Toyota Prius
Reliability, NHTSA Complaints & Recall History
10 model years analyzed (2017–2026). All data sourced directly from the NHTSA public complaints and recall database — the same data used by federal regulators.
Checking a specific Toyota Prius? Run a VIN check for its exact history.
⭐ NHTSA NCAP Crash Test Ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
AI Interpretation
High ConfidenceAverageComplaints for the 2017–2026 Toyota Prius are concentrated in the 2017 model year, which accounts for the largest share. The most frequently reported components are unknown/other, service brakes, and electrical system. Crash-related complaints represent a notable portion of total reports.
- The 2017 model year has the highest number of complaints (100), far exceeding other years.
- Service brakes and electrical system are among the top three most complained-about components.
- Crash-related complaints account for 41 of the 259 total complaints.
- Service brakes issues, including potential loss of braking power or premature wear.
- Electrical system problems, such as battery or wiring malfunctions.
- Visibility/wiper failures, possibly affecting driver visibility in adverse conditions.
The 2017 model year has the highest complaint volume, driven largely by service brakes and electrical system issues.
Model years 2021 and 2026 show the fewest complaints, which may indicate improved reliability or lower exposure.
- Verify all open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
- Request service records for brake and electrical system repairs.
- Have a mechanic inspect the brake system and electrical components before purchase.
- Check for any outstanding safety campaigns related to visibility/wiper systems.
🔔 NHTSA Safety Recalls
19 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
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Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2017–2026. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
🔧 Most-Reported Problem Areas
Based on component keywords extracted from all 259 NHTSA complaints.
📋 NHTSA Complaint Reports
259 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
Both taillamps holding moisture. Could cause electrical issues or fire. .. same year and model car have same reported issues and were fixed by manufacturer. This vehicle is the same but different level.
Driver door lock actuator not working. This seems to be a common problem for Toyota over the last decade, but they yet to put more vehicles to their recall list. Actuator just stopped working. I have to use key out of FOB to manually open. This is a safety issue if I’m trying to get in my car quickly for safety reasons and it does not open.
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Prius. The contact stated the trunk opened at a slow speed and failed to remain open. The dealer was contacted and informed of the failure. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle needed to be taken in to be inspected. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not covered under recall. The manufacturer directed the contact back to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.
Was driving around 35 mph and my right side mirror blew up. The back blew off and the mirror was shattered and hanging. Nothing hit it. Contacted Toyota and the parts have been on a stop, but there is no recall. It has been 4 months.
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed heat exchanger, catalytic converter, and exhaust system. The contact was informed that the heat exchanger, the catalytic converter, and the exhaust system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 89,682.
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while in bumper-to-bumper traffic, the vehicle suddenly accelerated. The brake pedal was applied but failed to respond. The driver crashed into the front passenger side of the Lexus. The vehicle continuously moved forward. The contact was eventually able to pull over safely. The pre-collision malfunction warning light illuminated. The brake malfunction light was flashing. The air bags did not deploy. There was no reported fire or injury. A police report was filed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who could not determine the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was then towed to an autobody center where it remained. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 39,000.
The Airbag lights were lit, the person sitting with seatbelt on (flashing) and the person sitting with an inflated airbag in front of them. I ran an OBD2 scan on SRS and got code B1656. Driver seat belt buckle Left Hand. I Investigated the latch and found one wire was snapped off and a couple of inches shorter that the wire that was still connected. I have included 2 pictures of the back end of the seat belt latch. You can see the broken wire and where it use to be connected.
Someone rear-ended my Prius and they were driving a Ford 250 truck pulling a large flatbed truck that had a huge box on it. My seat went forward and backwards - I slammed my knee under the dashboard and then slammed by head into the headrest and I could not reach the pedals after this. I have repeatedly asked the collision center to look at it because there is nothing about it on the report of the estimate of repairs. My adult son was a passenger in the front and his seat didn't move.
AIRBAG LIGHT ON
The automatic high beams will occasionally fail to operate and are stuck in low beams until about 2 minutes have passed, or until the automatic high beams switch is turned off to disable the system. This seems to be a software issue, as it seems to occur when an approaching vehicle passes by with bright lights. When this happens, all high beams are disabled for a couple of minutes, even if the high beam lever is switched to low beams and back to high.
Stopped at red light, then the car didn't accelerate when hitting gas. Engine revs but the car does not accelerate. It happened multiple time when the car was out in sun with full ac on(100f). Happened once in intersection and almost got hit head on
UNKNOWN My car started stalling when it comes to a full stop. I.e. if I stop at a red light or stop sign, and I then press the gas, it stalls. It might inch forward, but it doesn’t really accelerate. This happened last year, and I took it to the dealer. They couldn’t reproduce the results, and they could only suggest changing my small 12V battery. Today, it stalled 8 times, between 2 short drives. Each at a stop sign only travelling ~5 miles total. I have an appointment at the dealer but this is exactly what happened last year with no diagnosis. No check engine light is on or anything.
MY WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED TWICE WITHOUT BEING STRUCK BY AN OBJECT AND WITHOUT BEING NEAR ANOTHER VEHICLE. BOTH INCIDENTS OCCURRED DURING NORMAL HIGHWAY DRIVING. I WAS NOT SPEEDING OR DRIVING RECKLESSLY. BOTH TIMES REQUIRED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD AS THE CRACK QUICKLY SPREAD AND AFFECTED A GOOD PORTION OF THE WINDSHIELD. I AM REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COST OF REPLACING THE WINDSHIELD (TWICE). THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED JUST A FEW DAYS AFTER PURCHASE. THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED TODAY, MARCH 4, 2021.
ON DEC 2, 2020 WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT ABOUT 45-50 MPH OUR SUNROOF EXPLODED CAUSING US TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE SHADE WAS CLOSED WHICH SAVED US FROM EXPLODING GLASS. THERE WERE NO ROAD HAZARDS, NO ISSUES OTHER THAN A SPONTANEOUS EXPLODING OF OUR SUNROOF. THE ORLANDO POLICE DEPT WAS SUMMONED AND THE ROADRANGERS STOPPED TO ASSIST US. I TOOK THE CAR DIRECTLY TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN CLERMONT, FL AND THEY REPAIRED THE GLASS AT NO CHARGE BUT TOLD ME HAD THE CAR NOT BEEN UNDER MANUFACTURER WARRANTY I WOULD HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF REPLACEMENT. IF THE SHADE HAD NOT BEEN CLOSED THE ENTIRE PASSENGERS WITHIN THE CABIN WOULD HAVE BEEN SPLATTERED WITH SHATTERED GLASS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED INTO THE HIGHWAY, WITHOUT STOPPING, AND CRASHED INTO THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE FENDER OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION, INCLUDING BACK, NECK, ANKLE AND HEAD INJURIES. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE RIPPED THE TENDON ON THE RING FINGER. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND WAS TOWED TO A TOW YARD. THE DEALER WAS NOT CALLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000. *LN*JB
ERROR CODES P0113 AND P0102 AND WARNING MESSAGES FOR CHECK ENGINE AND ICS MALFUNCTION* LAPPEARED WHEN STARTING THE GARAGED VEHICLE IN APPROXIMATELY 55F ROOM TEMPERATURE. TOYOTA OF ESCONDIDO AND TOYOTA'S CUSTOMER CARE TELEPHONE CENTER EXPLAINED THAT THEY WILL NOT INSPECT (ALTHOUGH UNDER THE 3-YEAR/36,000 MILES WARRANTY) WITHOUT A SERVICE FEE. ONLINE, REPORTS THAT A FAILING 12V BATTERY MAY CAUSE MULTIPLE CODES TO BE TRIGGERED WERE ALSO MET WITH A REQUEST FOR A $110 DIAGNOSTIC FEE. THE BATTERY IS ALSO UNDER THE 3-YEAR/36,000 MILE WARRANTY. ERROR CODES AND MESSAGES IMPLICATE FUEL EFFICIENCY, POLLUTION AND SAFETY ISSUES. *ICS IS THEIR COLLISION SENSOR SYSTEM.
AUTO HIGH BEAM FEATURE INTERMITTENTLY CUTS OUT AND THEN RESUMES, ESPECIALLY FREQUENTLY IN RAINY WEATHER. WHILE OFF, I CANNOT ENGAGE THE HIGH BEAM WITHOUT FIRST SHUTTING OFF THE AHB FEATURE. MANY SIMILAR REPORTS REGARDING TOYOTA VEHICLES; SEE HTTPS://WWW.RAV4WORLD.COM/THREADS/AUTO-HIGH-BEAM-ISSUES.242329/
THE CAR IS INADEQUATE IN THE WINTER. WHEN IT SNOWS I CAN'T KEEP THE WINDOWS CLEAN. THEY CHANGED THE FITTINGS AND I CAN'T EVEN PUT WINTER BLADES ON THE CAR. ALSO, AND THIS APPLIES TO ALMOST ALL NEW CARS AS WELL, THE LED LIGHTS FREEZE OVER. IT'S A SAFETY HAZARD NOT TO HAVE LIGHTS THAT WORK. AND IT'S A SAFETY HAZARD TO HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR IN DANGEROUS CONDITIONS TO TRY AND SCRAPE ICE OFF THE WINDOWS AND LIGHTS. THE FRONT AND REAR LIGHTS GET CAKED WITH ICE AND SNOW. THIS PICTURE IS OF MY WINDSHIELD AFTER AN HOUR OF WARMING UP. THE WIPERS STAY CAKED WITH ICE. AND WHEN I TURN THEM ON, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS. THEY SMEAR THE WINDSHIELD WITH ICE. THEY SMEAR IT WITH WATER TOO. I CAN'T SQUEEGEE WATER WITH ICE. I'D LOVE TO TRADE IT IN, BUT EVERYONE HAS LED LIGHTS. THEY'RE A SAFETY HAZARD. AND THESE ISSUES ARE KEEPING ME FROM BUYING A NEW CAR. I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU ADDRESSED THESE ISSUES. THE CAR COMPANIES WON'T LISTEN TO ME. THANK YOU HAVE A GREAT DAY
AUTOMATIC HIGH BEAMS DIM AND THEN FAIL TO BRIGHTEN INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN DRIVING, AUTOMATIC HIGH BEAMS FUNCTION AS INTENDED THEN THE DASH INDICATOR SPONTANEOUSLY TURNS OFF AND THE HEADLIGHTS FAIL TO BRIGHTEN. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT TWICE FOR THIS. THE SECOND TIME , THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM BOTH IN MY VEHICLE AND IN A 2019 PRIUS FROM THE INVENTORY. TOYOTA TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IS ADAMANT THAT THE PROBLEM IS NORMAL FUNCTIONALITY. I FAIL TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE HIGH BEAMS NOT BRIGHTENING WHEN THEY SHOULD DURING NIGHT DRIVING IS NORMAL FUNCTIONALITY.
I WAS DRIVING UP TO MY GARAGE ON THE SIDE OF MY HOUSE ON A CLEAR DAY, EARLY AFTERNOON. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 3 MPH AND TRIED TO STOP TO PARK IN FRONT OF THE GARAGE DOOR. I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT DID NOT ENGAGE, BUT LURCHED FORWARD INTO THE GARAGE, CRASHING INTO THE GARAGE AND CAUSING DAMAGE TO BOTH THE GARAGE AND THE AUTO.
Showing 20 of 259 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check a Specific Toyota Prius
This page shows fleet averages across all 10 model years. Enter a VIN to see the exact accident history, odometer records, title brands, and open recall status for a specific car.
📖 Understanding This Data
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Toyota Prius has 259 complaints on record across 10 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Toyota Prius has 19 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 41 of the Toyota Prius's 259 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the AI Rating Calculated?
The AI reliability rating (Average) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. The rating provides a plain-English summary for buyers who want a quick verdict without parsing raw numbers. It is one input in your buying decision — always verify with a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Toyota Prius vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Toyota Prius vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Toyota Prius has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.