2001 Toyota Prius Problems, Recalls & Reliability
215 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2001 Toyota Prius, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 7/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Steering leads the reports, typically around 68,266 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2001 Toyota Prius has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2001 sits among all Prius years
What owners report
“Steering recall i called toyota they said they couldn't do it and it says online it's good for 10 years after recall date.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 Prius
“The consumer experienced a flat tire. The consumer noticed the tire was worn badly on the inside. The manufacturer offered a supplemental tire warranty, in which the consumer did qualify, due to the fact the tires weren't rotated. Scc”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 Prius
“Consumer states drove his new auto approx 300 miles and had it parked, when he went to get his auto the panel lights were lit, warning that something was wrong. After calling a dealer and driving his auto, he was told that nothing was wrong with the auto. Consumer states that this same problem is…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 Prius
“I own a 2001 toyota prius. Several times in the last few months i have experienced a loss of power combined with my dash warning lights. I had one similar incident last year. The dealership claims their diagnostics find no problem (no codes = no problem). Therefore nothing is resolved and the car…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 Prius
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 132 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 62,466 miles. Half of those reports fall between 39,000 and 113,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
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.
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.
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…
Fix: 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.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. INSUFFICIENT ELECTRICAL CONTACT CAN OCCUR IN THE TORQUE SENSOR THAT CONTROLS THE POWER ASSIST OPERATION OF THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING GEAR BOX. THE TORQUE SENSOR COULD SEND IMPROPER ELECTRICAL SIGNALS.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE ELECTRIC STEERING GEAR BOX.
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 22V063000.
Technical service bulletins
154 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and body & structure — are on file for the 2001 Toyota Prius. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2001 Toyota Prius reliable?
The 2001 Toyota Prius drew 215 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 7/100, scored against the model's worst year (2010).
What are the most common 2001 Toyota Prius problems?
The top reported problems for the 2001 Toyota Prius are steering (49 complaints), wheels & tires (31), and electrical (30).
At what mileage do 2001 Toyota Prius problems show up?
Owners most often report 2001 Toyota Prius problems around 62,466 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 39,000 and 113,000 miles.
Does the 2001 Toyota Prius have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2001 Toyota Prius. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.