2002 Toyota Prius Steering Problems

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

57Steering complaints

34.1%Of all 167 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

STEERING57 · 34.1%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM13 · 7.8%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC13 · 7.8%

TIRES12 · 7.2%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL10 · 6%

Share of the 167 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2002 Toyota Prius overview page.

What owners report

“I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA PRIUS WITH 140K MILES ON IT. THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY LAST FALL WHEN I PUT THE CAR…”NHTSA complaint 10379577 — filed 01/30/2011

“STEERING WHEEL, UNCONTROLLABLE SHUDDER, WILL LITERALLY RIP ITSELF OUT OF YOUR HAND OR GRIP. USUALLY HAPPENS DURING THE FIRST OF THE DAY WHEN IT'S RELATIVELY…”NHTSA complaint 10379557 — filed 01/29/2011

“REPEATED PROBLEMS WITH STEERING, INCLUDING UNCONTROLLABLE VIBRATION OF STEERING WHEEL AND LOSS OF POWER STEERING. CAR HAS 39K MILES. PROBLEM HAS RECENTLY GROWN WORSE, WITH…”NHTSA complaint 10370737 — filed 12/15/2010

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

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2002 Toyota Prius have steering problems?

Steering is the most-reported problem area on the 2002 Toyota Prius: 57 of 167 complaints on file (34.1%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2002 Toyota Prius have in total?

167 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 12 involved a crash, 4 involved a fire, 11 reported injuries, and 5 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.