Reliability information on first-gen Prius

Thanks to the help of this forum, including a sticky thread, in the main forum, I've been able to provide reliability information on the second-gen Prius for some time.

However, I haven't been able to get nearly as many owners of the first-gen involved, so I haven't been able to provide information on these cars.

If you own a first-gen Prius, and would like to be able to closely track their reliability as they age, I hope you'll consider signing up and participating.

To encourage participation, people who help provide the data get full access to the results free of charge.

Vehicle reliability research

Count me in, as long as you don't mind that I'm not the original owner.

That's not a problem.

We ask when the car was purchased. Once the sample sizes permit it, we'll be able to analyze whether this variable is significant. I doubt it.

I bought my 2001 in October of 2006 with only 22K miles. Do I qualify as first gen? I would like to know if anyone has taken one of these oldies cross country?

NorCal: Your Prius qualifies as 1st gen. We'd have no know more about you...

Welcome to PriusChat.

2001 model Prius have gone many many places. most often w/o any incident. I never drove mine more than 900 mi. without a sleep-cycle. W/O cruise control that would have been tough. You have that? Books on tape also handy for looong drives.

Prius was my first vehicle that required less frequent stops than I do. Really long legs.

oh no. mkaresh is here, too?

This forum has been helping me provides reliability information on the Prius. You'll find a sticky thread in the main forum, and links back to this forum on my site. So yes, I'm here. If you want to provide information on lots of models, it helps to be on lots of forums.

This forum has been excellent.

oi

397 Prius owners signed up so far, but nearly all of those are second-gen cars.

Still well short of the minimum for first-gen years.

Vehicle reliability research

I have a 2004 Prius. I bought it at 50,000 miles. I now have close to 80,000. I would like to participate in the "reliabilty information on first-gen Pruis". Do I qualify?
teaf

You might just subscribe to Consumer Reports. Every year they send a survey and get about 1.3 million responses listing vehicle reliability. It is the single largest pool of vehicle owner responses that I know of.

Bob Wilson

Just joined today. Have a 2001 Prius with 185000 miles, so far no major repairs. Just drove it from Minneapolis,Mn to Charlotte,NC all went well. Every now an again the dash lites up with the orange triangle. If I let it sit, it starts fine again. The check engine lite has been on for two years. Giving a false reading that catalytic converter is bad. My previous mechanic said just leave it be. anyone know a trustworthy independent mechanic in Charlotte, NC?

Absolutely--except that the 2004 is a second-generation. So you'd participate with other 2004s.

The key thing with the main survey is that it only collects data going forward. There's a supplemental survey where you can, if you want to, report your earlier experience. Currently first-gen owners can only participate in this supplemental survey, since there aren't enough first-gens signed up to include them in the main survey.

Vehicle reliability research

They have the most responses, but their methods are flawed. I discuss this here:

Consumer Reports critique

If they were doing a great job, I wouldn't be conducting this research.

One key difference: their data is always much older than mine. Do you want to know how reliable a car was a year or so ago, when it was a year younger, or how reliable it has been lately?

400 Prii now signed up, but as before most of these are second-gen cars.

Need more first-gens:

Vehicle reliability research

I have a 2003 since new with 64500 miles. No problems. Is this mileage too low to qualify?
Thanks

The research process collects data going forward, so there's no bad time to start.

No time like the present, thanks!

I would say that my Prius has been extremely reliable. I have had the catalytic converter pop on the CEL from time to time (but not often), I've had to replace the battery (very expensively), and sometimes on cold days the ICE won't start on the first try (pulling over and restarting the car gets it going).

But as far as everyday things that fall apart on normal cars, I have have none of that occur. The car looks and drives like it is brand new. If not for the battery needing to be replaced, I would have had to spend the bare minimum to maintain the vehicle.

At what mileage / age did you replace the battery?

Closer, but not there yet, for the first-gen Prius.