AI Damage2017 Toyota Prius V: common problems
Owners of the 2017 Toyota Prius V filed 12 complaints with NHTSA, most often about exterior lighting and structure. The maker issued 150 service bulletins for this year. We found 2 repair videos on YouTube. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 12
- involving a crash
- 3
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 150
- YouTube repair videos
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Exterior lighting 33% of all complaints
- 2 Structure 17% of all complaints
- 3 Equipment 8% of all complaints
- 4 Air bags 8% of all complaints
- 5 Tires 8% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 8% of all complaints
- 7 Electronic stability control 8% of all complaints
- 8 Visibility 8% of all complaints
- Exterior lighting: 4 complaints (33% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Structure: 2 complaints (17% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 44.
- Equipment: 1 complaints (8% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 64.
- Air bags: 1 complaints (8% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 6.
- Tires: 1 complaints (8% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.8 L · hybrid · 4 cyl
- CVT
Drive: FWD
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior lighting | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 44 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 64 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 0 | 0 | 42 |
| Backover prevention | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Engine | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Service brakes | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Parking brake | 0 | 0 | 2 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Since we had purchase our car prius v four with drl (day running lights)(vertical led unit in bumper) they never worked properly-hence not visible in our accident..
I was slowly ( < 5mph) approaching a stoplight at a busy intersection in a 25 mph zone on a [address] there were 2 vehicles ahead of me. Everything seemed fine until my vehicle suddenly accelerated rapidly and I was unable to stop it.
My 2017 prius v was involved in 2 recent crashes in which the air bags did not deploy: front end/bumper impact on 6/1/18 and front & rear end impact which totaled car on 7/3/18. Both times air bags did not deploy. Impact on 6/1/18 caused other car's (2008 honda accord) air bags to deploy, but not mine.
While driving I heard noises, like âflap,flap,flapâ. Pulled over to look at the tire and saw that the tire was peeling. Changed to the donut spare tire and went to âFirestoneâ 5 days later to have a new tire put on because the original service shop, âMr King auto services centerâ, would not take any…
The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 180,000.
Approximately 9 months or so after purchase my headlights burnt out, first the driver's side then passengers side. I am now replacing, purchasing new headlights every 3-4 because they continue to burn out. I've tried various brands including buying directly from toyota but they still burn out.
Gps navigator is misleading for 50 usa states. The dashboard is not working correct sometime, maybe the software has a problem.
I have been told it is the headlights that provide reduced lighting. The dealer told me there is nothing they can do, that I should turn on my brights, regardless of oncoming traffic. It is very dangerous.
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 10,162 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 28% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Prius V has 60 complaints (8 years in the data). This year has 12, below average.
What to check before buying
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- This bulletin includes basic procedures for performing a rescue charge on Ni-MH high voltage (HV) batteries
This bulletin should be used in conjunction with the applicable model and model year Repair Manual while performing a rescue charge. The GRX-5100 should be used wherever the Repair Manual references the Toyota Hybrid…
- OBSOLETE NOTICE February 13, 2026
This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0009-26.
- Some 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a…
Some 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition…
- Some customers may experience echoing on the line calling the vehicle when using Bluetooth Hands Free
This is caused by the phone Hands Free volume being too low.
- The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air…
The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks. The procedures outlined in this Service Bulletin aid in locating, inspecting, and…
- The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix…
The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and…
- To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used…
To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from…
- Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical…
Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal…
- Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal…
Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. This material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination. Follow…
- Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad…
Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc. This type of contamination can…
- Some 2005 – 2024 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a…
Some 2005 – 2024 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition…
- Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal…
Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. This material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination.
NHTSA lists 150 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2017 Toyota Prius V?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: exterior lighting, structure, equipment. Total complaints: 12. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: headlights and tail lights (17%), airbags did not deploy (8%), rear-view camera (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2017 Toyota Prius V?
NHTSA lists 150 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 2017 Toyota Prius V 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 2017 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 2026-11-06.