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NHTSA vehicle safety data

2002 Toyota Prius Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2002 Toyota Prius has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 167 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Toyota dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2002 Toyota Prius, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2002 Toyota Prius owner complaints

Owners have filed 167 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Toyota Prius, describing incidents dated November 1, 2001 to July 2, 2023.

Most-cited components

  • Steering 80 complaints
  • Service Brakes 20 complaints
  • Tires 20 complaints
  • Electrical System 18 complaints
  • Vehicle Speed Control 12 complaints
  • Engine 11 complaints

Of the 167 complaints on file, 12 report a crash and 4 a fire; across all 167 complaints, owners report 11 injuries and 5 deaths (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

  • ODI #11529952 · Filed

    I was driving on the 91 freeway west exit ramp to merge into the 57 freeway in Orange County ca. when suddenly I lost all power steering on the car . We managed to get out the freeway on the first exit

  • ODI #11452342 · Filed

    Anti-lock brake failure. Failing to pressurize.

  • ODI #11360535 · Filed

    DRIVING UP AND DOWN A SLIGHT INCLINE, POWER STEERING SUDDENLY GOES OUT. ONLY HAPPENED TWICE SO FAR BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. PROBABLY GOING ABOUT 15-20MPH UPHILL AND MAYBE 20-25MPH DOWNHILL. HAPPENED ON A CITY STREET.

Read all 167 complaints

Owner-reported

2002 Toyota Prius mileage at failure

128 of the 167 complaints on file for the 2002 Toyota Prius give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
SteeringMedian 90,000 milesMiddle half 55,000–135,000 milesBased on 69 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Complaints received before December 15, 2002 rarely give a mileage, so they aren't counted here.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2002 Toyota Prius in 1 investigation. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM

NHTSA #11V304000 · Steering — Electric Power Assist System · NHTSA notice

Reported June 1, 2011 · Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

Potentially affected: 52,377 vehicles

Owners notified July 8, 2011 · Vehicles built January 28, 2000 – May 30, 2003 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

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.

Safety consequence

LOSS OF POWER STEERING, PARTICULARLY WHEN AN OPERATOR IS ACTIVELY INTENDING TO STEER THE VEHICLE, MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

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.

Notes

OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .

CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR

NHTSA #06V266000 · Engine and Engine Cooling · NHTSA notice

Reported July 19, 2006 · TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Potentially affected: 34,771 vehicles

Toyota campaign 60G · Owners notified July 26, 2006 · Vehicles built January 31, 2001 – October 12, 2001 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

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 SUFFICIENTLY ATTACHED TO THE LOCKING TAB OF THE SENSOR WIRING CONNECTOR.

Safety consequence

ENGINE OIL INSIDE THE SENSOR WIRING CONNECTOR COULD CAUSE EXPANSION DUE TO THE HEAT OF THE ENGINE AND COULD DEFORM THE SENSOR WIRING CONNECTOR. THE CONNECTOR MAY BECOME DISCONNECTED, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL WHILE DRIVING AND NOT BE ABLE TO BE RESTARTED INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

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.

Notes

TOYOTA RECALL NO. SSC 60G.CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

Other Toyota Prius model years

Check your 2002 Toyota Prius VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Toyota Prius at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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