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2003 Toyota Prius

2003 Toyota Prius questions and answers

Learn more about the 2003 Toyota Prius

Q: Will Toyota CD player, 08601-00870, work in a 2003 Prius? What is needed to install?
2003 Toyota Prius with cassette player/radio.

A: Yes. An Adaptor and you'll need to know what color wires go to which other colored wires.

Q: can i replace th hybrid battery cells of 2003 prius by 38 cells of 2007 prius cells.as they have the same vol?
i got toyota prius 2003 .i want to up grad the hybrid battery.

A: The other answer you've received is a good technical explanation of the process. But I'd ask a question back to you first: WHY would you want to do this? You didn't give any indication of a problem with your existing battery. If it's not broken, don't fix it...and if you have less than 100,000 miles on your car, that battery is still under warranty until it's 8 years old.

Q: Toyota Prius vs. Corolla vs. Echo vs. vs. Yaris vs. Matrix or other compact cars like Chevy's Aveo?
Hi, I am trying to buy a decent used car w/ the budget of $4000 – 6000. I am thinking that mileage should be lower than 10K. But this varies depending on the type and makers of cars…things like this, I am not really sure… I am searching on the web like craig's list and autotrader in LA and OC area. Since I do not know much about cars, please help me out selecting the best car I should buy :) Here are my researches: ● Toyota Prius w/ a carpool sticker 2001 - 2003 - 2002 Prius Hybrid - $5900 (mileage N/A) http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/ctd/1398915674.html -2002 Toyota Prius with carpool stickers - $4990, 110k mile, Salvage -2001 Toyota Prius - $5600 121k miles, Clean title http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/cto/1400005598.html -2001 Toyota Prius Hybrid - $5,999 70k miles, salvage (car fax says “severe damage”) http://www.autotrader.com/dealers/inview/detail.jsp?ct=u&car_id=265053911&dealer_id=63979401&car_year=2001&dealership_view_name=www.smgautogallery.com&mis_search_type=used&sort_type=priceASC&address=92831&cardist=7800&captcha=success ● Toyota Corolla 2003 < ($5000 – 6000) - 2004 TOYOTA COROLLA - $5400, 52,000 miles a salvage certificate http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/cto/1405958635.html - 2003 Red Toyota Corolla CE $5,500 http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/cto/1405920695.html -2003 Toyota Corolla OBO - $6375 Clean title, 94k miles http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/cto/1400133542.html ● Toyota Echo 2001< - 2003 Toyota Echo W - $5999 http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/cto/1404463129.html - 2001 Toyota Echo - $4900 http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/cto/1395697166.html ●Toyota Matrix 2001< - 2003 Toyota Matrix - $6000, 100000 miles clean title http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/ctd/1397013325.html - 2006 Scion xA - $6,999 44,758 miles, salvage title (severe damage) http://www.autotrader.com/dealers/inview/detail.jsp?ct=u&car_id=268633249&dealer_id=63979401&car_year=2006&dealership_view_name=www.smgautogallery.com&mis_search_type=used&sort_type=priceASC&address=92831&cardist=7800

A: Unless you are a skilled mechanic or have a really good friend that is, don't get any with a salvage title. Not only is there no warranty whatsoever, it will be very hard to sell later on and may have a lot of hidden damage. First choice: - Toyota Prius w/ a carpool sticker 2001 - 2003 - 2002 Prius Hybrid - $5900 (mileage N/A) Second choice: -2001 Toyota Prius - $5600 121k miles, Clean title Of course, you'll need to check it out mechanically and so forth just like you would any car, but those would be my choices if they look clean. One thing that you can be sure of is that the engine and drive-train of the Prius hasn't been abused because the computers don't allow silly things like spinning the tires and lugging or over-revving the engine. Ideally you will want the maintenance records. (Of course, that applies to any car you choose.)

Q: Hay/horse-ish smell in Toyota Prius?
I'm looking at buying a 2003 Toyota Prius that I found on eBay Motors. When I went to the owner to test the car out, I noticed a strong smell coming from the vents. Granted, the car had been driven very little (only 8,000 miles on it) and had been sitting in a garage for the better part of 3 years. Is this common in Priuses or is it something I should look into? Anyone experience similar problems?

A: Sounds like this car has had rodents crawl into it while it was garaged. Rodent droppings and urine can be quite toxic in some situations. It will be very difficult to remove the smell and there could be other damage caused by the rodents such as chewed wires and other parts that have been gnawed up. A person has to ask why such a popular car to drive around was sitting for 3 years to begin with?

Q: Toyota Prius wind drift?
I have a 2003 Toyota Prius. I recently moved to a very windy state and, driving on the highways, my car really "pulls" hard, to the point that I'm actually afraid to drive it above 65. The alignment and power steering are fine. I've had then checked. The problem only results at somewhat high speeds with high winds. I'm taking a long roadtrip this summer and need to solve this problem. Can anybody give me a simple solution to this wind drift? I have a self-installed rack on the car, so could that somehow be part of the problem, in terms of uneven distribution of weight? It never seemed to be a problem in the last state. The tires are brand new. So, just to confirm, I need to go to my local Firestone and ask for "0.05 Degrees of toe IN each side, for a total of 0.10 Degrees" ? And this applies to any Prius, no matter the year? Also, could you recommend a reputable national dealer outside of Toyota who knows what they're doing when servicing Prius'? I can't afford Toyota service prices and Firestone people at several shops have proved less than knowledgeable about the car. Thank you so much for your help with all my questions.

A: "The alignment is fine" might not really be good enough. The published specifications for Prius alignment allow for a relatively large range; many years of Prius experience from many owners has indicated that asking your alignment shop to shoot for 0.05 degrees toe-in is ideal. Also, how are your tires? If they're worn, that may be part of the problem too.

Q: should i get a toyota prius is it a good car? does it save you gas?
im planning on buying a used car and i think i want to get the toyota prius 2005 or 2003.

A: The 2005 would be my choice. There are many improvements over the 2003 model. I have both a 2001 and a 2004 (which is basically the same as a 2005). Both have been exceptionally trouble free, low cost to drive and maintain, and fun-to-drive. The logbook that I keep on the 2004 indicates that the lifetime average over 103,000 miles is 56 mpg (the combined EPA number is 55 mpg, so that's right on target). Highway driving is typically 51-56 mpg so don't buy the "old fashioned cars get the same mpg" story, the only ones that come close are either very small sub-compacts or smelly diesels (the Prius is a mid-size car). Commuting is typically 57-65 mpg on my commute, so yes, it saves gas. Toyota has replaced many of an old fashioned car's parts with more reliable electronics or has greatly simplified them. I won't repeat the list of the previous poster but it's a fairly long list and the result is less maintenance and fewer problems. The quote about "all the parts of a regular car plus the hybrid parts" was referring to the Honda hybrids, not the Toyotas--at least the comments of that type that I made :-) Just like buying any used car, you need to check it out for prior damage and mechanical problems. If you don't have the skills to do this yourself, then there are firms that do this for you.

Q: Where can I get a replacement stereo for my 2002 Prius without going to the dealership?
My 2002 Toyota Prius came with a tape deck instead of a cd player and according to all the car stereo establishments, they don't make install kits for the 2001-2003 prius and the dealership wants to charge in excess of $1,000 do put in a different one. Who listens to tapes? I have a cd player plugged into the cigarette lighter with a cassette adapter in the meantime but it sucks!

A: All Classic 2001-2003 Prius came with only an AM/FM/cassette stereo head unit. As an optional accessory, you could get a single disc CD player or a 6 disc CD changer added either at port or by your dealer, which fits in the DIN slot (hidden storage area) under the radio. So, you lose some storage, but gain the ability to play CDs. No need to replace the stereo head unit! (I have a single CD added to my 2001 Prius, and my mother has a 6CD changer added to her 2002 Prius, so yes Toyota does make them!) For a classic (2001-2003) Prius, there are only 5 CD options that you can get that'll interface with the dash buttons and touch-screen controls: The Toyota 1CD player: Part number 08601-00870, replaced by part number 08601-47801 in 2003 (Y-harness now built in, to avoid Newarkitis) The Toyota 6CD changer: Part number 08601-00891, replaced by part number 08601-47800 in 2003 (Y-harness now built in, to avoid Newarkitis) (this photo will show you its location in the dash, and explain the controls: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/toyota-prius/files/%20Technical/6diskCDchanger.jpg ) For both of those, you'll still need the setting kit: Part number 08695-47020 for the older CD players (comes with Y-harness), replaced by part number 08695-47800 in 2003. If you get one of the older Toyota CD player/changers, and can only get the newer setting kit, you'll need to also get the Y-cable by itself, which is part number 08695-00370. FYI: Using the Toyota part search through http://www.metrotpn.com/Default.aspx and http://www.metrotoyotapartsnow.com/ (myself and several other Prius owners have ordered through Jesse Wright here - great info from him on parts!) 1CD player, MSRP $315, their price <$269 6CD changer, MSRP $569, their price <$487 fitting kit, MSRP $38, their price <$33 Y-cable, MSRP $17, their price <$14 Even if your dealer was quoting you MSRP for the 6CD changer (around $600), I would expect maybe an hour (2 at most for a shop that hasn't done it before) for installation, so I think that they are WAY overcharging you! I would suggest going to A dealer for the parts, but probably not YOUR dealership (more appropriately stealership!) Alternately, you could get one of Harry's Jensen CD/MP3 players (models MP3510, MP3310, MP5010) which comes with an adapter board which allows the Jensen units to talk to the Prius' controls. It also has a stereo aux-in jack in the front of the unit. http://home.comcast.net/~bumpelo/front.html All of the above options you could install yourself, and save yourself some cash from labor charges. Instructions come with Harry's Jensen units, and Instructions for the Toyota options are at: http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/toyota-prius/message/5941 http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Prius_Technical_Stuff/message/133 For the Toyota players, I might suggest calling a few different dealers, as some parts departments will heavily discount the parts. Don't forget to check their websites for any %off parts discount coupons! I would also suggest looking through these recommended dealers: http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/toyota-prius/links/Parts___Accessories__000996708657/Toyota_Parts_sources_001004633715/ You could also look into a wrecked Prius at a scrapyard and see if you can get the parts you want/need there for cheaper. There were some early reports on the toyota-prius yahoogroup of people adding in other CD players, but the players will need to have their own disc/play controls on the unit if you want to use them. There are also some other multi-disc changers (mounted in the center console or in the trunk/boot) that some European dealers have added to some Classic Prius that are Toyota units and seem to work with the Prius' controls... Relevant TSBs: http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/toyota-prius-sat1/files/TSBs/2001-2003%20Prius%20TSBs/AX002-03.pdf US TSB AX002-03 June 9, 2003, CD Fitting Kit Adapter Harness, 2003 Prius (Y-cable now built in!) http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/toyota-prius-sat1/files/TSBs/2001-2003%20Prius%20TSBs/EL013-00.pdf US TSB EL013-00 Aug. 2, 2002, Navigation, Energy Monitor, Consumption, & Cassette Eject Malfunction, 2001-2002 Prius. (aka: Newarkitis - CD player harness improperly installed leading to display errors and non-ejecting tape player)

Q: Prius Touch screen , how do i know which one to buy ?
i have a 2002 prius and the touch screen is cracked where do i go to find a replacement ? how would i know which screen would fit my car an which one i need to buy? would somthing like this work http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2001-2003-TOYOTA-PRIUS-CLASSIC-MFD-DISPLAY-GPS-SCREEN_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ72Q3a1205Q7c66Q3a2Q7c65Q3a12Q7c39Q3a1Q7c240Q3a1318Q7c301Q3a1Q7c293Q3a1Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem5acf9b14a3QQitemZ390030103715QQptZCarQ5fAudioQ5fVideo Thanks for any help someone can give me.

A: AFAIK the touch screens are the same on all NHW11 model Prius (US 2001-2003 model years), aka "Classic" Prius. If the one listed in the linked eBay page works and is from a 2001-2003 Prius, it should fit in your car. I know I've seen a dash removal DIY instructions somewhere, so you shouldn't have to pay a dealer labor rate to replace it. Thankfully all you're really missing is some audio controls, and the eye-candy hybrid system info, and maybe the GPS navigation if installed on your Prius. If you had a newer version of the Prius, you'd be missing a lot more stuff without a screen...

Q: Honda Civic Hybrid VS Toyota Prius?
I have aprox $5k cash.. What one should i get? 2003 Civic Hybrid /w 150k miles or 2002 Toyota Prius /w 160k miles. Both same price.. aprox same mileage. in my city.. What are the known problems on these two models?

A: There are little or no problems with the Prius. You will get bet gas mileage with the Prius. That model will range from 45 to 50 miles to the gallon average. One note it has a neoprene blatter for a gas tank which means your gas mileage will fall by 5 miles to the gallon in very cold whether. But of the two cars the Prius is your better choice for the money

Q: car accident question?
Im going to try to make this as short as possible...I was behind a 2009 Toyota Prius in my 2003 Mach 1 Mustang in a right turn lane at a red stop light. At this light you were able to turn right. The lady gets a nice break and starts going, so i start looking left at the cars to see if i could fit in this break and i thought i could and let go of my break peddle and hit the lady as she hesitated and never took the turn. We pull over. Cops come and he says there is not enough damage to do a police report as i was only going maybe a mile an hour. He has us exchange info and she calls me 17 days later. In the 17 days i got my car fixed for $30...had a buff good as new. Well she got an estimate at only one place for over $800 and also claims she is pregnant and had to get a shot for $2500 and she wants me to pay for it. I wanted to pay out of pocket because i didn't think the damage was going to be a lot. I tell her to get more estimates and i wanted to see what the doctors notes were and how her treatment she got that day had anything to do with the accident. She flipped out and said she was going to call my insurance company...and she did. Next thing i know i have a claim on Geico.com and when i called the guy had already left for the night. Im going to talk to the guy tomorrow but do you guys think i would have to pay for her shot she received after she told the officer there was no injury's and didn't want emt to come out or that she even mentioned she was pregnant (was not showing).

A: Even though you got your damages fixed for $30 and she has an estimate for $800 could be legitimate, since you have a 2003 and she has a 2009, so since hers is new, parts cost more. As for her being pregnant and getting a shot for $2,500, was probably good that she did. You are wondering why, and that is because she is pregnant and most likely in the early stages of her pregnancy that she could miscarry, so be glad she got checked out. Be glad she reported to your insurance company, since you will be out of the picture and they will handle. DO NOT TALK TO HER ANYMORE. Geico will determine what she is owed; They will have someone look at her car and determine the amount of repairs needed. If her car can get repaired vs replaced, that is exactly what Geico will pay. NO MORE/NO LESS. As far as the treatment for her pregnancy, the Geico adjuster wont be surprised, since most likely they would want to handle, since as an example after she gives birth and say there were complications, she could claim that this accident was the cause of these complications and then the claim could get really expensive. Most likely the Geico adjuster will get her medical reports and it will state that she was checked out and my guess is the $2,500 was not for just a shot, but most likely an ultrasound to verify that the baby is ok. So say if something happens later, the records will reflect that most likely NOT DUE TO THE ACCIDENT, but from some other cause. And don't get surprised if you get a letter in the mail from an attorney who is representing her, if so just give to your insurance company to handle, since most likely she will get or already has. Just let your insurance company handle from this point on, and always report an accident to the insurance company vs trying to pay yourself, since this is a case in point where what you believe that will cost you a couple of hundred dollars blows up and you cannot determine if what they ask for is right or not. Your adjuster will separate "fact from fiction" and pay accordingly. good luck

Q: Prius or Mustang? Does this look legit?
so my old car was a bentley continental given to me by an auto shop i helped out at.. but due to the recession i was able to sell it and help my parents pay off our house. so now with a little bit of cash left over, i'm looking to buy a used car. i'm deciding between a 2003+ mustang GT or a prius. also, does this CL add look legit? http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/ctd/1246860954.html so here are my questions: what do you think of girls who drive mustangs? what do you think of girls who drive priuses? what would you rather drive, why? i'm looking for something safe, cute, and with decent mileage to the gallon. also, with a prius i wouldn't go preaching to people at all, and with the mustang i would get it striped to look more like a shelby GT500.. which is an option, but i don't want to seem pretentious. gt500: http://sp4.fotolog.com/photo/20/63/68/tekbelcobra/1241620096674_f.jpg and if it matters, i live in an upper class white bred town full of bmws. if i went with the prius, it would be the 4th toyota car our family owns, so we'd have 2 scions, a mr2 and a prius.

A: If you need a practical car for family use (seats 5, big hatchback for hauling lots of groceries), the Prius is the better choice. The Prius is actually a pretty big car. If you don't need a practical car, go with the Stang.

Q: Redistribution of wealth McCain vs Obama?
Sharing the Wealth. You know more and more I hear about Obama's share the wealth plan, as if it's going to take every average American's dollar and give it to another Average American. But to me this doesn't seem so, disagree if you want but her me out before you do. In 1996 General Motors created the EV1, a two seat electric car with ZERO EMISSIONS, and sold it in California and Nevada on a lease program. Though the car was sill in early test phases, it became a quick success with many long waiting list to get a car. The car was created in part due to California's Zero Emission Mandate, (ZEM) which wanted to bring zero emission cars into the market. In 2003 GM cancelled the EV1 citing, battery issues, experimental technology, and last lack of customer demand. Though again there was a large waiting list at all dealerships that sold the car, GM maintained no one wanted it. In further explanation the stated, they had called customers to ask if they would purchase the car, and where told many wouldn't. Many customers who got the call, said GM only explained the complications with the car and some of the issues that might be associated with purchasing it. This to me is a shock, I have never heard of a company underselling, or explaining the problems of a product to buyers. This would be like if McDonald's tellers, started telling you about the possible health risks with buying their food, every time you bought a big mac? GM's cancellation of the program was coincidently the same time they decided with other large automakers to sue California and overturn the ZEM that had been set by the state. And what did GM do with all the cars? Since it was a lease program, no one actually owned their EV1, when the lease was over, citing insurance and liability the company refused all offers to by the car. Including a 1.9 million dollar offer by leases, and instead destroyed all but a few, with the rest being used as little more then trophies for glass cases. Now flash forward to 2008, amid rising gas prices, and a steadily lowering economy more and more American's can't afford new cars and the ones that are selling are hybrids including the every popular Toyota Prius. As profits dry up major U.S. auto manufactures are announcing closing factories, layoffs and a loss in profit. So what do they do? Go to the government, asking for a 25 billion dollar loan*, so they can retool and update to create more Hybrid and fuel efficient cars. Now what does all this have to do with Obama and sharing the wealth. Well to me under McCain's tax plan, GM, Ford, and Chevy will all get billon dollar tax breaks to keep them competitive. True, they obvious need money to retool, and expand, and giving them a tax break could lead to just that. But McCain seems to do little to hold them accountable. GM created a ZERO Emission car, they said the American people don't want it. They shut it down and continued to make their gas guzzlers, during the year GM released the old gas drinking chestnut the Hummer. As Toyota and others foreign markets continued to push for lower emission GM, Ford, and Chevy, went higher. They fought any legislation that would have forced them to come out with more efficient cars and scoffed at those who said gasoline would not last forever. Now when the market isn't fair to them they come running to congress and asking for money. And again under McCain's plan they get even more money to stay afloat, while never once having to act responsibly. If GM had been allowed to fail, it would have hurt the economy but the American tax payers would still have a good 5 billion, GM's share the of the money, in their coffers. If GM had sold the EV1 they may not have been in this place to began with, and surely the investment in the new technology would have helped them deal the the gas crises today. No GM and others chose to do nothing except put themselves in this situation and then come to the American people to get themselves out. Under Obama's economic plan, GM, Ford, and Chevy would have to pay higher taxes on the money they make and give it back to the American people. You know helping to build roads, schools and other essentially items for the nation. The best part is, if you make less the 250,000 dollars, a year you won't be paying more to make America better the rich aristocrats who ran wall street in the ground will. Now maybe to a lot of millionaires out there this sounds like socialism, or redistribution of wealth but to me it seems fair. GM was stupid and the American people paid, why can't they pay in return, granted given huge tax breaks GM may put enough money in new technology that it spurs a wave of American business that helps create more jobs and a stronger economy, but thats a lot of fairy dust on faith in the free market. While as under Obama's plan, sure companies my feel the pinch of paying higher taxes, but tax breaks will go to those who fund new technologies and attempt has anyone actually read this or are you just commenting on the first part.

A: Sorry I thought you were saying something else. All taxes have been a redistribution of wealth. It is how we build our Highways, fund our military, and pay for education. -- smiles Hint: When you write that much into a question, you lose most of us. Just a suggestion.

Q: The long-suffering bush supporter now has to deal with yet another indignity. The Hummer, aka "bushmobile",...
might possibly be sold to a Chinese carmaker as GM seeks to shed its money-losing models, as no one wants to buy a gas-guzzler in this era of $4.20/gal gas. It turns out buying a Hummer in 2003 "in support" of bush's war was as bad an idea as renaming french fries to "freedom fries." If the Hummer becomes a Chinese brand, has it occured to the people who drive them that both their vehicle and the yellow ribbon magnet that they've "patriotically" slapped on the back of it would be made in China? http://www.automotoportal.com/article/hummer-to-be-sold-to-the-chinese It looks like the owners of the Toyota Prius hybrid were right all along, weren't they? Just like the Dixie Chicks and Michael Moore!

A: Foreign Ownership Rules prohibit China from buying such an awesome brand!

Q: Why was the media so quiet about this?
Al Gore III, 24, the son of former Vice President Al Gore was arrested on July 5, 2007, for possession of marijuana and prescription drugs. The younger Gore was pulled over shortly after 2 a.m. for allegedly driving his Toyota Prius about 100 mph down the San Diego Freeway. According to Sheriff's Department spokesman Jim Amormino, deputies detected a "strong odor of marijuana" approaching the vehicle. A search of the vehicle turned up marijuana, as well as the painkiller Vicodin; addictive anti-anxiety drugs Valium and Xanax; muscle relaxant Soma, and the amphetamine Adderall, which is commonly used to treat attention deficit disorder. Gore III was booked on four charges, including possession of less than an ounce of marijuana and possession of controlled substances without a prescription. He was released on $20,000 bail approximately 12 hours later. This was not his first run in with the law. In 2000, he had been ticketed for driving at 97 mph in a 55-mph zone. In 2002, he was ticketed for DUI, and his license suspended. In December 2003, he was pulled over and arrested for possession of marijuana, in Bethesda, Md.

A: A Google search shows the story was covered by ABC, MSNBC, FOX, the Los Angeles Times, Reuters, CBS, The New York Daily News, and many others. It even made news overseas with BBC and The Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1556566/Al-Gores-son-arrested-for-drugs.html http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6276120.stm Apparently the media was no so quiet after all.

Q: I'm looking for a really nice used car from everyone (a private seller) under 6,000 dollars?
I am in los angeles, california. it's so hard to find a car on the websites. there's nothing for me. and i'd like to buy my future first car from you . It has to be around the 6,000 dollar range and you guys from L.A or orange country? if so then i would like it to be from a private seller whoever you are, when you need me to sell your car. here's what i want for this. clean titles only please no salvage titles!! Year: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, or 2007 Make: Chevrolet, toyota, or honda Model: Aveo, yaris, prius, or venza Trans: 4 Speed Auto or Automatic only no manual Fuel: Gasoline Color: White, gold, black, silver, or red Interior: Grey, white, or black Miles: 0 to 59,000 Body Style: Sedan Condition: Used Category: Used Cars send pics to my email, if you know of any good deals or your wanting to sell your car! please let me know! i'll give you 5 stars. thanks a lot. :)

A: craigslist or similar...