Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING - ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | ||||||||||||||||
| 11V304000 | TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC. | from 01/28/2000 to 05/30/2003 | V (Vehicle) | 52377 | MFR | TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION | 06/01/2011 | 06/01/2011 | ||||||||
| Defect Summary | 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. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | Loss of power steering, particularly when an operator is actively intending to steer the vehicle, may increase the risk of a crash. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Toyota will notify owners and dealers will replace the nuts in the steering linkage free of charge. the safety recall is expected to begin in early july 2011. owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | Owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov . | |||||||||||||||
Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING - ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | |||||
| POL-11-03 | 06/23/2011 | 10041273 | Ready | 09/26/2011 | |
| TCS-11-022 | 06/29/2011 | 10041274 | Ready | 09/26/2011 | |
| TCS-11-022 | 06/29/2011 | 10041274 | Toyota service campaign: see document search button for owner letter. unusual steering vibration when the driver releases the steering wheel. 2001-2003 prius. *rm | 09/26/2011 | |
| POL-11-03 | 06/23/2011 | 10041273 | Toyota: unusual steering wheel vibration when the driver releases the steering wheel. warranty extension. *rm | 09/26/2011 | |
| 04010 | 05/28/2004 | 10007669 | Customer support program - warranty coverage enhancement on the electronically-assisted power steering system. *tt | 07/07/2004 | |
| STEERING - RACK AND PINION - RACK | |||||
| 0403 | 06/04/2004 | 10008428 | Warranty enhancement - electronically assisted power steering rack assembly. *tt | 07/30/2004 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | |||
| 03/01/2010 | 100000 | ||
| 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. | |||
| 08/05/2011 | 123099 | 1 | |
| 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 | |||
| 08/05/2011 | 123099 | ||
| 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!!!! | |||
| 12/04/2012 | 95000 | 1 | |
| The vehicle vibrate the steering wheel at low speed. *tr | |||
| 08/05/2011 | 123099 | ||
| 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!!!! | |||
| 12/04/2012 | 95000 | ||
| The vehicle vibrate the steering wheel at low speed. | |||
| 08/05/2011 | 123099 | ||
| 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!!!! | |||
| 12/04/2012 | 95000 | ||
| The vehicle vibrate the steering wheel at low speed. | |||
| 10/27/2012 | 37000 | ||
| 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. pmb | |||
| 10/27/2012 | 37000 | ||
| 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 stops shaking when 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. li | |||
| 08/01/2004 | |||
| 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. | |||
| 12/29/2010 | 56000 | ||
| 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/ | |||
| 12/01/2004 | 20000 | ||
| On cold days, when driving for the first time, the steering wheel will start shuddering back and forth violently and rapidly if i try to turn the vehicle. this occurs regardless of the road condition at speeds of less than 10 mph. the shuddering stops only when i straighten out the wheel. | |||
| 11/11/2011 | 65000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota prius. the contact stated that there was a malfunction in the power steering system which caused the steering wheel to seize while driving. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who replaced the angle sensor. the vehicle was repaired under nhtsa campaign id number: 11v304000 (steering:electric power assist system) prior to the failure. the manufacturer was notified and the contact filed a complaint. the vehicle was in the process of being repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 65,000. | |||
| 11/11/2011 | 65000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2002 toyota prius. the contact stated that there was a malfunction in the power steering system which caused the steering wheel to seize while driving. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who replaced the angle sensor. the vehicle was repaired under nhtsa campaign id number: 11v304000 (steering:electric power assist system) prior to the failure. the manufacturer was notified and the contact filed a complaint. the vehicle was in the process of being repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 65,000. kmj | |||
| 11/11/2011 | 65000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2002 toyota prius. the contact stated that there was a malfunction in the power steering system, which caused the steering wheel to lock up while the vehicle was in motion. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who replaced the angle sensor. the vehicle was repaired under the nhtsa campaign id number: 11v304000 (steering:electric power assist system) recall, prior to this incident. the manufacturer was notified and the contact filed a complaint. the vehicle was in the process of repair. the failure and current mileage was 65,000. nw | |||
| 02/04/2011 | 137000 | ||
| Day leading up to incident, steering wheel would pull to right very easily or while rolling, but could be pulled back to center without issue. on day of incident, backed car out of parking space and a clunking sound was made under car. steering wheel would then only turn about a quarter turn and would not turn the wheels at all. we had the car towed to the dealer who determined that the steering rack was bad and the spiral cable which provided power to the airbag was bad as well. this was a very disturbing finding for us as we couldve been driving the car on the interstate at interstate speeds when the steering broke. additionally, the airbag would not have gone off if we had gotten into a crash. dealership and toyota were contacted regarding warranty replacement of both items. dealership and toyota refused to provide any warranty or discount to correct the issues. had the car towed home. ordered used steering rack and spiral cable and installed them myself. car is functioning now, but i have concern that the same thing will happen again. i still have the bad steering rack and bad spiral cable. | |||
| 01/19/2011 | 140000 | ||
| I have a 2002 toyota prius with 140k miles on it. the steering wheel started to shake violently last fall when i put the car in reverse. it now does this at low speeds, particularly around corners and is becoming an increasing problem at higher speeds. the power steering cut out on the freeway at 70 miles per hour last week. that convinced me i need to get a new car. i tried to trade it in at a local toyota dealer last summer and couldn't understand why they wouldn't give me more than $2.5k for it as i had paid $15k for it 2.5 years earlier. admittedly, i had been t-boned and a lot of work had been done on the car, but my dealer had it fixed it to where you wouldn't know it was in an accident unless it was pointed out. i researched the problems online and found this is a well -known design problem with the cars steering rack. i can't sell it to anyone as is. i'm stuck with having to do a $3k repair to a car that's worth less than that to its dealership. it scares me to drive it. they only made 26k of these cars. does every one have this problem? i spoke with toyota and they said they did offer an extended warranty repair on this, but since my car had >100k, the burden would be mine. they should be willing to resolve this design flaw. what is my recourse? again, i am afraid to drive it as i don | |||
| 12/20/2010 | 142000 | ||
| Steering wheel, uncontrollable shudder, will litterally rip itself out of your hand or grip. usually happens during the first of the day when it's relatively cold. while slowly moving the vehicle, the steering wheel will start to vibrate violently, in an un controllable manner. sometimes the power steering will just error out while driving down the street during the day, loosing all power steering as well. | |||
| 01/19/2011 | 140000 | ||
| I have a 2002 toyota prius with 140k miles on it. the steering wheel started to shake violently last fall when i put the car in reverse. it now does this at low speeds, particularly around corners and is becoming an increasing problem at higher speeds. the power steering cut out on the freeway at 70 miles per hour last week. that convinced me i need to get a new car. i tried to trade it in at a local toyota dealer last summer and couldn't understand why they wouldn't give me more than $2.5k for it as i had paid $15k for it 2.5 years earlier. admittedly, i had been t-boned and a lot of work had been done on the car, but my dealer had it fixed it to where you wouldn't know it was in an accident unless it was pointed out. i researched the problems online and found this is a well -known design problem with the cars steering rack. i can't sell it to anyone as is. i'm stuck with having to do a $3k repair to a car that's worth less than that to its dealership. it scares me to drive it. they only made 26k of these cars. does every one have this problem? i spoke with toyota and they said they did offer an extended warranty repair on this, but since my car had >100k, the burden would be mine. they should be willing to resolve this design flaw. what is my recourse? again, i am afraid to drive it as i don | |||
| 12/20/2010 | 142000 | ||
| Steering wheel, uncontrollable shudder, will litterally rip itself out of your hand or grip. usually happens during the first of the day when it's relatively cold. while slowly moving the vehicle, the steering wheel will start to vibrate violently, in an un controllable manner. sometimes the power steering will just error out while driving down the street during the day, loosing all power steering as well. | |||
| 01/19/2011 | 140000 | ||
| I have a 2002 toyota prius with 140k miles on it. the steering wheel started to shake violently last fall when i put the car in reverse. it now does this at low speeds, particularly around corners and is becoming an increasing problem at higher speeds. the power steering cut out on the freeway at 70 miles per hour last week. that convinced me i need to get a new car. i tried to trade it in at a local toyota dealer last summer and couldn't understand why they wouldn't give me more than $2.5k for it as i had paid $15k for it 2.5 years earlier. admittedly, i had been t-boned and a lot of work had been done on the car, but my dealer had it fixed it to where you wouldn't know it was in an accident unless it was pointed out. i researched the problems online and found this is a well -known design problem with the cars steering rack. i can't sell it to anyone as is. i'm stuck with having to do a $3k repair to a car that's worth less than that to its dealership. it scares me to drive it. they only made 26k of these cars. does every one have this problem? i spoke with toyota and they said they did offer an extended warranty repair on this, but since my car had >100k, the burden would be mine. they should be willing to resolve this design flaw. what is my recourse? again, i am afraid to drive it as i don | |||
| 12/20/2010 | 142000 | ||
| Steering wheel, uncontrollable shudder, will litterally rip itself out of your hand or grip. usually happens during the first of the day when it's relatively cold. while slowly moving the vehicle, the steering wheel will start to vibrate violently, in an un controllable manner. sometimes the power steering will just error out while driving down the street during the day, loosing all power steering as well. | |||
| 01/19/2011 | 140000 | ||
| I have a 2002 toyota prius with 140k miles on it. the steering wheel started to shake violently last fall when i put the car in reverse. it now does this at low speeds, particularly around corners and is becoming an increasing problem at higher speeds. the power steering cut out on the freeway at 70 miles per hour last week. that convinced me i need to get a new car. i tried to trade it in at a local toyota dealer last summer and couldn't understand why they wouldn't give me more than $2.5k for it as i had paid $15k for it 2.5 years earlier. admittedly, i had been t-boned and a lot of work had been done on the car, but my dealer had it fixed it to where you wouldn't know it was in an accident unless it was pointed out. i researched the problems online and found this is a well -known design problem with the cars steering rack. i can't sell it to anyone as is. i'm stuck with having to do a $3k repair to a car that's worth less than that to its dealership. it scares me to drive it. they only made 26k of these cars. does every one have this problem? i spoke with toyota and they said they did offer an extended warranty repair on this, but since my car had >100k, the burden would be mine. they should be willing to resolve this design flaw. what is my recourse? again, i am afraid to drive it as i don | |||
| 12/20/2010 | 142000 | ||
| Steering wheel, uncontrollable shudder, will litterally rip itself out of your hand or grip. usually happens during the first of the day when it's relatively cold. while slowly moving the vehicle, the steering wheel will start to vibrate violently, in an un controllable manner. sometimes the power steering will just error out while driving down the street during the day, loosing all power steering as well. | |||
| 01/19/2011 | 140000 | ||
| I have a 2002 toyota prius with 140k miles on it. the steering wheel started to shake violently last fall when i put the car in reverse. it now does this at low speeds, particularly around corners and is becoming an increasing problem at higher speeds. the power steering cut out on the freeway at 70 miles per hour last week. that convinced me i need to get a new car. i tried to trade it in at a local toyota dealer last summer and couldn't understand why they wouldn't give me more than $2.5k for it as i had paid $15k for it 2.5 years earlier. admittedly, i had been t-boned and a lot of work had been done on the car, but my dealer had it fixed it to where you wouldn't know it was in an accident unless it was pointed out. i researched the problems online and found this is a well -known design problem with the cars steering rack. i can't sell it to anyone as is. i'm stuck with having to do a $3k repair to a car that's worth less than that to its dealership. it scares me to drive it. they only made 26k of these cars. does every one have this problem? i spoke with toyota and they said they did offer an extended warranty repair on this, but since my car had >100k, the burden would be mine. they should be willing to resolve this design flaw. what is my recourse? again, i am afraid to drive it as i don | |||
| 12/20/2010 | 142000 | ||
| Steering wheel, uncontrollable shudder, will litterally rip itself out of your hand or grip. usually happens during the first of the day when it's relatively cold. while slowly moving the vehicle, the steering wheel will start to vibrate violently, in an un controllable manner. sometimes the power steering will just error out while driving down the street during the day, loosing all power steering as well. | |||
| 12/05/2010 | 39000 | ||
| Repeated problems with steering, including uncontrollable vibration of steering wheel and loss of power steering. car has 39k miles. problem has recently grown worse, with complete loss of power steering and appearance of ps warning on computer screen during highway driving. problem is especially prevalent in cold weather. very dangerous. | |||
| 12/06/2010 | 90000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2002 toyota prius. while driving approximately 45 mph the power steering light turned on. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed unsafe to drive and the technician stated the power steering rack needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 90,000.ds | |||
| 12/05/2010 | 39000 | ||
| Repeated problems with steering, including uncontrollable vibration of steering wheel and loss of power steering. car has 39k miles. problem has recently grown worse, with complete loss of power steering and appearance of ps warning on computer screen during highway driving. problem is especially prevalent in cold weather. very dangerous. | |||
| 12/06/2010 | 90000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2002 toyota prius. while driving approximately 45 mph the power steering light turned on. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed unsafe to drive and the technician stated the power steering rack needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 90,000.ds | |||
| 12/05/2010 | 39000 | ||
| Repeated problems with steering, including uncontrollable vibration of steering wheel and loss of power steering. car has 39k miles. problem has recently grown worse, with complete loss of power steering and appearance of ps warning on computer screen during highway driving. problem is especially prevalent in cold weather. very dangerous. | |||
| 12/06/2010 | 90000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2002 toyota prius. while driving approximately 45 mph the power steering light turned on. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed unsafe to drive and the technician stated the power steering rack needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 90,000.ds | |||
| 03/20/2004 | |||
| Steering wheel shakes when starting to back up or go forward . happens in colder weather more often | |||
| 10/04/2010 | 20000 | ||
| Steering wheel shakes violently for a few seconds then stops. up until yesterday it did this sporadically while backing and turning. yesterday, it did it during wet weather, 50 degrees faranheit, backing and turning. then it did it again while driving and turning in a parking garage. this was the first time it has ever done it going forward. this problem has been occurring for approx 8 years on and off. toyota dealership says they cannot reproduce problem. | |||
| 11/21/2009 | 45000 | ||
| Electronically-assisted power steering rack assembly defective on 2002 toyota prius, particularly vehicle id number jt2bk12u820043716 | |||
| 05/15/2010 | 60000 | ||
| My 2002 toyota prius's electronic motor steering assembly stops working after approximately 1hr of driving at highway speeds. at 75 miles per hour, warning lights turn on and steering assist fails. steering the car from the road is incredibly difficult. after turning the car off and back on, the steering works once again. the car is not safe to drive as the steering fails unexpectedly at high speeds. the dealer states that the fix will cost $3200, which is over half of the vehicle's kelley blue book trade-in value. | |||
| 05/31/2010 | 93000 | ||
| The electronic power steering assembly malfunctions and stops providing assistance to the driver on a 2002 toyota prius, on one instance the gasoline motor stopped working and i was left driving at low speed with the assistance of the electric motor only. the latest incident occurred on may 31st, 2010 while driving at about 65 mph on a freeway, the car lost the power steering operation, multiple warning lights came on on the screen, the gas motor shut down and the speed of the car dropped to around 23 mph. the accelerator pedal was responsive only in the range of 0~23 mph. i took the car to a service center and the service advisor told me the electric power steering module was defective and needed replacement. reviewing the service records for the cars i found that it presented the same symptoms once in 2006 and three times in 2008. the service center either cleaned a sensor or couldn't replicate the problem. the part was never replaced. while researching nhtsa site i found that toyota has file tsbs back in 2004 recognizing a problem with this particular component and in some cases extended the warranty on the part. i contacted toyota and they refuse to assist in the cost of the car repair. | |||
| 03/29/2010 | 103000 | ||
| I complained to the dealer multiple times about shaking in the steering column. after several inspections where they found nothing, i told them to check the rack & pinion. they found that to be the cause. toyota paid for the new parts and i paid for the labor to get it replaced. less then 13 months later, i have had multiple incidents of my power steering going out making it very difficult to drive the car. the dealer acknowledged there is a problem, again, with the rack and says i need to replace it. | |||
| 08/15/2008 | 59516 | 1 | |
| Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). to whom it may concern, i was attempting to make a left turn in my 2002 toyota prius traveling approximately 30mph when the steering wheel suddenly locked. i did manage to slow the car down and forced the wheel into completing the turn after hearing a cracking sound. i was told that the vehicle had a faulty sensor and the entire steering rack had to be replaced. i had just exited the highway and was lucky there were no other vehicles or pedestrians around. this situation occurred 08/15/08. this is after i had brought in both my 2002 prius and my 2002 toyota highlander in for numerous sensor defects that were either fixed or replaced. i continued to have problems with my toyota highlander as well. the last issue with this vehicle was oil the constant loss of engine oil. to be more detailed, i lost 8 quarts of oil in approximately 2000 miles. there was no explanation given considering there were no visible signs of leak or burning. this was the reason i no longer own this vehicle but unfortunately still own the prius. [xxx] *tr | |||
| 01/15/2010 | 40000 | 1 | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently when backing up and turning wheel. happens randomly. sometimes not for months. in january 2010 it happened three times in one week. toyota dealership is unresponsive saying they cannot duplicate the problem. *tr | |||
| 07/15/2003 | 39161 | 1 | |
| I have a 2002 toyota prius that i've had for some 7 years. the steering is very sensitive making it necessary to always attend to accuracy in steering. i thought that this was a chacteristic of the design, but now i wonder if this is actually a manufacturing defect because of reports i see on other models if you take your eyes off the road for a second, the car will drift into another lane, said one driver an oct. 18 complaint. another describes it as the most terrifying thing that ever happened to them. this describes my experience. *tr | |||
| 10/09/2009 | |||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 toyota prius. while driving approximately 35 mph on normal road conditions, suddenly, the steering wheel began to shake violently with excessive vibration. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer. the failure was contributed to the steering mechanism chip. the vehicle was not repaired for the malfunction. on a separate occasion the steering wheel locked without warning. the driver forced the steering wheel to the right as a result of the wheel unlocked. the vehicle was able to resume to normal operation. at this time the vehicle is not being driven due to the potential safety hazard. the failure mileage was unknown. the vin was unavailable. updated 03/01/10 *bf | |||
| 10/26/2008 | 96000 | 1 | 05/01/2008 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 toyota prius. while driving less than 65 mph, the emergency and power steering indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. the power steering would lock and the contact was able to maneuver the vehicle off the highway. once the vehicle was shut off and restarted, the warning indicators would no longer illuminate; however, there was a lot of play in the steering. the manufacturer stated that the vin was not included in any recalls; therefore, they would not assist with the liability of the repairs. the failure and current mileages were less than 96,000. updated 3/16/09 *cn the consumer stated there was an occassional shimmy in the steering wheel. updated 03/19/09.*jb | |||
| 12/29/2008 | 70400 | 1 | |
| While on a trip and after start up on a cold morning, i left the hotel parking lot and was proceeding to the on ramp for the interstate. while i was turning left, the steering wheel began to shake violently for 3-4 seconds before it subsided. i noticed this shuttering or stiffness a few more times before we returned from our trip. after returning home, we took it to a toyota dealer. they checked it out and stated, checked to find power steering rack & pinion gear is causing problem est $2160.85. would need to order part # 44200-49055. *tr | |||
| 12/10/2008 | 87933 | 1 | |
| On cold days when the car is first started the steering wheel shakes uncontrollably when put into reverse or drive. the car has to be turned off and restarted to get it to stop. this continues when restarted. the car cannot be driven due to this shaking of the steering wheel. *tr | |||
| 08/04/2008 | 73000 | 1 | |
| 2002 toyota prius, this car suffers from an intermittent steering shake. what happens: often at parking lot speeds and some times at highway speeds, the steering pulses violently and steering control is temporarily lost. *tr | |||
| 06/29/2008 | 129847 | 1 | |
| Intermittent severe steering wheel movement at low speed and steering failure which illuminated the ps failure light. steering was difficult after failure. system reset after ignition turned off. still have severe wheel vibration. toyota dealers state an internal failure in the rack and pinion. | |||
| 07/16/2004 | 41932 | 1 | 03/01/2002 |
| Just wanted to alert you that there may be a potential defect with the torque sensor, which affects the power steering. i recently encountered this in my 2002 toyota prius with 43,000+ miles on the vehicle.*ak basically, there are no preceding symptoms before the power steering fails. upon failure, the prius central color touchscreen lcd display shows three icons, with the ps icon in red. you will also see an exclamation point icon lit on the green lcd display next to the speedometer. at which point, you have no power steering and the car will be hard to steer. when this occurs, there may be a temporary fix, which worked for me. pull over to a safe area and turn off the car. wait 30 seconds, and then turn on the car. you have effectively rebooted the prius computer system with the torque sensor, and the power steering should return for the time being. the vehicle should be taken to the nearest official toyota service shop (aka dealership) and have them run a diagnostic check. they should see code c1513 torque sensor abnormal in the prius' memory banks. then sit down for the price tag: $3159 - $4,160 to replace the entire power steering rack, since the sensor is integrated in the rack itself. this includes the labor of about $261. it is recommended not to accept any cost coverage offer from the service shop until you call the toyota consumer support line at 1-800-331-4331. make sure you have a service quote from the shop, then call the support line and complain. the support line will assign you a case worker and provide a case number. they will contact the shop and make arrangements to repair the vehicle. toyota covered the cost of the part 100% for me, and all i had to do was pay for the labor since my car was out of warranty per the 36,000 bumper-to-bumper coverage. in conclusion, i am very happy on how toyota handled the power steering issue. this is to inform other 2000-2003 prius owners if they encounter a similar problem. | |||
| STEERING - COLUMN | |||
| 07/09/2006 | 56200 | 10 | 06/21/2005 |
| I purchased 2002 prius in june, 2005. in september 2005 power steering warning light came on 3 times while driving on freeway between tucson and phoenix. dealer said the power steering torque sensor was malfunctioning and would cost $1450.00 to replace. took to my own mechanic (authorized prius mechanic) who confirmed the dealers assessment and also told me that toyota does not provide parts to repair the power steering so entire unit must be replaced. problem disappeared for about 1 yr. then in july of this year, power steering warning light started to come on while driving from tucson to las cruces. also, steering wheel started to shake uncontrollably when backing up or turning while car was in motion. battery also failed when attempting to leave nm and had to replace battery at a cost of $140 with only a one year warranty and no one except toyota sells the battery. after discussing problems with my mechanic i called toyota to see if they would replace power steering column - they told me my car was too old and had too many miles on it (only 59k). i own a 1975 celica that has 265k miles and it has never needed any steering column work - how come a car 30 years later needs one after only 59k? i used to think toyota made a good product and stood by their cars, but i guess i was wrong. the 2002 prius in not a road-worthy car and the savings in gasoline consumption does not come anywhere close to paying for a $1450 repair on an obviously defective steering column. i do not feel safe taking the prius out on the freeway and steering wheel continues to shake uncontrollably. i will replace the power steering unit only when repair parts become available or the part breaks down completely. i doubt i will keep this car very long and i know i will not buy another toyota in the future. now when i am asked how i like my prius i tell people to buy a honda civic instead. *nm | |||
| STEERING - ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | |||
| 09/26/2006 | 92000 | 20 | 06/19/2006 |
| Power steering failure. when first starting car steering can sometimes vibrate vigorously, then warning light can come on sometimes power steering works for a wile then fail other times it fails immediately making steering very difficult. *jb | |||
| 07/01/2006 | 51500 | 6 | 02/14/2002 |
| Steering in car locks up at higher speeds. the issue seems consistent with the 2001 recall items. toyota customer service refuses to offer assistance without charging and claims steering to not be covered under power train warranty. *jb | |||
| 07/09/2006 | 101 | 01/08/2002 | |
| Continuation of complaint (odi numbers) 10162367-68 earlier that day we had driven my daughter-in-law and granddaughter to fumicino airport in rome and then returned home. we could only imagine what a catastrophe would have occurred if that freezing of the steering wheel had occurred at autostrada speeds. in the meantime, bi auto in florence has informed me that the part (no 44200-47060) must be delivered from japan and will take a minimum of 10 days. in an attempt to expedite service, i contacted the toyota customer service in torrance, california (ref # 200607110691) to see if the part may be more readily available and shipped sooner from the us. their answer was no. further, they indicated that since the prius was outside the us, they were not willing to honor the warranty extension and thus the $3500 repair would be at my expense. i will now contact my us dealer (i bought a second prius in 2004, which is still in the us) to see if they will intercede on my behalf. but what's especially troubling is even if this replacement performed is whether (1) toyota has made any improvement in the replacement part to eliminate the failure (apparently the 2004 replacement was ineffective), (2) for how many miles might this new replacement part last, and (3) will there be any warning, such as the stiffness in turning, that will precede a catastrophic failure such as this freezing of the steering wheel. for the online form, i have provided my us contact numbers. however, until august 6th, i will continue to be in italy. *jb | |||
| 07/09/2006 | 47000 | 101 | 01/08/2002 |
| Continuation of complaint (odi number) 10162367 the steering was each time frozen in the center position with no possibility of turning to the right or left. the earlier problem was not demonstrable to the toyota service manager when the car had been brought in for servicing in october 26, 2005 and march 2, 2006 (during a one week visit), but because i had more time in july, i had scheduled a total inspection for the steering mechanism on tuesday, july 11th. after this catastrophic failure, however, i had the car immediately towed to bi auto toyota in florence for repair. despite the fact that the towing charge was more than $200, i had no confidence that this car could be driven safely to the dealership. at the dealership, the service technicians identified the problem as requiring the replacement of the | |||
| 10/01/2005 | 47000 | 101 | 01/08/2002 |
| A year ago, i had my 2002 toyota prius shipped to italy while i was on sabbatical. starting in october (2005), i started reporting to the local toyota dealer that the steering was stiff when returning the wheel straight ahead on sharp turns or when moving out of tight places where i had parked. i returned to the us for the spring semester, but returned in june, and found the same intermittent problem. my first thought was that there had been some damage to the car during shipping. this past sunday (july 9, 2006), however, i had a catastrophic incident that might have sent my wife and me off the small country road we were traveling on about a half mile from our home here south of florence in the chianti region. i had been on a steady downhill stretch which then reversed to in an s-curve on an incline. i turned normally through the first half of the s-curve when suddenly the steering wheel froze solid in a straight forward position and i had to jam on the brakes to stop forward motion of the car or go off the side of the road into a ravine. i was probably traveling under 15-20 mph, because the curves were so sharp and i was traveling uphill. to get off the road, i stopped and started the prius a couple of times to see if this were an electrical-computer fault as the steering system in this car had been replaced at 26,000 miles (more about this later). on about the third try, i was able with tremendous force to move the wheel off center and normal steering was restored. because there was no adequate shoulder on the road, i returned the car home, experiencing the same steering wheel lock-up more than once, jamming on the brakes to bring the car to a halt, and then wrestling with the steering wheel to the right and the left with the same immense force until it broke free. this was nothing like the previous stiffness i had experienced bringing the wheel back to center from a far left or far right position. (to be continued). *jb | |||
| STEERING - GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION) | |||
| 08/01/2009 | 89000 | 1 | 01/01/2002 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 toyota prius which was purchased in january 2002. he stated that there was excessive shaking in the steering wheel. while driving approximately 25 mph, a warning light illuminated indicating that there was a loss of power steering. intermittently the steering wheel becomes difficult to control while making right and left turns. a diagnostic test was performed and error codes indicated that the torque sensor failed. a dealer stated that the repair cost was approximately $2,000; although, there was a recall for the failure, nhtsa campaign id number: 00v285000, his vin was not included. the current and failure mileages were under 89,000. updated 04/05/10 *bf updated 05/05/10.*jb | |||
| STEERING - GEAR BOX - SHAFT SECTOR | |||
| 10/15/2007 | 83000 | 1 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 toyota prius hybrid. while driving 55 mph, the power steering light illuminated on the instrument panel and began flashing a warning. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they informed the contact that it was safe to continue driving. the following day the vehicle was taken to another dealer and they stated that the steering gear box and electric system failed. the cost of the part is $1,800. the purchase date was unknown. the current mileage was 85,000 and failure mileage was 83,000. | |||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | |||
| 01/01/1901 | 100 | 1 | |
| Consumers 2002 toyota prius loss of power at highway speeds and violent shaking in the steering system. *ts the consumer stated the dealer made attempts to correct the problem by replacing the electronic module exchange and the gas tank. however, the attempts were unsuccessful. also, the vehicle has an ongoing, unresolved problem with violent shaking in the steering system, especially the first thing in the morning and at other times during cold weather. the power steering will completely cut out after hours of operation, especially during hot weather. *jb | |||
| 08/04/2003 | 1 | 01/14/2002 | |
| The steering wheel shakes and shutters during low speed driving, especially in reverse, on my 2002 toyota prius.*ak | |||
| STEERING - LINKAGES | |||
| 04/15/2003 | 27000 | 5 | 01/15/2002 |
| After parking vehicle and returning back to it later vehicle started up, but then stalled. after stalling vehicle did not restart until the next day. dealer has examined the vehicle five times and was not able to resolve the problem. also, gas tank and steering links had been replaced. *ak *la | |||
| STEERING - RACK AND PINION | |||
| 10/09/2007 | 128000 | 1 | 12/26/2001 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 toyota prius. while driving 55 mph, the power steering warning light illuminated. the contact stated that he slowed down to exit the highway and his power steering failed. the dealer stated that the torque sensor in the steering gear box failed. a nhtsa recall was established (nhtsa campaign id number: 00v285000). repairs were not made. the dealer information is not available. the current and failure mileages were 128,000. | |||
| 09/16/2007 | 72000 | 1 | 01/21/2002 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 toyota prius. while driving between 55-65 mph, the steering warning indicator light illuminated and the power steering failed. the dealer stated that there was a faulty sensor and the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. the vehicle has not been repaired. nhtsa campaign id number 00v285000 (steering:gear box (other than rack and pinion)) for a 2001 toyota prius was referenced. the current and failure mileages were 72,000. updated 10/23/07 *tr | |||
| 07/09/2006 | 47000 | 101 | 01/08/2002 |
| Continuation of complaint (odi number) 10162367 the steering was each time frozen in the center position with no possibility of turning to the right or left. the earlier problem was not demonstrable to the toyota service manager when the car had been brought in for servicing in october 26, 2005 and march 2, 2006 (during a one week visit), but because i had more time in july, i had scheduled a total inspection for the steering mechanism on tuesday, july 11th. after this catastrophic failure, however, i had the car immediately towed to bi auto toyota in florence for repair. despite the fact that the towing charge was more than $200, i had no confidence that this car could be driven safely to the dealership. at the dealership, the service technicians identified the problem as requiring the replacement of the | |||
| 11/05/2003 | 102000 | 1 | 05/02/2002 |
| Power steering gear assembly (rack and pinion) is failing. car shakes when turning. it failed on 2 prius out of 5 i have had. i think there should be a recall from toyota for this issue.*ak | |||
| 08/15/2003 | 29150 | 2 | 11/21/2001 |
| Steering rack failure, related to torque sensor failure. replaced once under warranty, but is beginning to fail a second time with same symptoms. *ak | |||
| 05/01/2003 | 36000 | 1 | 01/08/2002 |
| Power steering gear assembly (rack and penion) is failing. car shakes when turning and backing up.extended warranty company refuses to cover until system completely fails or it becames a safety issue.*ak | |||
| 08/01/2002 | 04/01/2002 | ||
| Steering column and car vibrate when turning or backing. lesser vibration in steering also sensed when driving straight. brought car into dealer on august 14, 2002. am told that replacement steering rack is unavailable and date of receipt of one is not known. reported this problem to toyota consumer services and file # 200208260148 was assigned to my report. there is also extensive discussion of problems with prious steering on several web sites at which i determined that there was a recall of the 2001 model. manufacturer has not corrected defect on 2002 model.*ak | |||
| STEERING - RACK AND PINION - RACK | |||
| 05/11/2003 | 14000 | 3 | 10/15/2001 |
| 2002 new toyota prius delivered with bridgestone potenza tires. these tires have failed after 12,000 miles. then changed tires (all 4) which failed at 10,000 miles. toyota corporate says its not their concern. dealer told me they are not safe tires. i have replaced tires every 10,000 miles. toyota corporate recommends these tires and takes no responsibility for them.*ak | |||
| 08/05/2002 | 1 | 10/01/2001 | |
| Steering wheeel was shaking uncontrollably at low speed. took to dealer, and they stated that power steering rack was defective. the parts were not available for about 6 months.*ak | |||