2003 Toyota Prius

Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.

75/100

Worth a look

AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 111 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Toyota Prius, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.

Complaints by area, from NHTSA records for this model-year
Area	Complaints	Share
Steering	36	32%
Tires	9	8%
Service brakes	8	7%
Vehicle speed control	6	5%
Engine and engine cooling	5	5%
Power train	4	4%
Engine and engine cooling	4	4%
Service brakes	3	3%
Electrical system	2	2%
Unknown or other	2	2%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

Many things are happening to my truck that’s why I am contacting you people to see if I got any callback thank you so much
NHTSA complaint: Wheels

The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the steering wheel began to vibrate with an unknown message displayed on the instrument panel. As the failure persisted, the message
NHTSA complaint: Steering

OCCASIONALLY, WHEN BRAKING, THE CAR WILL BEGIN TO BRAKE, THEN LURCH FORWARD A LITTLE, AND THEN BRAKE AGAIN PROPERLY. IT'S DISCONCERTING AT BEST AND SCARY AND DANGEROUS AT WORST. I'VE HAD THIS BRAKE PROBLEM FOR YEARS BU
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes

FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHEN DRIVING, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WILL ENGAGE, WITHOUT PRESSING THE E BRAKE PEDAL. ALSO, INTERMITTENT ONCE CAR IS PARKED AND DOORS LOCKED, ALARM WILL JUST START GOING OFF FOR NONREASON.
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

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
NHTSA complaint: Steering

WE PURCHASED A 2003 TOYOTA PRIUS IN JUNE OF 2018. IT HAS APPROXIMATELY 140,000 MILES ON IT. WHEN THE WEATHER STARTED GETTING COLDER IN OCTOBER OF 2018, THE CAR EXHIBITED THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM: CAR STEERING WHEEL SHAKE
NHTSA complaint: Steering

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 C
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling

THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES INTERMITTENTLY; THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES WHEN BACKING OUT OF THE GARAGE TURNING INTO THE "TURN-AROUND" SPOT, IT HAS ALSO HAPPENED WHILE TURNING INTO MY DRIVEWAY. MOSTLY AT SLOW SPEEDS, TH
NHTSA complaint: Steering

Recalls on record

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2003 Toyota Prius. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.

Steering:electric power assist system 11V304000

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.

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

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.

The seven scores

Reliability raw	78	good
Longevity est.	82	excellent
Maintenance	86	excellent
Depreciation	79	good
Performance	39	below average
Efficiency	64	average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 28% of compact cars
Longevity: better than 76% of compact cars
Running costs: better than 69% of compact cars
Value retention: better than 81% of compact cars

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 78: from NHTSA recalls and complaints. This one is a raw count: we do not have a sales figure for this model, so a high-volume car looks worse here than it should.
Longevity 82: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 2003 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 86: repair-cost data where we have it for this model, otherwise a mechanical-complexity estimate from engine size, cylinder count and drivetrain.
Safety: no score. NHTSA crash testing thins out for older vehicles and we would rather show nothing than guess.

Common questions

What goes wrong with the 2003 Toyota Prius?

Owners have filed 111 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and steering is the most reported area with 36 of them (32%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.

Is the 2003 Toyota Prius reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 78/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.

How long will a 2003 Toyota Prius last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 82/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2003 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 2003 Toyota Prius?

AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 75/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.

Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.