2002 Toyota Prius Complaints

WHEN IN COLD TEMPERATURE THE STEERING WHEEL WILL VIOLENTLY SHAKE WHEN MAKING A TURN AT SLOW SPEEDS. *TR

IN A MODEL 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS WITH LESS THAN 60000 MILES, WHILE STARTING OUT FROM PARK GOING INTO REVERSE THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING VIOLENTLY STARTED SHAKING AND PULLED THE STEERING WHEEL FROM THE DRIVERS HANDS. THIS CAUSED A TEMPORARY WARNING/CAUTION LIGHT THAT QUICKLY WENT OUT. AFTER THE INCIDENT THE PROBLEM BECAME MORE FREQUENT, HAPPENING WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WHILE STOPPED. EVENTUALLY THE PROBLEM CAUSED THE STEERING ASSIST TO FAIL COMPLETELY. WHEN TOYOTA WAS CONTACTED, THEY KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND SAID THEY HAD RECALLS ON OTHER YEAR PRIUS MODELS FOR THE SAME ISSUE. THEY REPORTED THE GEAR RACK ELECTRONIC SENSOR FAILS AND THE RACK MUST BE REPLACED BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE 2002 WASN'T UNDER THE RECALL. WHEN ASKED WHY, NOBODY SEEMED TO KNOW. *TR

MADE A LEFT TURN OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AFTER STARTING VEHICLE. STEERING BEGAN TO VIOLENTLY SHUDDER AND SHAKE, CAUSING TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL (MY GRIP WAS LOST ON THE WHEEL). I WAS ABLE TO GRAB THE WHEEL MORE FORCEFULLY AND REGAIN CONTROL AND COMPLETE THE TURN. HAD THIS HAPPENED ON AN INTERSTATE RAMP, I MAY NOT BE HERE TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT. ACCORDING TO THE TOYOTA NATIONAL SERVICE REGISTRY, MY VEHICLE HAS ALREADY RECEIVED THE SERVICE COVERED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN 11V304000 WHICH MAKES ME VERY, VERY VERY NERVOUS. PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR FURTHER DETAILS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WITHOUT WARNING, THE STEERING SHOOK VIOLENTLY WHEN MAKING A TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING RACK AND THE NUTS IN THE STEERING LINKAGE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 11V304000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 109,000.

TURNED ON CAR IN COLD WEATHER (UNDER 10DEGF). STARTED UP AND TRIED TO TURN RIGHT. STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VERY HARD, FAST, AND LOUDLY. TURNED OFF CAR AND RESTARTED, DID OK FOR ONE SHALLOWER TURN. 50 FEET LATER AGAIN TRIED TO TURN RIGHT AND SAME THING HAPPENED. LET IT SHAKE FOR A FEW SECONDS THEN TURNED OFF CAR AND RESTARTED. LESS THAN A MINUTE AFTER RESTART IT HAPPENED AGAIN. AFTER THAT LEFT CAR OFF FOR A FEW HOURS. RESTARTED. LET CAR WARM UP FOR 2-3 MINUTES BEFORE MOVING. DROVE STRAIGHT OUT OF DRIVEWAY. RIGHT TURN 100FT LATER WAS OK. PROBLEM DID NOT RECUR ON 30MIN DRIVE. THIS IS THE SECOND DAY I'VE HAD THIS PROBLEM. THE FIRST WAS A FEW WEEKS AGO, ALSO IN VERY COLD WEATHER AND ALSO ON A RIGHT TURN WHEN CAR WAS FIRST STARTED. SO FAR I HAVEN'T HAD IT HAPPEN ON A LEFT TURN, BUT MAYBE THAT'S JUST BECAUSE I DON'T DO ONE OF THOSE IMMEDIATELY ON STARTUP. I'VE NEVER SEEN THE PROBLEM IF TEMPS ARE ABOVE ABOUT 10 DEGREES F. *TR