2003 Toyota Prius Problems, Recalls & Reliability
123 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2003 Toyota Prius, alongside 1 recall campaign and 1 defect investigation. It scores 4/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Steering leads the reports, typically around 84,500 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2003 Toyota Prius has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2003 sits among all Prius years
What owners report
“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 the same problem. Sometimes as i was driving in the city or just as i'm starting to drive”— owner report to NHTSA, 2003 Prius
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 94 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 84,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 43,746 and 115,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (1)
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.
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 22V063000.
Technical service bulletins
133 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and body & structure — are on file for the 2003 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 2003 Toyota Prius reliable?
The 2003 Toyota Prius drew 123 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 4/100, scored against the model's worst year (2010).
What are the most common 2003 Toyota Prius problems?
The top reported problems for the 2003 Toyota Prius are steering (41 complaints), electrical (15), and other (14).
At what mileage do 2003 Toyota Prius problems show up?
Owners most often report 2003 Toyota Prius problems around 84,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 43,746 and 115,000 miles.
Does the 2003 Toyota Prius have recalls?
1 recall campaign applies to the 2003 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.