2003 TOYOTA PRIUS Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHEN THE CONTACT WOULD DRIVE 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.

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. *TR

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. *TR

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. *TR

TL*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. *LJ UPDATED 09/28/10

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".) *TR

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 WAS SPEEDING 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. *TR

ABS BRAKE FAILS FOR A SHORT TIME WHEN SLOWING AND HITTING A BUMP. THIS HAS OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY SINCE PURCHASE (NEW) IN 2003. *TR

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.

2203 TOYOTA PRIUS CST BRAKE LIGHT GOES ON INTERMITTENTLY HAD BRAKES REPLACED BY DEALER. BRAKES DID NOT FEEL OK BUT TOLD THIS WAS NORMAL. BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR INTERMITTENTLY BUT NO BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER CAR SLID THRU RED LIGHT AT INTERSECTION, CAR WAS BROUGHT BACK TO DEALER. REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER. BRAKES STILL DID NOT WORK. DEALER SAID BRAKE HOSES WERE SOFT & SWOLLEN AND BRAKE CONTROLLER STICKING. REPLACED BRAKE HOSES, FLUSHED LINES CAP. BLEEDER PLUG ACTUATOR ASSY. CAR HAS 67,000 MILES. *TR