Power Steering Failed problems of the 2001 Toyota Prius

While investigating the Prius for accelerator issues, I think you should also follow-up on the well known power steering issue with the '01 and '02 models. There are likely still hundreds of these vehicles still on the road. Worse, even though this issue was addressed by a factory recall (NHTSA assigned recall no. 00v-285) Toyota placed a 5 year limit on the warranty service. What is worse, once the recall replacement has been performed, Toyota will no longer perform further replacements at their cost. If the failure should happen again, as it did for me as a third owner of the vehicle, it is an expensive replacement (at over $1,300 usd). At this point to my best knowledge any current owner of an '01 Prius or certain models of the '02 Prius are gambling that an essential safety related component of the car such as the electric assist power steering will not fail. It remains completely unclear to me that the replacement power steering assist units on these models are any more healthy and immune to the problem that were the original units that were subject to recall, since mine failed on me after having been replaced. As further evidence I cite the operation flow chart I in the ssc y05 technical instruction update from your own website at which shows that even for vehicles that fell within the warranty time period, Toyota felt that if the work had been done once, it did not have to be done again. . Read more...

I am the original owner of a 2001 Toyota Prius. In 2002, we experienced a shutter and loss of power steering when turning the steering wheel at low speeds. The electric motor-assisted power steering (emps) rack had failed at 13,396 miles. Toyota replaced the emps rack under warranty. In 2006 at 65,427 miles, we reported to Toyota that the power steering failed while making a turn and the instrument warning lights illuminated. Fortunately, we were able to bring the vehicle to a safe stop. Toyota replaced the second rack at no charge. In 2008 at +105,000 miles, we experienced a noise in the front end that sounded like rubber bushings squeaking when the steering wheel was turned from left to right. Toyota informed us the emps rack had failed a third time. Toyota also told us that it is not their responsibility to correct the problem, but was willing to pay for the new parts and not the labor. A check of the internet blogs indicates that failure of the emps is a common problem with the first generation Prius, first introduced in 2001. Numerous owners have reported emps failure on their vehicles. Second owners of the Prius appear to be less likely to get a satisfactory resolution of this problem from Toyota than first owners. Unexpected loss of power steering while turning the vehicle can be a scary and unexpected event potentially leading to loss of control of the vehicle and personal injury. I strongly recommend that NHTSA investigate this situation.

Power steering repeatedly fails on 2001 Toyota Prius requiring that vehicle be stopped and restarted to clear failure. Extreme safety hazard when driving on roads at all speeds and in curves. Occurs after vehicle driven more than 500 miles continuously. Power steering still failing as of 7/29/2010. Dealer refuses to fix despite warranty enhancement notice. Request NHTSA issue nationwide recall for all 2001-2002 Toyota Prius with similar power steering problem as failure of power steering unit is extreme hazardous condition.