IllustrationRIGHT FRONT DISC BRAKE PADS WERE INSPECTED ON 9-3-2009 BUT ON 10-23-2009 GRINDING NOISE BEGAN. PADS AND ROTORS ON FRONT BRAKES WERE REPLACED. TOLD METAL TO METAL CONTACT HAD DEVELOPED AND VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR
2002 Toyota Prius
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2002 Toyota Prius do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 164.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Prius years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
250–25K
2525–50K
1850–75K
2075–100K
30100–150K
12150K+
130 reports with mileage · 37 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Steering. Review the 80 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
12 crash reports4 fire reports7 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
14 reportsTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE INDICATOR ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL REMAINS ILLUMINATED, REGARDLESS IF THE BRAKES ARE ENGAGED OR NOT. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES AND THEY DISCOVERED A LEAK IN THE BRAKES. BRAKE FLUID WAS ADDED TO REMEDY THE FAILURE, BUT THE INDICATOR …
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE INDICATOR ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL REMAINS ILLUMINATED, REGARDLESS IF THE BRAKES ARE ENGAGED OR NOT. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES AND THEY DISCOVERED A LEAK IN THE BRAKES. BRAKE FLUID WAS ADDED TO REMEDY THE FAILURE, BUT THE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AGAIN A FEW DAYS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY INFORMED HIM NOT TO WORRY ABOUT THE FAILURE. THERE WAS NO ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE FAILURE. WEEKS LATER, THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKE ACTIVATOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. HE REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS AND THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE LAMP IN THE VEHICLE HAS ALSO ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE FUEL TANK, BUT WAS UNSURE IF THAT WOULD PERMANENTLY REMEDY THE ISSUE. BOTH OF THE DEFECTS HAVE NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000. UPDATED 3/11/09 *CN UPDATED 03/16/09. *JB
BRAKE AND ABS LIGHT CAME ON. BRAKES LOST COMPLETE BRAKING ABILITY. LUCKILY WE WERE ON A HILL OFF THE INTERSTATE EXIT WHEN THIS HAPPENED SO THE CAR COULD NOT GO FURTHER, THOUGH IT ALMOST CRASHED INTO THE PERSON IN FRONT OF US (THAT PERSON TURNED OFF ROAD). THIS IS 100% DANGEROUS! THE CAR CURRENTLY SITS AT MY HOUSE. TOO DANGE…
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BRAKE AND ABS LIGHT CAME ON. BRAKES LOST COMPLETE BRAKING ABILITY. LUCKILY WE WERE ON A HILL OFF THE INTERSTATE EXIT WHEN THIS HAPPENED SO THE CAR COULD NOT GO FURTHER, THOUGH IT ALMOST CRASHED INTO THE PERSON IN FRONT OF US (THAT PERSON TURNED OFF ROAD). THIS IS 100% DANGEROUS! THE CAR CURRENTLY SITS AT MY HOUSE. TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. WHEN BRAKE PADS WERE CHECKED LAST I WAS TOLD BRAKES WERE 80% NEW, SO IT IS CLEARLY NOT THE PADS. *TR
BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON FREQUENTLY. DEALERSHIP REPORTS BRAKE ACCUMULATOR BOOSTER ASSEMBLY LEAKING. DEALERSHIP TOLD ME IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD CAUSE BRAKE FAILURE. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE BRAKE BOOSTER, ACCUMULATOR ASSEMBLY. *JB
Official recalls
211V304000 · Steering:electric Power Assist System
Jun 1, 2011
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 & remedy
Consequence: LOSS OF POWER STEERING, PARTICULARLY WHEN AN OPERATOR IS ACTIVELY INTENDING TO STEER THE VEHICLE, MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: 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.
06V266000 · Engine And Engine Cooling
Jul 19, 2006
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, DUE TO IMPROPER MOLDING OF THE RESIN BODY OF THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENOR INSTALLED ON THE ENGINE BLOCK, ENGINE OIL MAY PENETRATE THE SEAL AND ENTER THE SENSOR WIRING CONNECTOR. THE WIRE HARNESS CONNECTOR MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENTLY ATTACHED TO THE LOCKING TAB OF THE SENSOR WIRING CONNECTOR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: ENGINE OIL INSIDE THE SENSOR WIRING CONNECTOR COULD CAUSE EXPANSION DUE TO THE HEAT OF THE ENGINE AND COULD DEFORM THE SENSOR WIRING CONNECTOR. THE CONNECTOR MAY BECOME DISCONNECTED, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL WHILE DRIVING AND NOT BE ABLE TO BE RESTARTED INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 26, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1DP22005 · Pedestrian Alert Sounds
Opened Jan 27, 2023 · Closed Aug 7, 2023
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:propulsion System
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.