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 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | |||
| 09/15/2010 | 75000 | 1 | |
| 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. *tr | |||
| 09/15/2010 | 75000 | ||
| 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. | |||
| 07/01/2010 | 104442 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota prius. the contact stated after 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. | |||
| 07/01/2010 | 104442 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 toyota prius. the contact stated after 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. rvk | |||
| 08/01/2011 | 70000 | ||
| Tl- 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. kmj | |||
| 08/01/2011 | 70000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 toyota prius. the contact stated that while driving, the steering wheel would vibrate. the warning light would illuminate on the instrument panel at any time. 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. nw | |||
| 08/19/2011 | |||
| 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. | |||
| 03/15/2011 | 115000 | ||
| Tl- 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. rvk | |||
| 03/15/2011 | 115000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 toyota prius. the vehicle was previosly repaired under nhtsa campaign id number: 11v304000 (steering:electric power assist system). after the repairs were performed the steering wheel would vibrate excessively while in reverse or when attempting to make a turn after being stopped at a light or a 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 the vehicle would have to be taken in for diagnostics. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 115,000. ds | |||
| 06/04/2011 | |||
| Twice now my steering has frozen as i am straightening the steering wheel after making a turn. there are no particular events leading up to the failure, though this time my steering had felt stiffer and jerkier off and on before the time when it actually froze. the first time it happened i had it towed right to the dealer. this time, i was actually able to get it moving again, but it continued to freeze randomly the next couple of times i drove it. in both instances, the solution is to replace the steering rack. | |||
| 03/19/2011 | 30000 | ||
| 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 with the potential for causing a life threatening incident to take place; toyota and dealership reps take no responsiblity 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 | |||
| 01/31/2011 | 105000 | ||
| I experianced 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 alowed 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 chaging $2,500.00 to $3,500.00 to fix a problem they know exist in these cars a worried consumer. | |||
| 01/09/2010 | 40000 | ||
| Tl- 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 the failure occurred numerous times intermittently. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where they could not duplicate or diagnose the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 40,000. ds | |||
| 12/03/2010 | 85000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota prius hybrid. the contact stated the vehicle was purchased september 17, 2010. she has experienced several failures. the transmission was replaced, the left front tire had a leak, the inverter was replaced, because several lights on the instrumental panel remained illuminated. on december 3, 2010, while driving approximately 10 mph the steering shook 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 had not been repaired. the failure mileagewas 85,000 and the current mileage was 86,000. | |||
| 12/03/2010 | 85000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota prius hybrid. the contact stated the vehicle was purchased september 17, 2010. she has experienced several failures. the transmission was replaced, the left front tire had a leak, the inverter was replaced, because several lights on the instrumental panel remained illuminated. on december 3, 2010, while driving approximately 10 mph the steering shook 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 duplcate the failure. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure mileagewas 85,000 and the current mileage was 86,000. | |||
| 08/21/2010 | 38000 | ||
| 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 intermittenly 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 dont know if i can ever put my family in it again. the steering failure is very dangerous and had no warning. | |||
| 10/20/2009 | 70000 | 1 | |
| 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 | |||
| 07/10/2009 | 68000 | 1 | |
| 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 | |||
| 02/05/2010 | 27770 | 1 | |
| 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 | |||
| 11/21/2008 | 118000 | ||
| 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. | |||
| 08/01/2009 | 84000 | 1 | |
| 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. *tr | |||
| 10/28/2009 | 90661 | 1 | |
| 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. *tr | |||
| 02/01/2009 | 95000 | 1 | |
| 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. *tr | |||
| 07/19/2008 | 88000 | 1 | |
| Erratic behavior of electric power steering. uncontrollable shaking of steering wheel. an un safe condition. there has to be a lot these problems because replacement steering racks are on back order and no prediction of when they will available. with no parts available and car un safe then car is useless. *tr | |||
| 08/01/2008 | 72000 | 1 | |
| 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 | |||
| 08/04/2008 | 36000 | 1 | |
| Tl*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 10-07-08 *bf the consumer stated she has not experienced any more failures since the repair was done. updated 10/15/08. *jb | |||
| 03/07/2008 | 69355 | 1 | 02/26/2003 |
| 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. *tr | |||
| 02/08/2004 | 22667 | 1 | 04/04/2003 |
| 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.*ak | |||
| STEERING - ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | |||
| 08/10/2011 | 1 | ||
| 2003 toyota prius. consumer writes in regards to recall notice concerning pinion shaft nuts on the electric power steering *tgw the 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. *jb | |||
| 08/01/2009 | 84000 | 1 | |
| 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. *tr | |||
| 02/22/2008 | 100970 | 12 | 08/23/2003 |
| This complaint concerns the failure of the power assist operation of the electrical power steering system. the power steering warning icon is displayed on the central panel and the driver experiences an abnormal steering effort. *tr | |||
| 02/10/2007 | 1 | ||
| I was driving east at 50 mph on california hwy 68 at 0800. it was raining but there was no standing water. i was driving a 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. *jb | |||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | |||
| 4 | |||
| While driving at 60 mph power steering failed 4 times. dealership will replace the rack and pinion.*ak | |||
| STEERING - RACK AND PINION | |||
| 01/01/2006 | 42000 | ||
| 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. | |||
| 08/01/2006 | 70000 | 500 | 06/01/2003 |
| Tl*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. | |||
| 4 | |||
| While driving at 60 mph power steering failed 4 times. dealership will replace the rack and pinion.*ak | |||