10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
90,298 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2003 Toyota Prius engine problems

engine problem

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2003 Toyota Prius Owner Comments

problem #5

Jul 102017

Prius 4-cyl

  • 123,200 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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. Not going fry my face or burn my hands on keep checking the radiator. Plus with a proper gauge you might know if your car is cooled down or safer to check. Toyota had refused to address or claim any issues. Case# [xxx]. people lives on at stake cause they wanted to a. save money B. don't know how forget to install the part for the year on every 2003 Prius !! please help, Toyota does not car about my safety or anybody else safety - [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Rockypoint, NY, USA

problem #4

Jun 012004

Prius

  • 30,000 miles
The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Prius. The contact stated his vehicle had been to the dealer approximately thirty times for various safety failures. The contact had experienced the vehicle stalling without warning while traveling uphill at speeds of 25 mph, the instrument panel warning lights remained illuminated, the vehicle would not engage from battery to gasoline power when warranted, and the contact intermittently was unable to move the gear shift selector into the reverse position. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where he advised that there may be engine oil in the throttle causing the stalling issues. The contact was awaiting a hybrid expert to further inspect the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000 and the current mileage was approximately 97,300.

- Stillwater , NY, USA

problem #3

Jan 052008

Prius 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 116,289 miles
After a series of problems with the Prius engine the local Toyota dealer informed me that I needed to have the car's transmission replaced. Naturally the vehicle is no longer covered by its warranty. Back ground: 2003 Prius, odometer reading 116,289. On 12/22/2008, I started the car and the check engine light appeared. I was towed to the dealership. The dealership informed me that the gasoline engine shut down and the battery ran out of power. The dealership could not reproduce the problem. On 12/27/2008, I started the car and the check engine light appeared again. I had the car towed to the Toyota dealer. The dealership discovered oil in the intake manifold as per a tsb. The dealership did not charge me for part of the repairs. On 01/04/2008, I was driving when an intermittent grinding noise began on both braking and acceleration. I found that the noise disappeared if I braked and accelerated extremely gently. I immediately drove to the dealership. When I went to the dealership, I was told that the problem could be as simple as a shim in the braking system that may have slipped out of position. I authorized an estimate of $52.52. The following day, a service person of the dealership called and told me that the brakes were fine but that the problem could be resolved by changing the sparkplugs. I orally authorized an estimate of about $150 (I don?T remember the exact amount.). the service rep called me later that day (1/5) and explained that my problem wasn't?T really the sparkplugs but that the car's transmission needed to be replaced. The estimate for the parts and labor for this repair would be approximately $2,000. The service rep informed me on 1/6/2008 that a mistake was made and cost of the new transmission alone would be $5,000, with other parts, labor, and the cost of a rental car, the final estimate for repair was around $7,000.

- Loomis, CA, USA

problem #2

Aug 312007

Prius 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 107,000 miles
2003 Toyota Prius engine stalled three times. Dealer repaired and problem recurred again the same day.. updated 01/09/08. The dealer found oil inside the manifold. Updated

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #1

Sep 212006

Prius

  • Automatic transmission
  • 75,000 miles
: the contact stated while traveling various speeds, the vehicle intermittently stalled and lost power. The warning lights illuminated occasionally. The vehicle was taken to the dealership numerous times, but the problem persisted. The dealership replaced the hybrid engine computer, the mass air flow meter, fuel tank, and hybrid battery.

- Strasburg, VA, USA

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