AI Damage2013 Toyota Prius C: common problems
Owners of the 2013 Toyota Prius C filed 58 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 58
- involving a crash
- 8
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 40% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 31% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 12% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel/propulsion system 9% of all complaints
- 5 Hybrid propulsion system 9% of all complaints
- 6 Air bags 7% of all complaints
- 7 Exterior lighting 7% of all complaints
- 8 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 23 complaints (40% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 18 complaints (31% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 7 complaints (12% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 5 complaints (9% of all).
- Hybrid propulsion system: 5 complaints (9% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.5 L · hybrid · 4 cyl
- CVT
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 58 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 23 | 4 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 18 | 2 | 0 |
| Engine | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Hybrid propulsion system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Backover prevention | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
There was a driver side collision and the airbags did not deploy. Brakes do not slowly apply they slam down causing vehicle to slide/skid in emergency braking, ABS does not function properly.
Hybrid steering lock became disengaged and could not communicate with the certification ecu due constant power being disabled due to complete main body failure. Hybrid system cannot go back into park however ecm side did.
There were no warning lights or messages before the sudden acceleration happened. Due to the possibility of it happening again, we decided to park the car in case any litigation could be processed. We have been denied by many law firms due to the fact that there were no serious injuries and the age of the car.
Dashboard lights came on.. Error message said "hybrid system failure" 3.) power to braking and steering remained 4.) vehicle went off the freeway, with no power, down an exit ramp, and came to a stop, luckily, in a legal parking place, at the curb on de anza blvd..
I was involved in a left-hand turn, t-bone style/side impact car accident on june 5th, 2019. The other driver was going 50+ mph and I was going 20 mph. My air bags should have at least deployed on the passenger side where there is impact.
I was making the 90 degree right turn into my driveway when I felt my car, a prius, accelerate by itself. But this acceleration was not like what you get when you step on the gas. It was as if the car had a mind of its own and it was going to go!
As a result, the contact crashed into a tree and the air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained back and knee injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an impound yard. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 8,000.
Suddenly, lights show up on the dashboard including ABS, brake, traction control and the warning light. The brake actuator assembly failed. From what Iâve seen this is a known issue that Toyota has acknowledged with a specialized warranty that my vehicle has aged out of.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 4,955 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 14% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Prius C has 19 complaints (10 years in the data). This year has 58, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Toyota Prius C?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, service brakes, engine. Total complaints: 58. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (28%), stalls while driving (12%), loss of power / limp mode (10%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2013 Toyota Prius C?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2013 Toyota Prius C from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2013 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.