Does Prius needs Power Steering Fluid?

Your Prius uses electrons to move the steering. The tank for those is in the back under the hatch.

In other words, no, your Prius does not need power steering fluid.

Tom

 

No, it has drive-by-wire (electric steering wheel). It is maintenance free so there is one less thing to worry about.

 

I would be worried if it were truely drive (steer) by wire. It has mechanical steering like every other production car except the Prius has an electric assist instead of the more common hydraulic assist.

 

Come to think of it, I think you are right.

 

Throttle is drive by wire, but the brakes and steering are mechanical with traditional hydraulic brake assist and electric power steering.

 

Mostly right. Throttle is drive by wire. Brakes are brake by wire but have a fail-back safety system that reverts to hydraulic. In normal operation there is no hydraulic connection from the driver's foot to the brakes, so it is truly brake by wire. It is not traditional hydraulic brake assist. Steering is mechanically coupled with electrical boost.

As a minor point of clarification, the power brakes are driven by an electrically powered hydraulic pump.

Tom