2002 Toyota Prius

Typical pattern

7.6% of complaints about the 2002 Toyota Prius came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2002 vehicle — around the middle of the 230 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 6.1 yr in service. The most-reported system is steering (76 complaints), typically at 9.1 yr or about 92,000 miles.

Complaints: 170
Median age at failure: 6.1 yr
Median mileage: 72,000 n=133
Crash / fire / tow: 10.6% of reports
Safety recalls: 2

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

11V304000 2011-06-01

Steering:electric power assist system

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.

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

06V266000 2006-07-19

Engine cooling

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.

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.

In owners’ own words

Electrical system mileage not reported 8 mo in service

VEHICLE REFUSES TO START. TOWED VEHICLE . REPLACED BATTERY , PROBLEM RE0CCURRED. A

Electrical system mileage not reported 8 mo in service

VEHICLE REFUSES TO START. TOWED VEHICLE . REPLACED BATTERY , PROBLEM RE0CCURRED. A

Electrical system mileage not reported 4 mo in service

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STOPPED WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT DUE TO FAULTY BATTERY.*JB

Steering mileage not reported 11 mo in service

STEERING COLUMN AND CAR VIBRATE WHEN TURNING OR BACKING. LESSER VIBRATION IN STEERING ALSO SENSED WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT. BROUGHT CAR INTO DEALER ON AUGUST 14, 2002. AM TOLD THAT REPLACEMENT STEERING RACK IS UNAVAILABLE AND DATE OF RECEIPT OF ONE IS NOT KNOWN. REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO TOYOTA CONSUMER SERVICES AND FILE # 200208260148 WAS ASSIGNED TO MY REPORT. THERE IS ALSO EXTENSIVE DISCUSSION OF PROBLEMS WITH PRIOUS STEERING ON SEVERAL WEB SITES AT WHICH I DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL OF THE 2001 MODEL. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT CORRECTED DEFECT ON 2002 MODEL.*AK

Other Prius model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

2002 Toyota Prius

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

In owners’ own words

Other Prius model years

How to read this