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2003 Toyota Prius

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2003 Toyota Prius do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 164.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

81 reports with mileage · 18 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 39 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports0 fire reports5 injury reports

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

5 reports
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284,998 miles · May 10, 2011
Vehicle Speed Control

CUSTOMER STATES VEHICLE BEGAN RACING WILDLY, ACTING LIKE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT ENGAGED. DRIVER STATED AS NOT DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR DURING THE ALLEGED EVENT. CUSTOMER WAS DRIVING ON STEEP UPHILL GRADES AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED. VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO OPERATE WITH 6-7 REOCCURRENCES THROUGHO…

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CUSTOMER STATES VEHICLE BEGAN RACING WILDLY, ACTING LIKE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT ENGAGED. DRIVER STATED AS NOT DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR DURING THE ALLEGED EVENT. CUSTOMER WAS DRIVING ON STEEP UPHILL GRADES AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED. VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO OPERATE WITH 6-7 REOCCURRENCES THROUGHOUT 100 MILES OF DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. CUSTOMER STATES THAT THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE HOWEVER 6 MONTHS EARLIER THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND WOULD STALL REPEATEDLY. CUSTOMER STATES VEHICLE AS RELATIVELY TROUBLE FREE WITH A HISTORY OF ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AS WELL AS REPLACEMENT OF THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS. (NOTE: THIS RECORD WAS RECEIVED VIA TELPHONE BY AN ODI INVESTIGATOR RATHER THAN THROUGH OUR HOTLINE OR ONLINE FORM. IT HAS BEEN ADDED TO OUR COMPLAINT FILE IN RESPONSE TO A THIRD PARTY REQUEST.) UPDATED 05/03/12*LJ UPDATED 05/04/12

NHTSA ODI #10428551

40,000 miles · Mar 18, 2010
Vehicle Speed Control

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED FOUR TIMES, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED OVER THE SPEED LIMIT. TWICE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON AN ICE COVERED ROAD. THE VEHICLE ALSO ACCELERATED TWICE WHILE DRIVING OVER A POT HOLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NEVER TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. ROUTINE MAINTENAN…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED FOUR TIMES, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED OVER THE SPEED LIMIT. TWICE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON AN ICE COVERED ROAD. THE VEHICLE ALSO ACCELERATED TWICE WHILE DRIVING OVER A POT HOLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NEVER TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED AND UP TO DATE PRIOR THE VEHICLE ACCELERATING. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

NHTSA ODI #10320626

Mileage unknown · Sep 26, 2007
Vehicle Speed Control

2003 TOYOTA PRIUS WITH ACCELERATION AND BRAKE PROBLEMS. CUSTOMER STATED WHEN SHE RELEASED HER FOOT FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL THE VEHICLE RACED FORWARD WHILE MAKING A LOUD NOISE. THE BRAKES WERE REAPPLIED BUT IT DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. *KB THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO VEER SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE FINALLY…

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2003 TOYOTA PRIUS WITH ACCELERATION AND BRAKE PROBLEMS. CUSTOMER STATED WHEN SHE RELEASED HER FOOT FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL THE VEHICLE RACED FORWARD WHILE MAKING A LOUD NOISE. THE BRAKES WERE REAPPLIED BUT IT DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. *KB THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO VEER SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE FINALLY STOPPED AFTER LURCHING ABOUT 30 TO 40 FEET WELL BEYOND THE STOP SIGN AND INTO THE INTERSECTION. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10204912

43,745 miles · Oct 18, 2005
Fuel System, GasolineVehicle Speed Control

DT:WHILE DRIVING AT 25-30 MPH VEHICLE LOST POWER AND STALLED DUE TO ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE FAILURE. *AK UPDATED 12/6/2005 - THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL RELAY. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10140068

6,500 miles · Jul 1, 2003
Vehicle Speed Control

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT 70MPH ON HIGHWAY WITH CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED. WHEN DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL TO DISENGAGE CRUISE CONTROL THE VEHICLE SPUN OUT AND STOPPED FACING THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10026336

Official recalls

1

11V304000 · 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.

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

1

DP22005 · 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.