2003 Toyota Prius Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Prius years
- Fewer complaints than other years 16th of 27 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 99 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Toyota Prius. That ranks 16th out of 27 Prius model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is steering (39 complaints, 39%), typically at around 84,500 miles. Complaints mention 5 crashes, 5 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 99owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 5complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Toyota Prius problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 39 | 39% | 84,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 13 | 13% | 108,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 11 | 11% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 11 | 11% | 10,719 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 8 | 8% | 150 | — | — |
| Power Train | 5 | 5% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 5 | 5% | 117,689 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 5% | 41,873 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 3 | 3% | 83,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 3% | 63,744 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 2% | 105,117 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 2% | 66,627 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 2 | 2% | 115,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 2% | 17,970 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 1% | 160,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | 68,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 1% | 123,200 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 1% | 43,745 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 1% | 136,720 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Toyota Prius recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Steering:electric power assist system
Problem: 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.
Risk: Loss of power steering, particularly when an operator is actively intending to steer the vehicle, may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners and dealers will replace the nuts in the steering linkage free of charge. The safety recall began on july 8, 2011. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds (DP22005) — opened Jan 27, 2023, closed Aug 7, 2023, led to recall 22V063000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the steering wheel began to vibrate with an unknown message displayed on the instrument panel. As the failure persisted, the message disappeared, and the contact was able to drive to her destination. Upon restart…
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…
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.
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…
Other Toyota Prius years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Prius | 6 | 1 |
| 2025 Prius | 16 | 2 |
| 2024 Prius | 27 | 4 |
| 2023 Prius | 20 | 4 |
| 2022 Prius | 24 | 1 |
| 2021 Prius | 6 | 0 |
| 2020 Prius | 14 | 0 |
| 2019 Prius | 30 | 3 |
| 2018 Prius | 37 | 1 |
| 2017 Prius | 91 | 3 |
| 2016 Prius | 155 | 5 |
| 2015 Prius | 166 | 1 |
| 2014 Prius | 208 | 3 |
| 2013 Prius | 412 | 3 |
| 2012 Prius | 424 | 6 |
| 2011 Prius | 521 | 6 |
| 2010 Prius | 2,823 | 10 |
| 2009 Prius | 502 | 6 |
| 2008 Prius | 1,497 | 4 |
| 2007 Prius | 2,003 | 4 |
| 2006 Prius | 1,439 | 6 |
| 2005 Prius | 1,051 | 6 |
| 2004 Prius | 610 | 6 |
| 2003 | 99 | 1 |
| 2002 Prius | 167 | 2 |
| 2001 Prius | 165 | 3 |
| 2000 Prius | 4 | 0 |
See all Toyota Prius problems by year, every Toyota model, or the Toyota VIN decoder.
Similar Toyota models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Toyota Prius?
Owners most often report steering, electrical system, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, steering, accounts for 39 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Toyota Prius?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Toyota Prius a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Prius model years, the 2003 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.