2001 Toyota Prius Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/14/2026

26Steering complaints

15.8%Of all 165 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

STEERING26 · 15.8%

TIRES23 · 13.9%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM19 · 11.5%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL18 · 10.9%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING12 · 7.3%

Share of the 165 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2001 Toyota Prius overview page.

What owners report

“THE STEERING WHEEL ON MY 2001 TOYOTA PRIUS SUDDENLY STARTS SHAKING VIOLENTLY WHEN I START UP THE CAR. IT SEEMS TO OCCUR DURING COLD WEATHER…”NHTSA complaint 10311151 — filed 02/16/2010

“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…”NHTSA complaint 10305738 — filed 02/04/2010

“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…”NHTSA complaint 10294971 — filed 12/08/2009

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2001 Toyota Prius have steering problems?

Steering is the most-reported problem area on the 2001 Toyota Prius: 26 of 165 complaints on file (15.8%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2001 Toyota Prius have in total?

165 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 13 involved a crash, 3 involved a fire, 6 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.