AI DamageToyota Prius: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Toyota Prius across 12 model years: 446 owner complaints and 427 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
What fails most often
- 1 Visibility 16% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 15% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 15% of all complaints
- 4 Engine 10% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 10% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 7% of all complaints
- 8 Air bags 6% of all complaints
- Visibility: 71 complaints (16% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 16.
- Service brakes: 68 complaints (15% of all), 23 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 26.
- Electrical system: 67 complaints (15% of all), 7 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 341.
- Engine: 45 complaints (10% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 84.
- Vehicle speed control: 45 complaints (10% of all), 18 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 13.
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 2001–2020
- 1.8 L · hybrid · 4 cyl 2010–2022
- 1.8 L · plug-in hybrid · 4 cyl 2012–2015
- 2 L · hybrid · 4 cyl 2023–2027
- 2 L · plug-in hybrid · 4 cyl 2025
- CVT 2001–2027
Drive: FWD, 4WD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 446 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 71 | 0 | 16 |
| Service brakes | 68 | 23 | 26 |
| Electrical system | 67 | 7 | 341 |
| Engine | 45 | 4 | 84 |
| Vehicle speed control | 45 | 18 | 13 |
| Powertrain | 32 | 0 | 2 |
| Structure | 30 | 5 | 252 |
| Air bags | 28 | 21 | 34 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 26 | 1 | 0 |
| Tires | 20 | 0 | 12 |
| Wheels | 19 | 1 | 17 |
| Exterior lighting | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 14 | 5 | 0 |
| Steering | 10 | 2 | 7 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The impact was strong enough to cause significant front-end damage, but the front airbag did NOT deploy. I was wearing my seatbelt at the time. This is a serious safety concern because the airbag should have deployed in this type of frontal impact. If the crash had been worse, I could have been seriously injured.
On August 15, 2025, I was backing my vehicle when the rear view camera screen went blank, providing no image of what was behind me. With no warning and no image, I collided with a rock and landscape, causing damage to the rear of my vehicle.
I turned left into a parking space in my 2020 prius. I stepped on the brake, and my car shot forward. I couldn't stop it, and it hit a concrete pole. It only took 1 second. It seems toyota hybrids are still having this unintentional acceleration despite a multi billion dollar law suit in the early 2010's.
I was the victim of an accident on [XXX]. The person of the other vehicle that collided with my vehicle after crossing at high speed and without stopping in the red light. The sensors of the anti-collision vehicle of my vehicle did not work and the air bag also did not work.
As I was pulling my car into a parking space with the brake applied lightly, the car suddenly lost braking and lurched forward when the front wheels touched the curb. This caused the front of the car to jump the curb and hit a tree a foot or two away.
During the crash, the air bags did deploy and no injuries were reported. The vehicle was destroyed and later towed to an undisclosed location. No police report was filed. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The local dealer was not contacted.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- 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.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- TECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN 26TC01 POWER DISTRIBUTION BOX CERTAIN 2024 – 2025…
- An electrical connection for the rear window defogger may not have been installed correctly during vehicle…
- OBSOLETE NOTICE August 20, 2026
- This bulletin includes basic procedures for performing a rescue charge at battery on high voltage (HV)…
- This bulletin contains the PDS procedures that apply specifically to the 2027 model year Prius and Prius…
- 2026 model year Toyota vehicles are equipped with driver side floor mat retainers to secure the floor mat…
- During the manufacturing process, tires are mounted on the vehicle as matched sets to help reduce…
- A battery in a stored vehicle is subject to conditions that can reduce its performance and service life
- Long-term or off-site storage requires special care to maintain vehicle condition
- Pre-Delivery Service (PDS) is a critical step in satisfying our new car customers
- OBSOLETE NOTICE February 27, 2026
- OBSOLETE NOTICE February 12, 2026
Other models of this make
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 2026-11-04.