2003 Model Year

Toyota Prius

NHTSA Complaints & Reliability Data

Compare
Complaints
99
Recalls
1
Crashes
5
Severe
10

Active Recalls

Manufacturer safety recalls

11V304000 Jun 2011

Other

No consequence data available

Recent Complaints

Latest owner reports

Steering
Oct 2022

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 dis...

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES
Oct 2020

FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHEN DRIVING, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WILL ENGAGE, WITHOUT PRESSING THE E BRAKE PEDAL. ALSO, INTERMITTENT ONCE CAR IS PARKED AND...

Brakes
Aug 2020

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 SC...

Steering
Jan 2020

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...

Steering
May 2019

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 20...

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Jul 2017

THERE IS NO THERMOSTAT GAUGE IN A 2003 TOYOTA PRIUS , THE CAR OVER HEATS AND YOU DON'T KNOW UNTIL YOUR IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC NEARLY GETTING KILLED....

Steering
Feb 2017

THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES INTERMITTENTLY; THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES WHEN BACKING OUT OF THE GARAGE TURNING INTO THE "TURN-AROUND" SPOT, IT HAS A...

Steering
Jun 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO T...

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jan 2016

I HAVE NO VEHICLE PROBLEMS, BUT THE SAFERCAR.COM WEBSITE WON'T LET ME ENTER MY VIN [XXX] , SAYING THAT I HAD TO FOLLOW THE FORMAT, EVEN THOUGH A YEAR...

Steering
Oct 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK INTENSELY. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NH...

VS

Vehicle Safety Research Team

Automotive Data Analysts

Independent researchers analyzing NHTSA data to help consumers make informed vehicle decisions.

Data updated: March 4, 2026

Summary

The 2003 Toyota Prius has 99 complaints and 1 recalls on record. The most commonly reported issue is Steering. 5 crash-related incidents have been reported.

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