2001 Toyota Prius: loss of power steering

Filed Oct 4, 2011 · Steering · OR

2001 toyota prius. Consumer states problem with the rack and pinion *tgw the consumer stated not long after she purchased the vehicle. She experienced problems with the rack and pinion steering system, including steering wheel shaking and loss of power steering. The consumer took the vehicle in for service and was informed the entire rack and pinion assembly needed to be replaced. The consumer believed the repair may be related to the pinion shaft problem that was just recently identified under a recall. The consumer is seeking reimbursement for the previous repair. *jb updated 12/28/11. *jb the consumer stated she began to experience the same problem, as she did in 2006 with the vehicle loosing power steering intermittently. The dealer adjusted the torque sensor and recommended a replacement of the sensor and the rack and pinion assembly, if the problem returned again. A few days after the sensor adjustment, the power steering problem did resume again, and it continues to go out intermittently. Updated 04/16/14

Filed Jun 7, 2010 · Steering · 109,000 miles · WV

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 toyota prius. While driving at approximately 65 MPH, the power steering warning light illuminated on the instrument panel and the vehicle lost power steering. The contact pulled over and restarted the vehicle. Upon restart, the vehicle operated as normal for approximately 30 minutes before the failure recurred. The failure occurred about twelve times while driving for at least 30 minutes. The contact called the manufacturer who informed the contact that the vehicle was serviced by a prior owner for the recall 00v285000 (steering: gear box (other than rack and pinion). The vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. The failure and current mileages were approximately 109,000. Updated 10/20/10 *bf the consumer stated the vehicle still has not been repaired. Updated 10/21/10

Filed Feb 4, 2010 · Steering · 60,000 miles · NH

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 (the federal safety agency 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. Http://nhthqnwws112.odi.the federal safety agency.dot.gov/acms/docservlet/artemis/public/recalls/2000/v/rcorrd-00v285-3651.pdf in my case, the repair was expensive enough I traded the vehicle rather than repair it. I do not know whether the dealer repaired the vehicle before it was resold and that is my greatest concern. I urge the federal safety agency to re-open an investigation into this issue, since the prius is already under investigation for acceleration issues.

Filed Dec 8, 2009 · Steering · 59,000 miles · VA

I have a 2001 toyota prius. Sporadically, the steering will shake violently. It seems to happen when I turn the steering wheel. Mechanics cannot figure out what is wrong. This past weekend the power steering warning light when on and I lost power steering. It came back on when I stopped the car so it may be a computer glitch. The shaking is getting worse.

Filed Jul 23, 2008 · Steering · 65,427 miles · CA

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 the federal safety agency investigate this situation.