I was driving the 2009 Prius to my storage unit there was a car that I needed to go around so i sifted into reverse when I noticed a scraping sound as I was backing when I shifted into forward the sound again was there is when i noticed I had no directional control of the vehicle steering wheel would turn but the tires would not respond at all. I called for a tow truck, I called think of a greater safety issue than driving a car with no control over where it goes.
2009 Toyota Prius steering problems
13 complaints (3% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 68,440. 3 crashes reported.
- owner complaints
- 13
- of this car's complaints
- 3%
- typical mileage
- 68,440
- crashes
- 3
- recalls
- 1
Which part fails
Owners did not name a specific part.
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
Toyota Prius steering problems in other years
Related recalls
Steering: gear box: shaft sector
- What is wrong
- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2009 Prius vehicles manufactured August 5, 2003, through March 30, 2009. The affected vehicles have a steering intermediate extension shaft assembly built with metal splines that complete the connection from the steering wheel to the steering gear. These splines may have been manufactured with an insufficient hardness.
- Risk
- Over time, the splines may wear and eventually fail resulting in a loss of steering ability, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the extension shaft and replace it if it is one with insufficient hardness, free of charge. The recall began during December 2012. Owners may contact their Toyota dealer or the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1‑800‑331‑4331.
Recall number 12V537000 · Recall details
Related investigations
Intermediate Steering Shaft Separation
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a January 2013 defect petition requesting that it open an investigation on Model Year (MY) 2004-2009 Toyota Prius vehicles to address a possible manufacturing safety defect related to the steering column intermediate shaft.During the defect petition evaluation, ODI: 1.Reviewed the petition and its enclosures; 2.Reviewed the subject steering system layout; 3.Examined the Petition Vehicle?s history, including its repair history; 4.Reviewed and followed-up potentially related consumer complaints; 5.Assessed Safety Recalls 06V‑188 and 12V‑537; and, 6.Requested and examined complaint, claim, field report, service history, and warranty information from Toyota.ODI's review revealed that the petition vehicle had been recalled (Recall 06V188) to remedy a defect in the system identified in the petition with the remedy taking place prior to the failure that prompted the petition. Circumstances point to incorrect reassembly of the petitioner's vehicle by those who performed the recall remedy.ODI examined the issues raised by this petition to identify any related safety defect trend in the general subject vehicle population.That review identified a low rate of related consumer complaints (twenty-five over a eight year period from a population of over 600,000 vehicles) and no pattern that would identify either a safety defect not already covered by the two existing steering safety recalls by Toyota or a systematic problem with either recall remedy.Based on this evaluation, ODI does not believe that additional investigation will lead to a finding that a defect related to motor vehicle safety exists in the subject vehicles. Therefore, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize the federal safety agency?s limited resources to best accomplish the agency's safety mission, the petition is denied. The denial of this petition does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that a safety-related defect does not exist. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.For more information, see the Federal Register notice in the public file for this action select the federal safety agency ID, enter: DP13001)The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed on-line under the following the federal safety agency ID numbers:10407520, 10418710, 10429551, 10473654, 10478195, 10478053, 10437229, 10489425, 10510722, 10639984, 10648277, 10499778, 10712626, 10723196, 10787530, 10808124, 10838803, 11071646, 11098144, 11099507, 11102659, 11160767, 11192607, 11287550, 11287606
DP13001
What 2009 Toyota Prius owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Consumer writes in regards to vehicle steering loss, brake loss and acceleration issues, corporation failure to inform consumer of counterfeit drive train issues that injured consumer. Smd the consumer stated toyota failed to warn them about being convicted of "using the intellectual property of hybrid drive inventor without his permission."
The car was involved in a moving collision that totaled the drivers front end and caused the driver to be injured because the air bags failed to deploy. I suspect that the cars steering failed while going around a sharp curve. The car has lost steering one time before and was taken to the dealer who could not duplicate the problem. *tr*dt
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota prius. When the ignition switch was turned to the on position, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver without warning. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the electronic power steering ecu failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 108,331.
Steering in my 2009 prius completed failed and locked up. I literally was unable to steer my car. Luckily, I was on a neighborhoor street about to turn into my driveway and was not driving at high speeds or in a turn lane. I cannot believe that an electronic steering component like this can faili? How is this possible? I want to ensure that this doesn't happen to other prius drivers and ensure that this isn't a faulty part issue. It is a public safetly issue and that there needs to be some sort of back up steering mechisim to prevent this from happening in the event that there is a "short inside the power steering electronic control unit. I shutter to think what could of happened.
While inching slowly into a parking spot, vehicle suddenly accelerated at full speed to jump over the parking barrier. Wheels were turned slightly to right, so car veered right and stopped as it high-centered on the barrier, just behind front wheels. No injuries- driver & child in back were buckled. Witnessed by many pedestrians who ran to assist. One witness said the same thing happened in her prius, but toyota was useless to help. In months since the incident, toyota has been terrible at responding in any helpful way. The black box recorder shows nothing, of course, since it was a slow impact without airbag deploy. Most interestingly, the federal safety agency has no info of this incident, which I'm reporting today only because I noticed in the owner manual on rear page, small print, some info about reporting safety defects for u.s. Owners... But at least 20 toyota personnel, insurance adjustors, repair facilities and sales team members never said anything about such a report. Hence my assumption that most of these incidents are not reported to gov't unless fatalities occur.
As I was driving my 2009 toyota prius on the service road of I-30 in dallas around 25 MPH after previously taking off from a red light, my vehicle's warning lights all turned on and started to beep and I could not brake or really steer. My vehicle...I almost hit the vehicle in front of me. Somehow I was able to turn right into a parking lot and somehow press on the brakes strong in enough to make the car stop. I feared for safety and the safety others as well. It was a very scary situation to be in a car that was not responding when you are trying to break and there's nothing you can do about it. Once I was in the parking lot, I turned the vehicle on and off and the lights were still on and beeping, did it again and it stopped. I took the car to the toyota dealership and they are telling me it's an issue with the accelerator and brake system and that I have to pay to have it fixed, but I am wondering how can toyota not be at fault for this safety issue? I'm glad I didn't injure myself or another person this time, but I think toyota really needs to look into this issue with their prius vehicles. I do not feel safe driving mine at all now.....they can not get away with not being responsible and liable for their faulty and defective vehicle's safety mechanisms.
In an attempt to avoid oncoming calves on a county dirt road driver inadvertantly pulled steering wheel to the right and hit a tree at road side. Tree is twelve inched from road surface. Before seat belt restrained driver, driver's forward momentum broke the steering wheel. Driver was not injured. Went to local hospital er. Sheriff investigated. With the extensive damage to the front end of the vehicle the air bag should have deployed. It did not. Photos taken. Your organization is being notified as we feel the air bag should have deployed. We will also contact toyota. Thank you. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
While driving my 2009 toyota prius I hit a curb and then lost all steering. Steering wheel turned completely 360 degrees without turning the wheels. We were about to drive on a mountain road with numerous turns and steep grades. I had the car towed to a toyota dealer who replaced the intermediate shaft and spiral cable sub assembly. I was researching the issue and found that toyota had a recall for this exact item in 2004,2005, and 2006. It seems that 2009 still has the problem. If I was travelling at any higher speed and lost all steering it would have been deadly.
2009 prius - on two occasion recently when I went to make a right turn my steering froze and the engine died. I almost hit a car. I have had it into piercy toyota on two occasion and they still have not found anything. I am afraid to drive the car. It only ha 3000 miles on it. They have been nice, but no results. If the car is doing this now and they cannot find it what happens next. Not satisfied with there answer. I need your help.
Questions about the 2009 Toyota Prius steering
Does the 2009 Toyota Prius have steering problems?
Owners have filed 13 complaints about the steering of the 2009 Toyota Prius, 3% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2009 Toyota Prius steering problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 68,440 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2009 Toyota Prius steering?
Yes, 1 recall: 12V537000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Toyota Prius have bad steering?
The Toyota Prius model years with the most steering complaints are 2002 (80 complaints), 2001 (45 complaints) and 2003 (39 complaints).
Other 2009 Toyota Prius problems
Brakes 199Lights 111Acceleration 71Electrical 60Driver assistance 32Engine 26Fuel system 24Transmission 22Body 19Airbags 17Suspension 5Seats 2Visibility 2Seat belts 1Tires 1Wheels 1
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