and the contact intermittently was unable to move the gear shift selector into the reverse position. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where he advised that there may be engine oil in the throttle causing the stalling issues.the contact was awaiting a hybrid expert to further inspect the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000 and the current mileage was approximately 97,300.
The contact owns a 2003 toyota prius.the contact stated that while at a traffic light, another vehicle crashed into the rear end of the vehicle and the seat belt failed to restrain her from hitting her head onto the steering wheel.the vehicle was destroyed. The contact sustained injuries that required medical attention. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was unknown. The vin was unavailable.updated 10/2/14the consumer stated she did not report this information. There was a recall on the seatbelts which was never taken care of. The consumer did not sustain injuries that required medical attention. The consumer sought medical attention to ensure her injuries were actually minor.updated 3/30/2015
For no apparent reason when driving, the emergency brake will engage,without pressing the e brake pedal.also, intermittent once car is parked and doors locked, alarm will just start going off for nonreason.
The vehicle would not come to a stop when the brakes were applied.an alarm/light indicator came on for abs brakes at the same time.i had to apply the emergency brakes for the vehicle to come to a stop.i was able to avoid two vehicles and came to a stop in the bus stop area.the vehicle was towed for repair but the repair shop cannot find the root cause of the problem without the need to replace the entire braking system. For a vehicle with only 36k miles this seems highly unusual and a severely dangerous situation.
Occasionally, when braking, the car will begin to brake, then lurch forward a little, and then brake again properly. It's disconcerting at best and scary and dangerous at worst. I've had this brake problem for years but finally realized that it's a significant toyota flaw with the abs, and that newer priuses and lexuses were recalled because of a similar problem. Toyota did not recall the 2001-03 priuses and refuse to accept that it's anything but the result of age (as per aug 2020). However, i've seen online that many owners have had this problem since they first bought the car! i bought it used and can't remember how long it's been happening. It's not every time i drive the car. It hasn't caused an accident, but it certainly could. And if i crash into someone, it will be considered my fault, even though it's very clearly toyota's fault! i'm very disturbed that people have been reporting this issue for years, that toyota dealers have referenced it as a problem, too, and that toyota refuses to accept responsibility and fix the problem.
I took my car in a week before this incident because i needed service and was going on a trip to san diego with my 5 yr old daughter. Keyes toyota in van nuys did everything to it and replaced my front brakes and inspected everything including the other brakes... So yesterday, im on the freeway and suddenly a piercing, long beep happens and 2 warning lights come on. " brake and abs" ... I'm thinking " what just happened! i just had my car made perfect the other day!!?? .. And then, not two minutes after those warning lights came on, my brakes completely failed!!pedal to the floor nothing! :-( ... I was soooooo scared.... I put my hazards on and crept overto find a shoulder .... I weaved over without causing an accident thank god so i get to the shoulder thankfully but it's a short shoulder... And im praying as i roll to a stop ..i've been back and forth with the dealership and toyota corporate these past 24 hours because i should not have to pay over $2000 for something that is the manufacturers fault!!... I could have died or killed someone...what if my daughter was in the car and i was at an intersection slowing for a red light!!??oh my god!... Something has to be done... I'm fully ready to sue toyota...go to the news outlets...los angeles times...anyone who will make this public... No one should die because they are trying to help the environment.... And no one should die because a corporation won't own up! ..i'm putting a stop order on the repair tomorrowmorning....i'm hoping you can help me and others who could potentially be fatally injured (or their children) from an electrical system that just fails!both the dealership and corporate just said " well, that particular part only has a 3 yr warranty or 36,000 miles and so after that it's the owners responsibility. Really? it's my responsibility if your crazy faulty car kills me or my child? nuts!
Abs brake light came on then went off.i brought car to mechanic who checked brakes.there was no problem with the brakes.then i heard a high pitched alarm sounding noise while the abs brake light warning was on, then both would turn off then on then off.....there is no rhyme or reason to what is causing this trouble.when i checked the internet, other prius owners complained about this as well.some of those people have spent thousands of dollars to fix the problem and after all the "codes" had been fixed, the alarm sounded yet again.there should be a recall notice for this problem.
The brake system in my car failed.it was found later that both the computer and pum/engine system for the brakes failed simultaneously.i was charged $2000 for repairs.
Abs brake fails for a short time when slowing and hitting a bump.this has occurred intermittently since purchase (new) in 2003.
In reading recent media reports regarding braking failures of the 2010 toyota prius, i realized that i have experienced similar lapses in my 2003 prius' braking since the day i bought the car. I wanted to get this on record as it seems the media reports believe this to only be a problem in the 2010 model when this may be an issue that has been going on for a long time. Basically, whether or not the phenomenon occurs during braking depends on several factors and seems to occur more often if the road is wet. If one happens to be rolling over a manhole cover, or hitting a pothole or bump at the moment the brakes are depressed it feels as though, for a brief moment, that the car is skidding forward across the change in roadway surface. This also happens when braking over a thickly painted crosswalk line or the word stop painted on the road. The common factor seems to be braking as the car's tire transitions from a high friction to reduced friction surface. I believe i could reproduce this on demand given the right conditions. Early on i brought it to the attention of my dealership but their was no followup. Fortunately it has never caused an accident, but under the right circumstances it could. I've dealt with the problem by either braking before or after the road surfaces i know to cause the brake slipping effect.
I own a 2003 prius.when i bought it, before i ever drove it (was snow and ice) dealer told me to be careful of the brakes.he said, when applied, it may feel for a split second that i wasspeeding up or not stopping. The car does this on slippery and rough rd and always has.i thought that was the nature of the hybrid and have learned to drive accordingly but it is definitely a trying situation.
Abs brake light comes on and beeps, and brakes become squishy on my 2003 toyota prius.toyota dealer does not know what the problem is.i have spent hundreds of dollars on diagnostics, but the problem keeps happening.i have noticed similar complaints on the internet regarding this abs light problem, and squishy brake problem.toyota dealer informs me that they have heard nothing of this problem from the toyota motor corporation.
I hope you are not limiting your investigation of prius brakes to the 2010 model.i have had the same problem on my 2003 prius since the day i drove it home.when going over uneven surfaces, particularly metal plates or manhole covers, braking momentarily stops and does not resume until the wheels hit the regular road surface.although i have had no accidents, the sensation of skidding is frightening.
A number of times when i brake on uneven roads, the brakes on my 2003 prius feel as if they aren't working.they have always caught almost immediately, so that i haven't thought of reporting the problem until the recent reports on the newest prius model.incident date is the most recent, even though the problem has been there since i bought the car.
I have a 2003 toyota prius and also experienced the exact same braking problems as has been reported about the 2010 prius. If i go over a dip in the road while braking, occasionally the brake will not hold (even if it is fully depressed) and i need to release and depress again. I was told by the dealer that this was the antilock braking system and not a real problem with the car. I now suspect that it is the same software glitch as the later prius.
The contact owns a 2003 toyota prius. The contact was driving approximately between25-35 mph over uneven pavement when pressure was applied to the brake pedal and the vehicle failed to stop until excessive force was applied to the brake pedal. The vehicle resumed normal operation. The failure continued to occur. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and the technician was unable to duplicate the failure. The vin was unavailable. The failure mileage was 100.
The contact owns a 2003 toyota prius. Whenever the contact would attempt to apply the brakes while traveling over a bumpy or slippery surface the contact noticed that the brakes would not fully engage increasing stopping distance. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was informed that the failure could not be reproduced. The contact has noticed the failure since the day the vehicle was purchased. The current and failure mileages were 109,000.
The contact owns a 2003 toyota prius. While driving 10 mph, and making a left turn, the steering wheel shook violently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the cause of the failure could not be found. The vehicle was not repaired. The vin was included in nhtsa campaign number: 11v304000 (steering). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
2003 prius steering rack and pinion failure, when engine is cold and when in a forward or reverse at slow rate of speed (under 5 mph) steering wheel will shake violently for several seconds, once stopped steering wheel will stop shaking. Dealership reports rack and pinion and steering related computer needs to be replaced. 2001 and 2002 prius model had recalled on similar issue.
This has happened several times intermittently; the steering wheel shakes when backing out of the garage turning into the "turn-around" spot, it has also happened while turning into my driveway. Mostly at slow speeds, there is a noise, grinding type, coming from the steering column. The dealer said the brakes could be doing it, so they replaced the front pads and re-surfaced the rotors, (after the $175) the problem persists. When i put my vin into the nhtsa website, they tell me there is no recall but on .nhtsa.gov/recalls#vehicle it is included, by year and it must have been made before 12-31-2002 because that's when we got it. Most recently on 02/27/2017, but has been going since nov. Of 2016
2003 toyota prius steering failure - while driving in traffic in los angeles, turning left at a stop sign the steering system locked.i reset the car and could not regain control until putting the car into reverse and then pulling forward again.the car then continues to intermittently lock in the left turn position and you must use force to try to center and steer again.took to dealer and they said the rack and pinion system has failed $3500.00 to repair.this car is not safe to drive until the steering can be repaired, i really like this car but don't know if i can ever put my family in it again.the steering failure is very dangerous and had no warning.
The contact owns a 2003 toyota prius hybrid. The contact stated that she had experienced several failures within the vehicle since purchasing three months ago.the transmission was replaced, the left front tire had a leak and the inverter was replaced because several lights on the instrumental panel remained illuminated. On december 3, 2010, while driving approximately 10 mph the steering wheel began to shake violently. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer who performed a diagnostic test but was unable to locate a failure code. The dealer test drove the vehicle but was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 85,000 and the current mileage was 86,000.
The contact owns a 2003 toyota prius.the contact stated that while driving, the steering wheel would vibrate abnormally with the illumination of the power steering warning light.the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the vehicle was repaired multiple times, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not contacted.the failure mileage was 70,000 and the current mileage was 100,000.
The contact owns a 2003 toyota prius. While driving approximately 10 mph making a right turn, the steering wheel started to vibrate. The contact stated that the failure occurred numerous times intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but they could not duplicate or diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000.
2003 prius hybrid; steering wheel shudders quite frequently; this shuddering happens backing up and turning corners; sometimes it shakes so violently the steering wheel is pulled from your hands; we contacted toyota and several dealerships; no recalls on this vehicle for this problem because they said it was fixed on the 2002 models; our vehicle only has 33k miles on it and there is a part failure withthe potential for causing a life threatening incident to take place; toyota and dealership reps take no responsibility for this safety issue; told we can have steering replaced for about $3k even though car only has 33k miles on it; may not fix the problem they said; we are afraid to drive the car and to sell it to someone else because of this safety issue; this is a serious problem with cases listed all over the internet; toyota rep said there have been no complaints; they know it exists, but they do not want to address this serious problem; some government group needs to step in and make toyota responsible for a recall of this year vehicle and have the steering replaced for free.
The contact owns a 2003 toyota prius. While driving approximately 35 mph, an unknown warning message displayed and the steering wheel was very difficult to turn. The vehicle was restarted and functioned as normal. The failure occurred multiple times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 11v304000 (steering). The failure mileage was 63,000.
I have a 2003 prius with 100k miles. At about 95k miles i began to notice an anomaly in the steering. When i back out of my driveway to my right the steering wheel shudders. This happens more frequently when it is cold. The shudder happens occasionally other places, usually at low speed. I have read the other reports and worry about the more severe failures others have reported. My dealer quoted me $2300 to repair the problem which he described as the "steering box". Even at 100k miles this definitely seems like a recall issue to me because it is so safety critical.
Electronic: steering in my toyota prius shakes and pulls to the right sometimes. I took it to the dealer when this began last fall and they told me the steering computer and the entire steering system needed to be replaced. They told me this is not dangerous but it scares me, especially with the recent recalls.
Steering wheel locks while driving.first time, november 2007, steering rack replaced free (still under warranty).second time, october 2009, steering rack replaced for $1200.upon complaint, toyota reimbursed me for half of the cost of parts ($350). Both times the problem was solved, but i think it may not be really the fault of the steering rack, but a computer issue.this is a very frightening situation when on the freeway.2003 toyota prius.
The contact owns a 2003 toyota prius. The contact statedafter having her vehicle repaired under nhtsa recall campaign id number: 11v304000 (steering:electric power assist system) the steering wheel would jerk violently and made a loud noise. The vehicle was taken to a dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not offer any assistance. The vin was not available. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 104,442.
The contact owns a 2003 toyota prius.while driving approximately 10 mph and attempting to slightly turn the steering wheel to the left, the steering column became stuck in a fixated position.the contact could not complete the turn.she pulled to the shoulder of the road and restarted the vehicle to resume normal operation.the following day, the vehicle was towed to a repair shop and the steering main shaft assembly, tilt column assembly, and bolt were replaced. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and it is currently being repaired.the failure and current mileages were 36,000.updated 10-07-08the consumer stated she has not experienced any more failures since the repair was done. Updated 10/15/08.
Violent shaking of the steering wheel when turning in cold weather.it has happened most days this winter when temperatures were below 45f degrees.it was mostly an annoyance at first, and would happen when starting the car, but twice it has nearly caused a crash.the first near collision from shaking was in january when trying to park between two cars in a parking spot and i couldn't control the wheel until i put threw the car into park, turned it off, and turned it on again.the second, and most serious incident so far i nearly hit a pedestrian in a crosswalk while trying to make a right turn in downtown seattle on a day when it was in the 20's.turning right the steering wheel started shaking so violently it broke free from my grip, i lost control of the car and it veered left into the oncoming lane towards a pedestrian.i slammed on the brakes and only missed him by about 3 feet.i contacted toyota and was informed that there had been a 2 year service campaign to replace the eps, but that the campaign expired 12/31/13, and they were therefore unable to do a replacement because i didn't bring the car into the dealership before the deadline, and they don't see it as a safety issue.we were never contacted by toyota about the service campaign, and the issue did not become dangerous or even particularly bothersome until nearly a month after the campaign expired.due to this nearly causing two accidents in a short time span just past the campaign deadline, and the fact that it seems to be a common problem on this model of prius, i believe this should be escalated to a general recall or extended warranty based also on mileage instead of solely on the calendar year to not penalize lower mileage vehicles coming into the problem beyond the expiration of the class action lawsuit mandated service campaign.
While driving, the steering wheel begins to shudder.at one point, it power steering makes a spontaneous turn to the left, which i prevent with my hands, but nevertheless moves the car to the left enough to cause an accident if the driver is not paying close attention, or happens to be too near another car.the power steering immediately shuts off, and the rest of the trip continues with no power steering, until the car is turned off.the next time the car is turned on, the power steering is back (until it happens again).
I have a 2003 toyota prius.when i made left turns the steering wheel would stick and i would have to jerk it back to straighten out the car.i took it into the shop and the steering system had to be replaced.the cost of the repair was approx. $2800.i am making a report in the event that there are other prius' that have had this problem.
When i put car in reverse, or sometimes in turning, the steering wheel starts to vibrate.at times i have to stop and let it finish, as i cannot keep my hands on it.this started happening more often after car was recalled for steering issue.
Two years ago, my car began exhibiting steering issues. When turning, both in reverse and drive, the steering wheel would shudder violently. After a few seconds, the shuddering subsided and the car steered normally. The issue was especially bad when the car was cold and improved as the car warmed up. Over the past couple of years, the issue has worsened, occurring with increasing frequency and with increasing violence. The steering wheel now jerks uncontrollably as i drive, and the steering wheel shudders when turning, sometimes so violently that i cannot hold onto the wheel or control the car. Turning left is becoming progressively difficult; the car pulls constantly and sharply to the right even though the tires on the car were just aligned.the 2003 toyota prius was already recalled for steering issues exactly as i describe. Toyota claimed the issue lay with the pinion shaft nuts. The pinion shaft nuts in my car were already replaced, per the recall. However, the steering problem persists and is growing worse. From my research, other 2003 toyota prius owners describe the same problem, and the same failure of the recall repair to remedy the problem. Mechanics not affiliated with toyota have told me this is a common, well known issue with the 2003 toyota prius.according to the toyota recall notice, "if the steering wheel is repeatedly and strongly turned to the full-lock position, there is a possibility the nuts securing the pinion shaft in the steering gear box assembly may become loose." (http://pressroom.toyota.com/releases/toyota+prius+eps+pinion+shaft+nut+june+2011+recall+faq.htm). However, my car has been driven gently and maintained well throughout its life. Despite my careful care of the vehicle, it has become dangerous to drive. I believe the recall insufficiently addressed the steering issues endemic to the 2003 toyota prius.
My tires were worn to the cords, all four of them, on both sides, the inside was worse.i took it to the dealer (toyota of glendora) and asked them to check it and the alignment, among other things.i had just 22,667.0 miles on it.they called me and said the tires were just "worn out" and that there was nothing wrong with the alignment.i took it to firestone (who warrantied the tires) and was told by 3 different professionals there that the tires were not worn out, that the side walls were destroyed due to faulty alignment.i had to pay for 4 new tires and an alignment.i wrote to toyota who referred me back to toyota of glendora.toyota of glendora contacted me by phone and denied ever telling me there was nothing wrong with the alignment.they claimed they couldn't fix the alignment because all 4 tires were bad.i claimed they lied about the alignment to keep from keeping it over night again, building up to the lemon law.i feel they damaged my alignment when they replaced my entire rack and pinion steering in oct 03, they denied this saying that replacing the rack and pinion doesn't affect the alignment.they didn't tell me about the damage to the tires which they should have noticed last time they rotated them.i want them to pay for my alignment and perhaps my four new tires, they refused and hung up on me.i wrote to toyota again and they responded with a letter deferring to the dealer, toyota of glendora.
I was driving home from work on a friday evening, turned right, and the steering wheel locked. I slammed on the brakes to avoid hitting a parked truck, and spent the next several minutes trying to regain steering control. The next day i had the car towed to my local dealership, and was told the electronic steering rack had failed and needed to be replaced, at a cost of approximately $2000 (as the steering system warranty only extends to 3 months or 36,000 miles.)my car has just over 69,000 miles on it. I have adhered to the maintenance schedule, and always bring it to the dealer.there is nothing i could have done to prevent this failure, and i am shocked that there were no warnings or redundancies in place to detect the failure of such a critical system. I live in los angeles, and if i had been on a freeway or canyon road when the failure occurred, i would likely have been killed. There have been two issues relating to the prius steering system (recall #18732/nhtsa # 00v285000 and tsb # 0403/nhtsa # 10008428), but i was told that neither of these applied to my vehicle.i picked up my car today and was told the work is covered by a 1 year, unlimited mileage warranty. I find it unacceptable that toyota provides such a short warranty on such a critical piece of equipment. If this part ever fails again, i am extremely likely to be hurt or killed.i am happy to have my car back, but am pretty terrified to drive it, or any toyota, again.i understand that cars don?t last forever, and i am generally very happy with how my prius has held up.however, i also think the manufacturer has a responsibility to do everything it can to ensure the safety of its customers. I want to know what systems are in place to prevent this part from failing again,what toyota will do if it does fail again, and what toyota has to say about the failure and incredibly high price tag of a system that has been recalled in other models, and could have cost me my life.
The contact owns a 2003 toyota prius. While driving at approximately 35 mph, the steering wheel shook intensely. The vehicle was serviced under nhtsa campaign number: 11v304000 (steering), but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vin was not provided. The approximate failure mileage was 162,000.
I had a 2003 toyota prius which i was very happy with.unexpectedly, and without warning, the steering column locked while i was driving the car and i was unable to navigate the car.fortunately, i was in my neighborhood and was able to stop the car in a neighbor's yard without incident. I had the car towed to my dealer and learned that the steering woud need to be replaced for about $1500 or more.since the car had almost 120,000 miles on it, i chose not to repair it.my dealer suggested i write to the toyota corporate headquarters, which i did.after a lot of wrangling, they sent me a check for $1,500 to cover the loss of my trade-in value but only after i agreed to purchase a new toyota vehicle.at the time, i let it go, but realize now with all the concerns being raised, that perhaps my story is important.the steering failure could have occured while i was driving on the highway at 65 mph or while exiting a high speed ramp.worse, it could have happened on the chesapeake bay bridge, which i had crossed just 15 minutes earlier.
It's mostly when i'm turning right the power steering warning light will come and there will be no power steering. I have see a lot of complaints with the same problem. Sometimes as i was driving in the city or just as i'm starting to drive
We purchased a 2003 toyota prius in june of 2018.it has approximately 140,000 miles on it.when the weather started getting colder in october of 2018, the car exhibited the following problem:car steering wheel shakes violently for several seconds while exiting the driveway usually as we are turning the steering wheel.the vehicle was in motion when the shaking occurred and it was often after making a turn and/or straightening the steering wheel.in order to stop the shaking, the car has to be stopped.we have done some searches online and it appears that this problem is common for the 2003 toyota prius.however, we called 3 dealers and they all say they don't know about it and they have to see the car as it is shaking to determine the cause of the issue.since the weather is now warmer, it is unlikely it will occur unless we get a cold morning.we cannot leave the car at a dealership indefinitely.we were planning a trip to idaho and are afraid to have the car on the road because of this issue.do you know anything that we can do to correct this defect? should we contact toyota directly?
I experienced a shaking in the steering wheel of my toyota 2003 prius when backing up for the first time in the morning each day. The dealer said it was caused by the electric power steering rack and pinion which could lockup at any time. Toyota has recalled 01/02 model prius for this problem, but not the 03. Why is toyota allowed to let this condition to continue with failure of these electric power steering units? how many lives must be lost before the government acts? toyota is changing $2,500.00 to $3,500.00 to fix a problem they know exist in these cars a worried consumer.
Started vehicle , began to pull out of driveway and steering wheel began to shake violently. Had to stop vehicle to wait for steering wheel to stop shaking. Has been doing it everytime i go to start vehicle . Seems to do o.k. Driving at speeds above 10 mph. Starting to get slight vibration at highway speeds. Toyota dealership says power steering rack needs to be replaced at a cost of $3400.00.
Erratic behavior of electric power steering. Uncontrollable shaking ofsteering wheel. An un safe condition. There has to be a lot these problems because replacement steering racksare on back order and no prediction of when they will available. With no parts available and car un safe then car is useless.
2003 toyota prius, steering wheel shakes when making left turns. Car has had scheduled services. Shaking started as a rattle/grinding sound at the steering column. Shaking now happens when turning left or right, at startup or while driving on interstate. Most recently steering was un responsive at 50+mph. The vehicle has been in for service 3 times prior to today with no troubles found. Today (3 days after warranty expired) dealer finds crack in steering column same as that in recall for 2004 - 2006 prius see recall 06v188000.dealer wants $2500 to repair.
I currently own a 2003 toyota prius with about 76,000 miles.i am active duty military currently stationed in germany.i have encountered a steering problem where the steering wheel shutters and shakes as if you are driving on rough terrain.it usually occurs between 5 mph and 30 mph while in a turn.when this occurs you temporarily lose control of the steering and potentially, the car.after doing some cursory research on line this appears to be a recurring problem with the toyota prius (http://priuschat.com/forums/care-maintenance-troubleshooting/36358-03-power-steering.html) i think it has also been an issue with the 2001-2002 models that have been recalled for this problem but not for the 2003 and beyond.i believe that this does affect the ability for the car to be driven safely.we took it in to a dealer here in germany and they gave an estimate of 2500 euro for repair, which equates to about $3800 us dollars.the car is only worth approximately $10,000.because of the extreme cost, i conducted research on the problem and then called toyota to see if this would be covered because this is a manufacturer's defect with the engineering.tomy dismay, toyota informed me that it was not covered and to make matters worse, that they would not cover this vehicle regardless because i am stationed overseas.
2003 toyota prius. Consumer writes in regards to recall notice concerning pinion shaft nuts on the electric power steering *tgwthe consumer stated the recall was performed at the dealership on august 10, 2011. Upon leaving the dealership, when the consumer attempted to use the horn, he discovered it was not working. The consumer returned to the dealer, to inform them, the horn had been disconnected or maybe a wire had come off.the dealer stated the recall had nothing to do with the horn. The consumer stated the horn was working prior to arriving at the dealer.the consumer then contacted toyota customer service and they contacted the dealer. The dealer stated it was just a coincidence that the horn broke while performing the recall. According to the service invoice,the horn and cruise control short power spiral cable was bad. The consumer stated the dealer refunded his money. Updated 09/23/11consumer's issue resolved 12/6/11 *et
This complaint concerns the failure of the power assist operationof the electrical power steering system.the power steering warning icon is displayed on the central panel and the driver experiences an abnormal steering effort.
The contact owns a 2003 toyota prius. The vehicle was previously repaired under nhtsa campaign id number: 11v304000 (steering:electric power assist system). After the vehicle was repaired the steering wheel would vibrate excessively while in reverse or when attempting to make a turn while accelerating at a traffic light or stop sign. The contact stated prior to the recall repairs the steering wheel would also vibrate. The dealer was made aware of the failure and stated to bring the vehicle in for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 115,000. Updated 09/15/11updated 10/03/11
I was driving east at 50 mph on california hwy 68 at 0800.it was raining but there was no standing water.i was drivinga 2003 toyota prius.as i crossed the intersection with san benancio road the car slowly swerved to the left across the road, entering the opposite shoulder sliding broadside.the car continued the rotation, coming to rest facing east again.i did nothing to initiate this bizarre event.
2003 toyota prius, steering wheel shakes when making left turns. Car has had scheduled services. Shaking started as a rattle/grinding sound at the steering column. Shaking now happens when turning left or right, at startup or while driving on interstate. Most recently steering was un responsive at 50+mph. The vehicle has been in for service 3 times prior to today with no troubles found. Today (3 days after warranty expired) dealer finds crack in steering column same as that in recall for 2004 - 2006 prius see recall 06v188000.dealer wants $2500 to repair.
While driving at 60 mph power steering failed4 times.dealership will replace the rack and pinion.
The contact owns a 2003 toyota prius.the contact stated that when he turned his vehicle to the left at any speed, the steering made a weird noise and would not return to the straight position.he took the vehicle to the dealer 15 months ago and was informed that the failure was related to the temperature.the dealer stated that at a cooler temperature, the steering would go back to normal.the failure never corrected itself and the vehicle was brought back to the dealer.the dealer informed him that he needed to replace the entire rack and pinion steering system.the vehicle has not been repaired.the vin, engine size, and number of cylinders were unknown.the failure mileage was approximately 70,000 and current mileage was 130,000.
While driving at 60 mph power steering failed4 times.dealership will replace the rack and pinion.
The contact owns a 2003 toyota prius. When the contact woulddrive the vehicle she noticed that the steering wheel would turn left and right and would not return to the center position. The vehicle was taken to the dealership on 2 separate occasions where the contact had the rack and pinion replaced on both occasions the failure mileage was 42000 and the current mileage was 103000. The vin was not available.
While backing up slowly (under 10), the car suddenly sped up, unintended accelerated, to hit the movable barrier and another car before braked.
2003 toyota prius with excessive tire wear. First tire failure (sep 03) at approximately 14k miles; total failure of tire, we lucked out.remainder of tires replaced at about 18k miles. That good-quality set has now worn to the point of needing to be replaced at 38000 miles. Toyota admits there is a problem, but will do nothing to help the customer with it.a web search shows other owners have had this problem (tire wall failures, like our first failure) -- with some compensated, some not.there are also other defects which the manufacturer will not/cannot repair after several reports....until they blame the customer for "hurting" the car after they can't fix it.
The contact owns a 2003 toyota prius hybrid. The contact stated that she had experienced several failures within the vehicle since purchasing three months ago.the transmission was replaced, the left front tire had a leak and the inverter was replaced because several lights on the instrumental panel remained illuminated. On december 3, 2010, while driving approximately 10 mph the steering wheel began to shake violently. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer who performed a diagnostic test but was unable to locate a failure code. The dealer test drove the vehicle but was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 85,000 and the current mileage was 86,000.
At 5,000 miles the front tires on my '03 prius were worn to cord exposed. When i first approached the dealer, 4/03, with concerns at 1,500 miles and obvious wear, i was told that they had not seen this problem before.they aligned the front end and said that should fix the problem. When i brought it to the dealer,6/13/03,they told me that the problem is common, a design defect. The tires are too small for the weight of the vehicle's front end.i left the car with them and was called at the end of the day.the said that they could not get the approval from toyota to replace the tires under warranty.i would either have to pay for the tires myself or take the car as is.i told them i would take the car as is, but would hold them responsible for what may happen if the tires failed.when i went to get the car they were mounting new tires at their expense. I called toyota customer service to file a complaint, 6/13/03.they pretend to be unaware of any problems with prius tires. Toyota will not recommend any tire for the prius than the brigestone potenza re92.i think this is a serious safety issue.it is unreasonable to expect customers to replace tires more often than oil changes. My daily canyon commute is admittedly harder on tires than average, but i described it exactly to the salesman when i purchased the car.nothing was disclosed to me about potential tire wear problems.
Driving home on july 22, 2003 at about 4:30pm, traveling north on the 57 freeway travelingat approximately 68 mph had blow out on right rear tire.tire had complete blow out if side wall, vehicle had only approximately 10,700 miles.i had checked tire pressure the prior day and had 33 psi in front and 36 psi in rear as the specifications are written in the owners handbook.*la
Unusual tire wear:front oem tires worn to cords at 5000 miles.pressure kept at specified psi.alignment checked and adjusted at 1,500 miles. *nlm
Notified by dealer that both cv joints on front axles are severely worn and in danger of failure. The car has 56,488 miles on it. It has been well maintained, and most mileage was commuting at speeds under 45 miles/hour. This would seem to be a significant safety concern that should not occur at this mileage.
I have no vehicle problems, but the safercar.com website won't let me enter my vin [xxx] , saying that i had to follow the format, even though a year or two ago it worked! what can i do???information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Reference investigation # pe05029:my toyota prius 2003 [xxx] gasoline/ electric hybrid vehicles that can be operated in gasoline or electric mode. On 4 separate occasions, the gasoline engine shut down suddenly without warning.each time i was driving with the speed of highway traffic. The three previous times the vehicle continued to operate using the electric mode for a period of time after the gas engine stalled.this last and 4th time the vehicle shut down at the same time that they felt the gas engine stalled.i was able to restart the vehicle after 3 immediate attempts to turn the car on.i was able to slowly drive the car off the highways and to park.as with the last 3 times, i again had the vehicle towed. Each of the 4 stalling incidents, i was alerted by an audible sound and various warning lights. After the car stalled the brake and steering operation continued to function as the car drifted to a stop. Each time the reason was for the failure to operate was caused by something different, as i am told by the service center.this last time, (4th) the dealership said the car is "fine" asked me to pay the tow and is sending me on my way.nothing was done.i drive about 90 miles a day with my 8 yr old daughter as my primary passenger.this is a very dangerous situation that has not been corrected by toyota.my dealership (kings toyota cincinnati ohio). Updated 07/17/2012 information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)
2003 toyota prius with acceleration and brake problems. Customer stated when she released her foot from the brake pedal the vehicle raced forward while making a loud noise. The brakes were reapplied but it did not stop the vehicle.the consumer was able to veer slightly to the left to avoid an accident. The vehicle finally stopped after lurching about 30 to 40 feet well beyond the stop sign and into the intersection. The dealer was unable to duplicate the problem.
Customer states vehicle began racing wildly, acting like transmission was not engaged.driver stated as not depressing the accelerator during the alleged event.customer was driving on steep uphill grades at approximately 45 mph.vehicle was shut off and restarted.vehicle proceeded to operate with 6-7 reoccurrences throughout 100 miles of driving at highway speeds.customer states that this has never happened before however 6 months earlier the vehicle would not start and would stall repeatedly.customer states vehicle as relatively trouble free with a history of routine maintenance as well as replacement of the rear wheel bearings.(note: this record was received via telphone by an odi investigator rather than through our hotline or online form.it has been added to our complaint file in response to a third party request.)updated 05/03/12*ljupdated 05/04/12
The contact owns a 2003 toyota prius. While driving at a low speed four times, the vehicle accelerated over the speed limit. Twice the vehicle accelerated on an ice covered road. The vehicle also accelerated twice while driving over a pot hole. The vehicle was never taken to the dealer for a diagnostic test. Routine maintenance was performed and up to date prior the vehicleaccelerating. The vin was unknown. The failure mileage was 40,000.
Dt:while driving at 25-30 mph vehicle lost power and stalled due to electronic throttle module failure.updated 12/6/2005 - the dealer replaced the fuel relay.
Consumer was traveling at 70mph on highway with cruise control engaged.when depressing brake pedal to disengage cruise control the vehicle spun out and stopped facing the oncoming traffic.
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