2002 TOYOTA PRIUS Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE POWER STEERING RACK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V304000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IMMEDIATELY AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE RACK AND PINION WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000. *TR UPDATED 04/30/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE DEALER STATED THE THE RACK AND PINION WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER WAS QUOTED A PRICE OF $ 3,000.

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. REALLY JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE IT RESULTS IN REAR-ENDING SOMEONE DUE TO UNEXPECTED SURGE. *TR

VIOLENT SHAKING OF THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE STOPPED OR AT SLOW SPEEDS. PARTICULARLY IN THE WINTER TIME, FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. STOPPING THE VEHICLE AND SOMETIMES SHUTTING OFF AND BACK ON WILL ADDRESS THE ISSUE. *TR

TOYOTA ISSUED A RECALL IN AUGUST 2011 ON GEN. 1 PRIUS FOR A STEERING ISSUE. WE TOOK THE PRIUS INTO LOCAL DEALER AND THEY REPLACED STEERING NUTS PER RECALL. WITHIN A WEEK AFTER RECALL FIX, WE NOTICED A VIOLENT SHAKE TO THE STEERING WHEEL DURING A COLD MORNING START. IT HAD NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE THE RECALL. WE TOOK THE CAR IN AFTER IT OCCURRED AGAIN AND WERE TOLD THAT OUR RACK AND PINION WAS WORE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. DURING THE RECALL WORK, THE DEALERSHIP DID A COMPLETE INSPECTION OF THE CAR AND NOTHING UNUSUAL WAS NOTED. HOW DID THEY DO WORK ON A RACK AND PINION AND NOT NOTICE WEAR ON IT THEN? WE BELIEVE WHEN THEY TORQUED THE NEW NUTS TO THE STEERING PINION, THIS CREATED UNDO STRESS ON THE TORQUE SENSOR AND IS WHY THE AFTERWORK SHAKING IS OCCURRING. TOYOTA NEEDS TO COME CLEAN AND REPLACE THESE RACKS FREE OF CHARGE FOR POSSIBLE DAMAGE TO ALOT OF GEN. 1 PRIUS'S WHEN THEY DID THE NUT RECALL. THERE IS MORE OF A SAFETY ISSUE NOW WITH THE VIOLENT STEERING WHEEL SHAKING OUT OF UNSUSPECTING DRIVERS THAN A NUT THAT'S GOING TO BREAK OFF. NHTSA, FORCE THEM TO DO A RECALL NOW!!!! *TR

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING SHAKE VIOLENTLY WHILE TURNING, REVERSING, OR IN DRIVE. THE STEERING HAD TO BE HELD WITH BOTH HANDS TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE IN LANE. THE STEERING WOULD STOP SHAKING WHENEVER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS RELEASED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V537000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 37,000.

I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE UNDER SPEED LIMIT WHEN MY STEERING WHEEL BECAME STIFF. I WAS DRIVING WHEN MY STEERING WHEEL BECAME STIFF AND AFTER FEW SECONDS I WAS AT A CURVE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO TURN LEFT AND WENT OFF THE ROAD INTO A DITCH AND COLLIDING WITH AN OBJECT. THE CAR GOT HUGE DAMAGE AND WAS NOT DRIVABLE AND STILL IN MY YARD. *TR

WHEN DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, AFTER A 300 MILE DRIVE, A POTHOLE WAS STRUCK. THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED FORCEFULLY FROM SIDE TO SIDE FOR ABOUT A MINUTE, THEN POWER STEERING FAILED. STEERING WAS POSSIBLE, BUT ONLY WITH GREAT PHYSICAL EFFORT. AFTER THE VEHICLE RESTED OVERNIGHT, SYMPTOMS WERE NOT PRESENT. *TR

I WAS TURNING LEFT INTO A PARKING SPOT WHEN THE STEERING SOUNDED AND ACTED ODD. THE PS LIGHT CAME ON. I BROUGHT IT TO A TOYOTA DEALER AND HAD TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING GEAR MECHANISM AT A COST OF OVER $2600.00. I WAS TOLD THE RECALL ON THIS WAS V.I.N. SPECIFIC AND DID NOT APPLY TO MINE. MY CONCERN IS IF THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE THAT IS ADDRESSED IN THE RECALL, AND MY CAR HAD THE ISSUE, WHY IS IT NOT TAKEN CARE OF BY THE COMPANY. *TR