2002 Toyota Prius Steering

TOYOTA ISSUED A RECALL IN AUGUST 2011 ON GEN. 1 PRIUS FOR A STEERING ISSUE. WE TOOK THE PRIUS INTO LOCAL DEALER AND THEY REPLACED STEERING NUTS PER RECALL. WITHIN A WEEK AFTER RECALL FIX, WE NOTICED A VIOLENT SHAKE TO THE STEERING WHEEL DURING A COLD MORNING START. IT HAD NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE THE RECALL. WE TOOK THE CAR IN AFTER IT OCCURRED AGAIN AND WERE TOLD THAT OUR RACK AND PINION WAS WORE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. DURING THE RECALL WORK, THE DEALERSHIP DID A COMPLETE INSPECTION OF THE CAR AND NOTHING UNUSUAL WAS NOTED. HOW DID THEY DO WORK ON A RACK AND PINION AND NOT NOTICE WEAR ON IT THEN? WE BELIEVE WHEN THEY TORQUED THE NEW NUTS TO THE STEERING PINION, THIS CREATED UNDO STRESS ON THE TORQUE SENSOR AND IS WHY THE AFTERWORK SHAKING IS OCCURRING. TOYOTA NEEDS TO COME CLEAN AND REPLACE THESE RACKS FREE OF CHARGE FOR POSSIBLE DAMAGE TO ALOT OF GEN. 1 PRIUS'S WHEN THEY DID THE NUT RECALL. THERE IS MORE OF A SAFETY ISSUE NOW WITH THE VIOLENT STEERING WHEEL SHAKING OUT OF UNSUSPECTING DRIVERS THAN A NUT THAT'S GOING TO BREAK OFF. NHTSA, FORCE THEM TO DO A RECALL NOW!!!! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IMMEDIATELY AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE RACK AND PINION WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000. *TR UPDATED 04/30/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE DEALER STATED THE THE RACK AND PINION WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER WAS QUOTED A PRICE OF $ 3,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE POWER STEERING RACK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V304000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

THE VEHICLE VIBRATE THE STEERING WHEEL AT LOW SPEED. *TR

VIOLENT SHAKING IN STEERING WHEEL UPON IGNITION; SPORADIC JERKY STEERING; REPEATED LOSS OF POWER STEERING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS INCLUDING HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS SEEMS TO THE SAME PHENOMENON THAT WAS THE SUBJECT OF A SAFETY RECALL OF 2001 PRIUSES. THE RECALL SHOULD BE BROADENED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING SHAKE VIOLENTLY WHILE TURNING, REVERSING, OR IN DRIVE. THE STEERING HAD TO BE HELD WITH BOTH HANDS TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE IN LANE. THE STEERING WOULD STOP SHAKING WHENEVER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS RELEASED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V537000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 37,000.

WHEN DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, AFTER A 300 MILE DRIVE, A POTHOLE WAS STRUCK. THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED FORCEFULLY FROM SIDE TO SIDE FOR ABOUT A MINUTE, THEN POWER STEERING FAILED. STEERING WAS POSSIBLE, BUT ONLY WITH GREAT PHYSICAL EFFORT. AFTER THE VEHICLE RESTED OVERNIGHT, SYMPTOMS WERE NOT PRESENT. *TR

I WAS TURNING LEFT INTO A PARKING SPOT WHEN THE STEERING SOUNDED AND ACTED ODD. THE PS LIGHT CAME ON. I BROUGHT IT TO A TOYOTA DEALER AND HAD TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING GEAR MECHANISM AT A COST OF OVER $2600.00. I WAS TOLD THE RECALL ON THIS WAS V.I.N. SPECIFIC AND DID NOT APPLY TO MINE. MY CONCERN IS IF THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE THAT IS ADDRESSED IN THE RECALL, AND MY CAR HAD THE ISSUE, WHY IS IT NOT TAKEN CARE OF BY THE COMPANY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A MALFUNCTION IN THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM WHICH CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO SEIZE WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE ANGLE SENSOR. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V304000 (STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM) PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,000. UPDATED 01/04/12*LJ THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO REINITIALIZED THE TORQUED ANGLE SENSOR.

ON COLD DAYS, WHEN DRIVING FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL START SHUDDERING BACK AND FORTH VIOLENTLY AND RAPIDLY IF I TRY TO TURN THE VEHICLE. THIS OCCURS REGARDLESS OF THE ROAD CONDITION AT SPEEDS OF LESS THAN 10 MPH. THE SHUDDERING STOPS ONLY WHEN I STRAIGHTEN OUT THE WHEEL. *TR

DAY LEADING UP TO INCIDENT, STEERING WHEEL WOULD PULL TO RIGHT VERY EASILY OR WHILE ROLLING, BUT COULD BE PULLED BACK TO CENTER WITHOUT ISSUE. ON DAY OF INCIDENT, BACKED CAR OUT OF PARKING SPACE AND A CLUNKING SOUND WAS MADE UNDER CAR. STEERING WHEEL WOULD THEN ONLY TURN ABOUT A QUARTER TURN AND WOULD NOT TURN THE WHEELS AT ALL. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE STEERING RACK WAS BAD AND THE SPIRAL CABLE WHICH PROVIDED POWER TO THE AIRBAG WAS BAD AS WELL. THIS WAS A VERY DISTURBING FINDING FOR US AS WE COULD'VE BEEN DRIVING THE CAR ON THE INTERSTATE AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS WHEN THE STEERING BROKE. ADDITIONALLY, THE AIRBAG WOULD NOT HAVE GONE OFF IF WE HAD GOTTEN INTO A CRASH. DEALERSHIP AND TOYOTA WERE CONTACTED REGARDING WARRANTY REPLACEMENT OF BOTH ITEMS. DEALERSHIP AND TOYOTA REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY WARRANTY OR DISCOUNT TO CORRECT THE ISSUES. HAD THE CAR TOWED HOME. ORDERED USED STEERING RACK AND SPIRAL CABLE AND INSTALLED THEM MYSELF. CAR IS FUNCTIONING NOW, BUT I HAVE CONCERN THAT THE SAME THING WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. I STILL HAVE THE BAD STEERING RACK AND BAD SPIRAL CABLE. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS WITH 140K MILES ON IT. THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY LAST FALL WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE. IT NOW DOES THIS AT LOW SPEEDS, PARTICULARLY AROUND CORNERS AND IS BECOMING AN INCREASING PROBLEM AT HIGHER SPEEDS. THE POWER STEERING CUT OUT ON THE FREEWAY AT 70 MILES PER HOUR LAST WEEK. THAT CONVINCED ME I NEED TO GET A NEW CAR. I TRIED TO TRADE IT IN AT A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER LAST SUMMER AND COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WOULDN'T GIVE ME MORE THAN $2.5K FOR IT AS I HAD PAID $15K FOR IT 2.5 YEARS EARLIER. ADMITTEDLY, I HAD BEEN T-BONED AND A LOT OF WORK HAD BEEN DONE ON THE CAR, BUT MY DEALER HAD IT FIXED IT TO WHERE YOU WOULDN'T KNOW IT WAS IN AN ACCIDENT UNLESS IT WAS POINTED OUT. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEMS ONLINE AND FOUND THIS IS A WELL -KNOWN DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THE CARS STEERING RACK. I CAN'T SELL IT TO ANYONE AS IS. I'M STUCK WITH HAVING TO DO A $3K REPAIR TO A CAR THAT'S WORTH LESS THAN THAT TO ITS DEALERSHIP. IT SCARES ME TO DRIVE IT. THEY ONLY MADE 26K OF THESE CARS. DOES EVERY ONE HAVE THIS PROBLEM? I SPOKE WITH TOYOTA AND THEY SAID THEY DID OFFER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY REPAIR ON THIS, BUT SINCE MY CAR HAD >100K, THE BURDEN WOULD BE MINE. THEY SHOULD BE WILLING TO RESOLVE THIS DESIGN FLAW. WHAT IS MY RECOURSE? AGAIN, I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT AS I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN. *TR

STEERING WHEEL, UNCONTROLLABLE SHUDDER, WILL LITERALLY RIP ITSELF OUT OF YOUR HAND OR GRIP. USUALLY HAPPENS DURING THE FIRST OF THE DAY WHEN IT'S RELATIVELY COLD. WHILE SLOWLY MOVING THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL START TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY, IN AN UN CONTROLLABLE MANNER. SOMETIMES THE POWER STEERING WILL JUST ERROR OUT WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET DURING THE DAY, LOOSING ALL POWER STEERING AS WELL. *TR

REPEATED PROBLEMS WITH STEERING, INCLUDING UNCONTROLLABLE VIBRATION OF STEERING WHEEL AND LOSS OF POWER STEERING. CAR HAS 39K MILES. PROBLEM HAS RECENTLY GROWN WORSE, WITH COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND APPEARANCE OF PS WARNING ON COMPUTER SCREEN DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING. PROBLEM IS ESPECIALLY PREVALENT IN COLD WEATHER. VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING RACK WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER DEEMED AS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

STEERING WHEEL SHAKES WHEN STARTING TO BACK UP OR GO FORWARD . HAPPENS IN COLDER WEATHER MORE OFTEN <DEALER SAID IT WAS NOT A WARRATY ISSUE WHEN I FIRST APPROACED THEM IN 2004.. HAD 60K MILES ON IT. THEY SAID IT WAS AN ELECTRONIC STEERING ISSUE WITH MOTOR ON RACK AND PINION GEAR. TOYOTA PRIUS 2002 YEAR MODEL, THEY WOULDGO T REPLACE IT OF OVER $1000.,,, SAID TO DRIVE IS AND NOT WORRY BUT IF IT GOT WORSE TO BRING IT IN,. WELL RECENTLY I HAVE TALKED TO MANY OTHER PRIUS OWNERS WITH 2001 AND 2002 MODELS AND SOME HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS AND SOME HAD IT FIXED SO I DEICDED TO GO TO PRIUSCHAT AND FOUND THIS WAS A PROBLEM ,. AND WAS DANGEROUS., BUT THERE IS NO RECALL NOTICE ON THIS ISSUE., SO I THOUGHT IT BEST TO LOOK INTO AGAIN AND SEE YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT REGISTERED THIS YEAR.,., IF THERE IS MORE INFORMATION YOU CAN PROVIDE I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MT IMPRESSION IF THE SERVICE MANAGERS AT TOYOTA LIKE TO SKIRT THE ISSUE OF DANGER OR POSSIBLE ACCIDENTS AND TRY TO GET YOU TO REPAIR IT AT YOUR COST,,,,I HOPE YOU FOLKS LOOK INTO THIS MATTER MORE DEEPLY. *TR

MY 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS'S ELECTRONIC MOTOR STEERING ASSEMBLY STOPS WORKING AFTER APPROXIMATELY 1HR OF DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. AT 75 MILES PER HOUR, WARNING LIGHTS TURN ON AND STEERING ASSIST FAILS. STEERING THE CAR FROM THE ROAD IS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON, THE STEERING WORKS ONCE AGAIN. THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AS THE STEERING FAILS UNEXPECTEDLY AT HIGH SPEEDS. THE DEALER STATES THAT THE FIX WILL COST $3200, WHICH IS OVER HALF OF THE VEHICLE'S KELLEY BLUE BOOK TRADE-IN VALUE. *TR

THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING ASSEMBLY MALFUNCTIONS AND STOPS PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO THE DRIVER ON A 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS, ON ONE INSTANCE THE GASOLINE MOTOR STOPPED WORKING AND I WAS LEFT DRIVING AT LOW SPEED WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE ELECTRIC MOTOR ONLY. THE LATEST INCIDENT OCCURRED ON MAY 31ST, 2010 WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 65 MPH ON A FREEWAY, THE CAR LOST THE POWER STEERING OPERATION, MULTIPLE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON THE SCREEN, THE GAS MOTOR SHUT DOWN AND THE SPEED OF THE CAR DROPPED TO AROUND 23 MPH. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS RESPONSIVE ONLY IN THE RANGE OF 0~23 MPH. I TOOK THE CAR TO A SERVICE CENTER AND THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. REVIEWING THE SERVICE RECORDS FOR THE CARS I FOUND THAT IT PRESENTED THE SAME SYMPTOMS ONCE IN 2006 AND THREE TIMES IN 2008. THE SERVICE CENTER EITHER CLEANED A SENSOR OR COULDN'T REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE PART WAS NEVER REPLACED. WHILE RESEARCHING NHTSA SITE I FOUND THAT TOYOTA HAS FILE TSBS BACK IN 2004 RECOGNIZING A PROBLEM WITH THIS PARTICULAR COMPONENT AND IN SOME CASES EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE PART. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THEY REFUSE TO ASSIST IN THE COST OF THE CAR REPAIR. *TR

ELECTRONICALLY-ASSISTED POWER STEERING RACK ASSEMBLY DEFECTIVE ON 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS, PARTICULARLY VEHICLE ID NUMBER [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS THAT I'VE HAD FOR SOME 7 YEARS. THE STEERING IS VERY SENSITIVE MAKING IT NECESSARY TO ALWAYS ATTEND TO ACCURACY IN STEERING. I THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS A CHACTERISTIC OF THE DESIGN, BUT NOW I WONDER IF THIS IS ACTUALLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT BECAUSE OF REPORTS I SEE ON OTHER MODELS" ""IF YOU TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE ROAD FOR A SECOND, THE CAR WILL DRIFT INTO ANOTHER LANE," SAID ONE DRIVER AN OCT. 18 COMPLAINT. ANOTHER DESCRIBES IT AS THE MOST TERRIFYING THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO THEM." THIS DESCRIBES MY EXPERIENCE. *TR

1. RECENTLY, THE STEERING STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY PERIODICALLY UPON TURNING 2. THE STEERING PERIODICALLY SHAKES VIOLENTLY AND IT BECOMES DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER THE CAR 3. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE TOYOTA EXECUTIVE OFFICES AND THEY "DECLINED PARTICIPATION" UPDATED IVOQ 11/02/10 *TR

SEVERE SHAKING IN STEERING OF 2002 PRIUS. ALSO ENCOUNTER LOSS OF POWER STEERING FOR A SHORT TIME 4 DIFFERENT TIMES. TAKEN TO DEALER 3 TIMES !ST TWO TIMES I WAS TOLD IT JUST NEEDED GREASE ON THE STEERING COLUMN. 3RD TIME WAS TOLD IT NEEDED $3400 OF WORKING AND THAT THE CAR WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 107,000 MILES THE THIRD TIME I TOOK IT IN. AFTER I CONTACTED TOYOTA CORP. THE DEALER CALLED TO SAY HE WOULD WORK WITH ME ON THE PRICE, BUT I CAN NOT TRUST HIM TO DO THE WORK. IT HAS NOT BEEN FIXED YET I HAD ASK THE SERVICE MANAGER IF THE CAR WAS SAFE TO TAKE ON A LONG TRIP THE 2ND TIME I TOOK IT IN AND HE SAID YES. IT WAS ON THE WAY BACK FROM THE TRIP THAT I LOSS POWER STEERING DRIVING ON I95. THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE UNTIL POWER STEERING RESUMED. *TR

STEERING WHEEL SHAKES VIOLENTLY FOR A FEW SECONDS THEN STOPS. UP UNTIL YESTERDAY IT DID THIS SPORADICALLY WHILE BACKING AND TURNING. YESTERDAY, IT DID IT DURING WET WEATHER, 50 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, BACKING AND TURNING. THEN IT DID IT AGAIN WHILE DRIVING AND TURNING IN A PARKING GARAGE. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IT HAS EVER DONE IT GOING FORWARD. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR APPROX 8 YEARS ON AND OFF. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY CANNOT REPRODUCE PROBLEM. *TR

2002 TOYOTA PRIUS STEERING RACK FAILURE. APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS AGO THE STEERING IN MY PRIUS BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN AND PULSATED WHEN TURNING. THE TOYOTA DEALER, WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, INSPECTED THE CAR AND INFORMED ME THAT THE STEERING RACK WAS FAILING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $3,000. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ON THE INTERNET I FOUND THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM INHERENT TO THESE 1ST GENERATION PRIUS MODELS. I CONTACTED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND OPENED A CASE TO SEE IF TOYOTA WOULD OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE IN THE REPAIR OF MY CAR. ONLINE AT OWNER FORUMS REGARDING THIS PROBLEM THERE WERE MANY INSTANCES WHERE TOYOTA WOULD REPAIR THE VEHICLE AT NO COST TO THE OWNER OR AT LEAST OFFER SOME ASSISTANCE WITH THE COST. I WAS REFUSED BY TOYOTA WITH ANY HELP OF ANY KIND. I BELIEVE THAT SINCE TOYOTA WAS AWARE OF THIS DEFECT DURING THE 2001- 2003 MODEL RUN AND CHANGED THE STEERING RACK FOR THE 2004 REDESIGN TO ELIMINATE THIS PROBLEM THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL TO ADDRESS THIS MATTER. I BASE THIS ON THE VOLUME OF CARS EXPERIENCING THIS ALONG WITH THE FACT THAT TOYOTA HAD A SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN IN PLACE AT ONE POINT THAT REPAIRED THESE AFFECTED VEHICLES WHEN CUSTOMERS EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. TOYOTA IS NO LONGER RUNNING THIS REPAIR CAMPAIGN. *TR

I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES ABOUT SHAKING IN THE STEERING COLUMN. AFTER SEVERAL INSPECTIONS WHERE THEY FOUND NOTHING, I TOLD THEM TO CHECK THE RACK & PINION. THEY FOUND THAT TO BE THE CAUSE. TOYOTA PAID FOR THE NEW PARTS AND I PAID FOR THE LABOR TO GET IT REPLACED. LESS THEN 13 MONTHS LATER, I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE INCIDENTS OF MY POWER STEERING GOING OUT MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE THE CAR. THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THERE IS A PROBLEM, AGAIN, WITH THE RACK AND SAYS I NEED TO REPLACE IT.