Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2001 Toyota Prius, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Steering45
- Tires27
- Electrical system27
- Vehicle speed control25
- Engine and engine cooling18
- Fuel system, gasoline9
- Suspension9
- Service brakes, hydraulic8
- Service brakes5
- Unknown or other5
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 6 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 3 2001 Prius vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 3 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2001 Toyota Prius failed the safety check 4.58% of the time — 128% more often than the average 2001 passenger car (2.00%). Median odometer at inspection: 146,662 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the Netherlands
59 first registered in 2001 are on Dutch roads; 2% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde28
- Licht- donkerscheiding dimlicht onduidelijk19
- Band onvoldoende profiel14
- Schijf-, trommelrem loopt niet vrij14
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht12
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt12
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld11
- Kentekenplaat; letter/cijfers niet goed leesbaar9
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
55 cars built in 2001 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 71 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In New Zealand
74 2001 cars are on the New Zealand register; 97% arrived as used imports, 0% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 1 variant: combined 5.6 L/100 km (about 42 mpg US), CO₂ 129 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prius · Compact · Regular gasoline | 5.5 | 5.7 | 5.6 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
3 Transport Canada recalls for the 2001 Toyota Prius.
| 2011212 1 Jun 2011 | Steering On certain vehicles, the nuts which secure the pinion shaft inside the steering gear box may not have received adequate tightening torque during the assembly pr… |
| 2006181 18 Jul 2006 | Engine On certain vehicles, improper manufacturing of the Crankshaft Position Sensor body could cause engine oil to penetrate the seal and enter the sensor wiring conn… |
| 2000220 5 Oct 2000 | Steering On certain vehicles, insufficient electrical contact may occur in the torque sensor which controls the power assist operation of the electric power steering gea… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. INSUFFICIENT ELECTRICAL CONTACT CAN OCCUR IN THE TORQUE SENSOR THAT CONTROLS THE POWER ASSIST OPERATION OF THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING GEAR BOX. THE TORQUE SENSOR COULD SEND IMPROPER ELECTRICAL SIGNALS.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Toyota told its dealers about the 2001 Toyota Prius: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 635861 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A MASTER, HYBRID AND MALFUNCTION INDICATOR WARNING LIGHT ON WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1120 SET. *TT |
| 635855 | MASTER, HYBRID AND MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP WARNING LIGHT ON WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P3190, P3191 AND P3101. *TT |
| 634033 | CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL TIRE WARRANTY COVERAGE ON FACTORY EQUIPPED BRIDGESTONE POTENZA P175/65R14XL LOW-ROLLING RESISTANCE TIRES. *TT |
| 634011 | TECHNICAL INFORMATION REGARDING NAVIGATION, ENERGY MONITOR, CONSUMPTION AND CASSETTE EJECT MALFUNCTION. *TT |
| 634009 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT ON WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1436 STORED IN THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM). *TT |
| 633999 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A MASTER, HYBRID AND MALFUNCTION INDICATOR WARNING LIGHT ON CONDITION IF AN ABNORMALLY LOW ENGINE POWER OUTPUT HAS BEEN DETECTED DURING A PARTICULAR DRIVE CYCLE. *TT |
| 630845 | VEHICLE MAY EXHIBIT A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ON ENGINE MISFIRE. *YH |
| 627585 | SUBJECT REGARDING SQUEAK NOISE FROM FRONT SEAT TRACK. *YD |
| 627468 | SUBJECT REGARDING SQUEAK NOISE FROM FRONT SEAT TRACK. *YD |
| 625647 | SUBJECT REGARDING SHOULDER BELT ANCHOR TAPE SET. *JG |
| 623128 | SUBJECT REGARDING A MASTER HYBRID AND MIL WORNING LIGHTS ON CONDITION. *ET |
| 622306 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A MASTER, HYBRID & M.I.L WARNING LIGHTS ON CONDITION.*JB |
| 621993 | ELECTRONIC MESSAGE REGARDING PROGRAMMING OF OEM WIRELESS DOOR LOCK REMOTE TRANSMITTERS. *TT |
| 621982 | THIS BULLETIN CLARIFIES INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE REPAIR MANUAL REGARDING THE PROGRAMMING OF OEM WIRELESS REMOTES ON CERTAIN 2001 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES. *TT |
| 618308 | INFORMATION REGARDING REPLACEMENT TIRES. *JB |
| 618285 | SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN REGARDING A NEW POWER STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY. *JB |
| 616664 | MAINTENANCE FOR HV AND AUXILIARY BATTERIES AT PORT AND DEALERS. *TT |
| 616658 | THIS BULLETIN STATES THAT IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE DOOR PANEL TRIM INSTALLATION PROCESS TO HELP REDUCE THE CHANGE OF THE TRIM PANEL PEELING. *TT |
| 616118 | SUBJECT REGARDING POWER STEERING GEAR INSTALLATION PROCEDURE (REPAIR MANUAL SUPPLEMENT). *TT |
| 616110 | NONSPILLABLE BATTERY LABEL AFFIXED TO A REPLACEMENT HV BATTERY. THE LABEL IS REQUIRED FOR TRANSPORTATION PURPOSES ONLY. *TT |
| 616107 | ON SOME VEHICLES, THE CD PLAYER ADAPTER HARNESS MAY BE IMPROPERLY INSTALLED CAUSING THE CASSETTE EJECT BUTTON ON THE CENTER CLUSTER NOT TO FUNCTION PROPERLY; THE ENGERY MONITOR FLOW IN THE MULTI-FUNCTION DISPLAY TO FUNCTION IMPROPERLY; THE ENGERY MONITOR BATTERY ICON SHOWS NO STATE OF CHARGE; THE TEMPERATURE READING IN THE MULTI-INFORMATION DISPLAY DOES NOT UPDATE OR DISPLAYS ERRONEOUS VALUES; AND OR THE CONSUMPTION IN THE MULTI-INFORMATION DISPLAY SHOWS AVERAGE FUEL ECONOMY OF 99.9 MPG. *TT |
| 616081 | CD PLAYER ADAPTER HARNESS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED, CAUSING THE CASSETTE EJECT BUTTON TO BE INOPERATIVE; THE ENERGY MONITOR BATTERY ICON SHOWING NO STATE OF CHANGE; AND / OR TEMPERATURE READING DOES NOT UPDATE OR DISPLAYS ERRONEOUS VALUES. *TT |
| 616073 | NFORMATION ON AVOIDING DAMAGE TO THE POWER STEERING (PS) MAIN SHAFT LOWER DUST SEAL WHEN INSTALLING THE POWER STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY. *TT |
| 614969 | THIS TSB CONTAINS INFORMATION REGARDING SPECIAL TOOLS (SSTS) DISTRIBUTED OR ADDED TO THE SST PROGRAM DURING THE 2000 MODEL YEAR AS WELL AS THOSE REGARDING 2001 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES. * TT |
| 613515 | INFORMATION REGARDING FRONT SPOILER INSTALLATION DURING PDS. *MR |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation