NHTSA Complaint #10235448 — 2001 TOYOTA PRIUS

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2001 TOYOTA PRIUS. IN 2002, WE EXPERIENCED A SHUTTER AND LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL AT LOW SPEEDS. THE ELECTRIC MOTOR-ASSISTED POWER STEERING (EMPS) RACK HAD FAILED AT 13,396 MILES. TOYOTA REPLACED THE EMPS RACK UNDER WARRANTY. IN 2006 AT 65,427 MILES, WE REPORTED TO TOYOTA THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE MAKING A TURN AND THE INSTRUMENT WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. FORTUNATELY, WE WERE ABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A SAFE STOP. TOYOTA REPLACED THE SECOND RACK AT NO CHARGE. IN 2008 AT +105,000 MILES, WE EXPERIENCED A NOISE IN THE FRONT END THAT SOUNDED LIKE RUBBER BUSHINGS SQUEAKING WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. TOYOTA INFORMED US THE EMPS RACK HAD FAILED A THIRD TIME. TOYOTA ALSO TOLD US THAT IT IS NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, BUT WAS WILLING TO PAY FOR THE NEW PARTS AND NOT THE LABOR. A CHECK OF THE INTERNET BLOGS INDICATES THAT FAILURE OF THE EMPS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FIRST GENERATION PRIUS, FIRST INTRODUCED IN 2001. NUMEROUS OWNERS HAVE REPORTED EMPS FAILURE ON THEIR VEHICLES. SECOND OWNERS OF THE PRIUS APPEAR TO BE LESS LIKELY TO GET A SATISFACTORY RESOLUTION OF THIS PROBLEM FROM TOYOTA THAN FIRST OWNERS. UNEXPECTED LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE TURNING THE VEHICLE CAN BE A SCARY AND UNEXPECTED EVENT POTENTIALLY LEADING TO LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND PERSONAL INJURY. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT NHTSA INVESTIGATE THIS SITUATION. *TR