2009 TOYOTA PRIUS Problems
Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2009 Toyota Prius. This model year has 500 NHTSA complaints — top issue: Brake System.
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This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about the specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer rollbacks, and open recalls.
Worst 2009 Toyota Prius Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Brake System
Headlight/Taillight Failures
Hydraulic
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This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about this specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2009 Toyota Prius. A single complaint may appear in multiple categories.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brake System | 197 | 24 | 1 | — | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 111 | 1 | — | — | |
| Hydraulic | 91 | 11 | — | — | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 71 | 26 | — | — | |
| Electrical Faults | 60 | 2 | 4 | — | |
| Electric | 44 | 7 | — | — | |
| Engine Problems | 26 | 1 | 1 | — | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 22 | 2 | — | — | |
| Uncategorized Issues | 20 | 2 | — | — | |
| Structural Problems | 19 | 6 | — | — | |
| Airbag Malfunctions | 17 | 14 | — | — | |
| Fuel System | 17 | 1 | — | — | |
| Traction Control System | 15 | 1 | — | — | |
| Gasoline | 14 | 1 | — | — | |
| Steering Defects | 13 | 3 | — | — | |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 12 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 8 | — | 1 | — | |
| Suspension Failures | 5 | 2 | — | — | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: AEB | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Equipment Adaptive/Mobility | 4 | 1 | — | — | |
| Equipment | 4 | 1 | — | — | |
| Other | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Seat-Related Issues | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Visibility/Wiper | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Air | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Wheel Issues | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
| Tire Issues | 1 | — | — | — |
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Complaint counts may exceed total complaints because one report can span multiple categories.
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2009 Toyota Prius. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Showing 400 most recent complaints of 500 total. View all on NHTSA ↗
Brake actuator is broken. Toyota knew about this problem and they had a warranty for 10 years or 150k miles. Mine only has 80k miles. The repair is half of what the car is worth. I thought a Toyota with such low miles would be dependable. Toyota knew that people have died fro…
The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The contact stated that the ABS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the reside…
Cooling system
The brake actuator is failing. It’s making unusual noises when stepping on the brakes. A new additional noise started in the last month which is the pump connected to the brake actuator. The technician told me the brakes are about to fail. Toyota used to cover this issue but stop…
Breaking system failure do to ASB Actuator, breaks are locking and vehicle is engine braking.
When I am coming to a stop or need to put on my brakes my car will accelerate at a jump ahead pace As if to take off instead of slowing down and stopping. Regardless whether I’m turning a corner or I’m continuing straight when I have to Put on the brakes it speeds up instead.
The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, extra effort was needed to stop the vehicle while depressing the brake pedal. In addition, the contact stated that the instrument panel intermittently went blank and failed to ope…
In the 2009 Toyota Series II vehicle there are two parts for the brake actuator pump assembly which has been cycling about every 20 seconds for the past six months or more. There is an intermittent tone when depressing the brake pedal before starting the car (engine off). The Bra…
My dashboard brake, tire pressure, vsc and AB’s light came on while driving
Failed brake actuator. Toyota knows about the issue and refuses to honor any reasonable repair. Braking at any speed the car ferociously pulls to the left, throwing you into another lane or on coming traffic.
The engine light went on while driving on the highway. We immediately pulled over and had the vehicle towed to the nearest dealership. The dealership informed us that both the Brake Actuator (Toyota part TO44500-47141) and water pump (Toyota par TOG9020-47031) had failed. The car…
Car Mechanics say I need a new ABS actuator/pump costing about $4,400 at dealership and over $2500 at garages. Most quoting about $3500.00. It is a known fact that this is common on Pruises, which I am now learning. I feel Toyota should be reimbursing their consumer for this unex…
The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that the instrument cluster was intermittently inoperable. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring increasingly. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle would fail to start or to turn off intermitte…
The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the contact depressed the brake pedal however, the brakes did not function as needed. The vehicle was driven to the resid…
Losing all breaking from abs dealership says $3000 to replace abs brake actuator module. I have been hearing from other second generation owners this is a common problem and it vecomes unsafe when you lose brake functioning in traffic additionally it was an extended warranty twi…
ABs Light came on high pitched sound and brakes suddenly stopped working while driving making very unsafe driving conditions. i recently purchased this car as my second, 2nd generation prius but the abs recall was evidently not performed when it was recalled and extended. this p…
Apparently a known issue with the HID lights coming on or off intermittently.
The front lights and break lights sometimes turn off while I am driving. Both of the lights or one of them.
The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving at approximately 65–70 MPH, the ABS warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the brake pump actuator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired…
The hybrid water pump failed/ aka the inverter coolant pump. This was recalled years ago and has failed again. The previous owner of my car replaced it in 2013, so Toyota is refusing to replace it again, despite the fact that the part is faulty and has compromised the safety of m…
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Real owner reports for the 2009 Toyota Prius.
Recalls for 2009 Toyota Prius
6 campaignsNHTSA recall campaigns for the 2009 Toyota Prius. Recalls are free to fix at any authorized dealer. Run a VIN check below to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.
2009 Toyota Prius — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2009 Toyota Prius reliable?▾
Severe Issues. The 2009 Toyota Prius has 500 NHTSA owner complaints, 64 crash-related, and 6 recall campaigns. The most reported issue is Brake System (197 complaints). Source: NHTSA via VinSpector AI.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Toyota Prius?▾
#1: Brake System (197 complaints). #2: Headlight/Taillight Failures (111 complaints). #3: Hydraulic (91 complaints)
At what mileage do problems start on the 2009 Toyota Prius?▾
Mileage data is not available or insufficient for this model year.
How safe is the 2009 Toyota Prius?▾
The 2009 Toyota Prius has 64 crash-related complaints and 4 fire reports out of 500 total NHTSA complaints. 27 injuries were reported. For NCAP lab crash test star ratings, visit nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Does the 2009 Toyota Prius have any recalls?▾
Yes — 6 NHTSA recall campaigns affect the 2009 Toyota Prius. The largest issue: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.
Should I buy a 2009 Toyota Prius?▾
The 2009 Toyota Prius has severe issues — review the top problems before buying. Pay particular attention to Brake System issues. Always run a VIN check on the specific car you're considering to check for accident history, open recalls, and title brands.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinSpector AI.
Wider context: See the full Toyota Prius reliability report with year-by-year comparison.
Check Your Specific 2009 Toyota Prius
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99.