AI Damage2013 Toyota Prius Plug-IN Hybrid reliability: common problems
Owners of the 2013 Toyota Prius Plug-IN Hybrid filed 12 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 12
- involving a crash
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 75% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 25% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 8% of all complaints
- 4 Suspension 8% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 8% of all complaints
- 6 Wheels 8% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 9 complaints (75% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (25% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (8% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Suspension: 1 complaints (8% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 1 complaints (8% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 12 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 9 | 3 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 2 | 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.
The car would typically jerk if the anti lock brakes were working but this did not occur. The front steering wheel and knee airbags deployed. The seat belt did not tighten up either. The front end of the car was badly damaged and the insurance adjuster considered the car totaled.
On 5/23/24, the ABS, Traction, and Brakes lights came on the dash and the brakes were not responding. My car was picked up from the Toyota dealer on 5/22/24 afternoon. It passed their multipoint inspection after they replaced all 4 brake pads on 5/21/24. Code C1391 internal leak.
Parts failed: accumulator/brake actuator and brake pump [XXX]: I dropped off my car at the [dealer] dealer in Jacksonville, FL to replace all (4) brake pads [XXX]: I picked up my car during lunch and their multipoint inspection passed with no issues [XXX]: Maintenance lights came on the dash during lunch, brakes were…
The rear axle broke and the drivers side wheel sat sideways making the car undriveable. The car has been serviced by the dealer regularly in fact the rear wheel bearings were replaced recently.
Got a 2014 plug in.. I smell some elctrical burn under the hood... It feel like come from the invter I see a 2nd recalled on the 2018 but I never got a recalled letter.
Battery hold down brackets for main traction battery (21 kw) broke allowing an unsafe condition for several months while the dealer tried to figure out the noise we reported. This has happened twice now in 88900 miles. Dealer and toyota states that this occurred because of a dirt road I drive on regularly.
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 9,546 of 32,261 model years in the NHTSA data (top 30% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Prius Plug-IN Hybrid has 7 complaints (10 years in the data). This year has 12, above average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Toyota Prius Plug-IN Hybrid?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, electrical system, powertrain. Total complaints: 12. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (42%), jerking, harsh shifts (8%), infotainment or screen glitches (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2013 Toyota Prius Plug-IN Hybrid?
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 Plug-IN Hybrid 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 2026-11-07.