2003 Toyota Prius Electrical system Problems
- Complaints
- 13about this part
- Share
- 13%of 99 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 108,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 13 complaints about the electrical system of the 2003 Toyota Prius, 13% of the 99 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 108,000 miles.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I took my car in a week before this incident because I needed service and was going on a trip to san diego with my 5 yr old daughter. Keyes Toyota in van nuys did everything to it and replaced my front brakes and inspected everything including the other brakes... So yesterday, im on the freeway and suddenly a piercing, long beep happens and 2 warning lights come on. Brake and ABS ... I'm thinking what just happened! I just had my car made perfect the other day!!?? .. And then, not two minutes after those warning lights came on, my brakes completely failed!! Pedal to the floor nothing! :-( ... …”
NHTSA complaint #10467898, filed 2012-07, 85,377 miles“2003 Toyota Prius gas engine stalled, warning lights came on all over the screen, and it would only drive on battery power. After stopping, I turned the car off but it would not re-start immediately. After a few tries and then waiting, the gas engine started when I turned the key. During the time it was running on battery, air conditioner was blowing hot air. After gas engine re-started, air conditioner blew cold air. Toyota service said they had never seen anything like what was on the screen they diagnosed and said it was the computer and ordered parts. …”
NHTSA complaint #10139774, filed 2005-10, 43,912 miles“For no apparent reason when driving, the emergency brake will engage, without pressing the e brake pedal. Also, intermittent once car is parked and doors locked, alarm will just start going off for nonreason.”
NHTSA complaint #11338658, filed 2020-07, 151,000 miles“There is no thermostat gauge in a 2003 Toyota Prius , the car over heats and you don't know until your in the middle of traffic nearly getting killed. Toyota was contacted, but say not a recall and they don't honestly car cause car is old . That's not right , anything you still use from cars or even medicine have later come back to hurt or killed people. There is no hot to cold gauge in the car , 2003 only . I have investigated and see people publish about this but let it slip by . …”
NHTSA complaint #11011713, filed 2017-07, 123,200 miles“My 2003 Prius (first gen, from japan), has been thru a few recalls - 1 was to seal the battery better early on (04ish), then it was given new pinion shaft nuts. Latest issue has been an issue all along, just not diagnosed/fixed til now. Sometimes the 'check engine' light would come on, with the car/! /triangle graphic on touch screen. This time it didn't go away. Long story short, it was the electric water pump that needed to be replaced. …”
NHTSA complaint #10537480, filed 2013-08, 115,000 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10238157May 30, 2023TSB: The Immobilizer and Smart Key Reset is a feature that allows the registration of new keys when all master keys are lost. Once the system is reset, all previously registered…
- 10213902May 31, 2022TSB: This bulletin includes basic procedures for performing a rescue charge on Ni-MH high voltage (HV) batteries. This bulletin should be used in conjunction with the applicable…
- 10179698Aug 5, 2020TSB: Some 2003 ? 2020 model year Prius, Prius C, Prius V; 2006 ? 2019 model year Highlander Hybrid Vehicle; 2007 ? 2020 Camry Hybrid Vehicle; 2013 ? 2020 model year Avalon Hybrid…
- 10179602Aug 5, 2020TSB: Some 2003 ? 2020 model year Prius, Prius C, Prius V; 2006 ? 2019 model year Highlander Hybrid Vehicle; 2007 ? 2020 Camry Hybrid Vehicle; 2013 ? 2020 model year Avalon Hybrid…
- 10176284May 1, 2020TT: This bulletin includes basic procedures for performing a rescue charge on Ni-MH high voltage (HV) batteries. This bulletin should be used in conjunction with the applicable…
- 10166044Sep 30, 2019Dealer Package: 09/30/19 A watermark has been added to the Dealer Letter to indicate that ZTI expired on September 30, 2019. In our continuing efforts to assure the best in…
- 10164330Jul 1, 2019TSB: REVISION NOTICE July 01, 2019 Rev2: ? Applicability has been updated to 2019 ? 2020 model year Toyota vehicles. ? The Techstream Preparation and Process Overview sections…
- 10133654Nov 22, 2017TSB: REVISION NOTICE November 22, 2017 Rev1: ? Applicability has been updated to include 2014 ? 2018 model year vehicles. Any previous printed versions of this bulletin should be…
- 10131769Feb 2, 2017TT: A vehicle may arrive to the dealer with a MIL ?ON? condition and P0A80 or P1AC000 stored in the memory. Some cases have been identified with internal modification done to the…
- 10152205Jan 6, 2017TSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes SB No. T-SB-0101-11. Applicability has been updated to include 2016 ? 2017 model year vehicles…
Electrical system: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | 33% |
| 2025 | 6 | 38% |
| 2024 | 4 | 15% |
| 2023 | 5 | 24% |
| 2022 | 6 | 25% |
| 2021 | 1 | 17% |
| 2020 | 2 | 14% |
| 2019 | 4 | 13% |
| 2018 | 2 | 5% |
| 2017 | 11 | 12% |
| 2016 | 20 | 13% |
| 2015 | 27 | 16% |
| 2014 | 33 | 16% |
| 2013 | 52 | 13% |
| 2012 | 52 | 12% |
| 2011 | 68 | 13% |
| 2010 | 192 | 7% |
| 2009 | 60 | 12% |
| 2008 | 235 | 16% |
| 2007 | 248 | 12% |
| 2006 | 152 | 11% |
| 2005 | 178 | 17% |
| 2004 | 177 | 29% |
| 2003 | 13 | 13% |
| 2002 | 18 | 11% |
| 2001 | 27 | 16% |
Other parts of the 2003 Toyota Prius
39 complaintsBrakes
16 complaintsEngine cooling
11 complaintsTires
11 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
5 complaintsVehicle speed control
5 complaintsEquipment
4 complaintsFuel system
4 complaintsOther or unknown
3 complaintsElectronic stability control
2 complaintsSuspension
2 complaintsAir bags
1 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2003 Toyota Prius
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology