Most common 2003 Toyota Prius problems
Share of the 99 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Toyota Prius complaints by model year
Best Prius years: 2021, 2020, 2018. Years to avoid: 2011, 2010, 2007, 2006, 2008. Compare all years →
2003 Toyota Prius recalls (1)
Steering › Electric power assist system
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.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2003 Toyota Prius:
Pedestrian alert sounds
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.
What 2003 Toyota Prius owners say
Steering all 39 →
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 of the vehicle, the contact received a do not drive message on the instrument panel with the steering wheel vibrating. Due to the failure, the contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed with a defective steering sensor. Upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V304000 (Steering). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred her to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 176,000.
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 turning the steering wheel. The vehicle was in motion when the shaking occurred and it was often after making a turn and/or straightening the steering wheel. In order to stop the shaking, the car has to be stopped. We have done some searches online and it appears that this problem is common for the 2003 Toyota Prius. However, we called 3 dealers and they all say they don't know about it and they have to see the car as it is shaking to determine the cause of the issue. Since the weather is now warmer, it is unlikely it will occur unless we get a cold morning. …
Brakes
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.
In reading recent media reports regarding braking failures of the 2010 Toyota Prius, I realized that I have experienced similar lapses in my 2003 Prius' braking since the day I bought the car. I wanted to get this on record as it seems the media reports believe this to only be a problem in the 2010 model when this May be an issue that has been going on for a long time. Basically, whether or not the phenomenon occurs during braking depends on several factors and seems to occur more often if the road is wet. If one happens to be rolling over a manhole cover, or hitting a pothole or bump at the moment the brakes are depressed it feels as though, for a brief moment, that the car is skidding forward across the change in roadway surface. This also happens when braking over a thickly painted crosswalk line or the word stop painted on the road. …
Electrical system
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. Toyota was contacted, but say not a recall and they don't honestly car cause car is old . That's not right , anything you still use from cars or even medicine have later come back to hurt or killed people. There is no hot to cold gauge in the car , 2003 only . I have investigated and see people publish about this but let it slip by . I was driving with no installed gauge and survived through make a left hand turn on a stalled vehicle that over heated and was later check by Toyota technicians that said f there was a thermostat gauge problem would of most likely be avoided. Somebody can't keep open and closing the radiator cap cause of this missing gauge . Oil has dipstick you check !!! Safely too. …
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.
2003 Toyota Prius engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5L 4-cyl hybrid | CVT | FWD | 42 / 41 / 41 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Toyota Prius a good car?
Based on 99 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2003 Prius rates better than average: 74% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Prius at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2003 Toyota Prius?
The steering — 39 complaints, 39% of all complaints for this model year, most often about electric power assist system. Next are the brakes (16) and electrical system (13).
How many recalls does the 2003 Toyota Prius have?
There is 1 recall for the 2003 Toyota Prius, the most recent from June 1, 2011 (electric power assist system). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Toyota Prius?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2021, 2020 and 2018. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2011, 2010, 2007, 2006 and 2008. See the full Toyota Prius years comparison.
At what mileage do 2003 Toyota Prius problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 71,000 miles; 36% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.