# 2001 toyota pruis automatic **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** prius, toyota\ **Created:** [January 26, 2011, 10:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-toyota-pruis-automatic/60518 "2011-01-26T22:13:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bigmick\_1942](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@bigmick\_1942](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bigmick_1942)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2011, 10:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-toyota-pruis-automatic/60518/1 "2011-01-26T22:13:29Z")
lost drive ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2011, 10:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-toyota-pruis-automatic/60518/2 "2011-01-26T22:24:05Z")
Hmmm…perhaps you could elaborate a bit regarding the situation with your car. Generally speaking, two words do not provide a very good description of a mechanical problem or its possible causes. Please provide us more info, including: Odometer mileage Maintenance history for the transmission A description of when/how the problem surfaced The level, color, and odor of the trans fluid when you checked it Whether the Check Engine Light (or any other warning light) is illuminated ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2011, 10:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-toyota-pruis-automatic/60518/3 "2011-01-26T22:26:31Z")
Call tow truck. Take car to Toyota. Write check. ---
**Author:** ![FoDaddy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/fodaddy/32/717_2.png) [@FoDaddy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FoDaddy)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 1:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-toyota-pruis-automatic/60518/4 "2011-01-27T01:58:45Z")
That Prius has a CVT. The transmission will likely have to be replaced outright. Bring your check book. ---
**Author:** ![euryale1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@euryale1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/euryale1)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 3:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-toyota-pruis-automatic/60518/5 "2011-01-27T03:44:04Z")
You really think that your description of your issue would get you free advise? Go away. We are people who try to help. Not psychics. ---
**Author:** ![mark9207](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@mark9207](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mark9207)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 4:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-toyota-pruis-automatic/60518/6 "2011-01-27T04:41:36Z")
Tow car to Toyota. Get second mortgage. Write check. Alternatively: Tow car to junkyard. Sign title. Leave $500 richer. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 5:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-toyota-pruis-automatic/60518/7 "2011-01-27T05:22:03Z")
Are you referring to your navigation skills? ---
**Author:** ![andrew\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@andrew\_j](https://community.cartalk.com/u/andrew_j)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 6:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-toyota-pruis-automatic/60518/8 "2011-01-27T18:30:11Z")
My first move would be check your transmission fluid. If that is okay unfortunately a tow to transmission shop is required. ---
**Author:** ![realbinky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a87d85/32.png) [@realbinky](https://community.cartalk.com/u/realbinky)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 6:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-toyota-pruis-automatic/60518/9 "2011-01-27T18:31:57Z")
look harder ---
**Author:** ![tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@tardis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tardis)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 7:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-toyota-pruis-automatic/60518/10 "2011-01-27T19:07:12Z")
The transmission is more like a differential than an auto transmission. Low fluid level would be bad, but it wouldn’t cause symptoms of “lost drive”, whatever that really means. It’s a pretty complicated beast, and there is a lot electronically that could go wrong. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 7:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-toyota-pruis-automatic/60518/11 "2011-01-27T19:16:01Z")
Here’s a long discussion of 2001 Prius tranny problems: > **[2001 Prius transmission failure](https://priuschat.com/threads/33069/)** > > I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced a complete tranmission failure on the early Prius. While I was driving about 50 mph on I-395 coming out of... ---
**Author:** ![eraser1998](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6de8d8/32.png) [@eraser1998](https://community.cartalk.com/u/eraser1998)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2011, 7:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2001-toyota-pruis-automatic/60518/12 "2011-01-27T19:18:54Z")
write BIG check. Don’t expect car back soon if hard to find problem.