Toyota Prius Reliability
Quick answer
Across model years 2008–2026, owners filed 7,303 complaints about the Toyota Prius with NHTSA, most often about the brakes and exterior lighting, and NHTSA lists 29 recall campaigns. We have no published sales figures for the Prius to turn that into a per-1,000-sold rate, so these counts compare its model years with each other, not with other models. CarWhere's year-by-year analysis flags 2008–2014 as years to avoid and rates 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023 as better years. Model years 2024–2026 have had less than three years on the road, so their complaint counts are still building.
By CarWhere Research · Last reviewed 2026-11-10 · Source: NHTSA
7,303
NHTSA owner complaints (2008–2026)
661
Complaints citing a crash
29
Recall campaigns
7
Years to avoid
Most-reported Toyota Prius problems
NHTSA owner complaints for model years 2008–2026, by the component owners named, filed 2007–2026. A complaint can name more than one component. The last three columns count complaints that report a crash, a fire or an injury.
| Component | Complaints | Share | Crash | Fire | Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 3,660 | 50% | 317 | 2 | 70 |
| Exterior lighting | 974 | 13% | 7 | 4 | 2 |
| Electrical system | 830 | 11% | 33 | 25 | 21 |
| Speed control / throttle | 665 | 9% | 174 | 3 | 51 |
| Engine | 441 | 6% | 18 | 10 | 6 |
| Air bags | 300 | 4% | 177 | 1 | 114 |
| Powertrain / transmission | 271 | 4% | 25 | 1 | 9 |
| Body structure | 219 | 3% | 53 | 5 | 25 |
Of all 7,303 complaints, 661 (9%) report a crash, 42 (1%) a fire and 246 (3%) an injury.
For 2020-and-newer models (110 complaints), the most-reported areas are the electrical system (25), the brakes (16), wheels (9), tires (8).
Toyota Prius complaints by model year
Where problems concentrate. Year flags come from CarWhere's years-to-avoid analysis, which compares each Prius model year with the model's other years. The full year-by-year verdicts are on the years-to-avoid page.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 1,497 | 4 | Exterior lighting | Avoid |
| 2009 | 502 | 6 | Service brakes | Avoid |
| 2010 | 2,823 | 10 | Service brakes | Avoid |
| 2011 | 523 | 6 | Service brakes | Avoid |
| 2012 | 688 | 6 | Service brakes | Avoid |
| 2013 | 414 | 3 | Service brakes | Avoid |
| 2014 | 241 | 3 | Service brakes | Avoid |
| 2015 | 166 | 1 | Service brakes | — |
| 2016 | 181 | 5 | Visibility / wipers | — |
| 2017 | 91 | 3 | Visibility / wipers | — |
| 2018 | 37 | 1 | Visibility / wipers | Better year |
| 2019 | 30 | 3 | Service brakes | Better year |
| 2020 | 14 | 0 | Service brakes | — |
| 2021 | 6 | 0 | Fuel / propulsion system | — |
| 2022 | 24 | 1 | Electrical system | Better year |
| 2023 | 21 | 4 | Electrical system | Better year |
| 2024(new) | 27 | 4 | Exterior lighting | — |
| 2025(new) | 18 | 2 | Electrical system | — |
| 2026(new) | 0 | 1 | — | — |
Raw counts are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, and older years have had longer to collect complaints. Years marked "new" have had less than three years on the road. — = not flagged either way.
Toyota Prius recalls
NHTSA lists 29 recall campaigns across Toyota Prius model years 2008–2026. The ones below cover the most model years. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Model years | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18V684000Oct 4, 2018 | 2010–2014 | Hybrid propulsion system | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Toyota Prius and 2012-2014 Toyota Prius V vehicles. Excessive voltage in the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) within the inverter may cause the hybrid system to… |
| 14V053000Feb 12, 2014 | 2010–2014 | Hybrid propulsion system — inverter | Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 through 2014 Prius vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) inside the inverter module (a component of the hybrid system) contains transistors that may become… |
| 26V049000Jan 28, 2026 | 2023–2026 | Electrical system — wiring / switches/knobs/buttons | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Prius Prime, 2023-2026 Prius, and 2025-2026 Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. Water may enter the rear door switch and cause a short circuit, allowing an… |
| 13V014000Jan 16, 2013 | 2009–2012 | Air bags — frontal / sensor/control module-inactive | Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ… |
| 25V744000Oct 30, 2025 | 2023–2025 | Backup camera / back-over prevention — display function | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A… |
Best and worst Prius years
- Years to avoid: 2008–2014.
- Better years: 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023.
- 2024–2026: too new to judge fully; complaint counts are still building.
Toyota Prius years to avoid: the verdict for every model year →
What to inspect on a used Toyota Prius
Based on the components owners report most. None of these replaces an independent pre-purchase inspection.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Brakes: check pedal feel, pulling and grinding, and look at rotor and pad wear; ask when the brake fluid was last changed.
- Wheels: check for bent rims and loose lug nuts, and feel for vibration at highway speed.
- Tires: check tread depth and date codes, and look for uneven wear that points to alignment problems.
- Recalls: check the VIN for open recalls; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any Toyota Prius can be better or worse than the model's record. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
Toyota Prius reliability FAQ
Is the Toyota Prius reliable?
Across model years 2008–2026, owners filed 7,303 complaints about the Toyota Prius with NHTSA, most often about the brakes and exterior lighting, and NHTSA lists 29 recall campaigns. We have no published sales figures for the Prius to turn that into a per-1,000-sold rate, so these counts compare its model years with each other, not with other models. CarWhere's year-by-year analysis flags 2008–2014 as years to avoid and rates 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023 as better years. Model years 2024–2026 have had less than three years on the road, so their complaint counts are still building.
What are the most common Toyota Prius problems?
In NHTSA owner complaints for model years 2008–2026, the most-reported areas are the brakes (3,660), exterior lighting (974), the electrical system (830) and throttle response (665). For 2020-and-newer models, the most-reported areas are the electrical system, the brakes and wheels. One complaint can name more than one component, and complaints are unverified owner reports.
What years of the Toyota Prius should you avoid?
CarWhere's year-by-year analysis flags 2008–2014 as years to avoid and rates 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023 as better years. Each model year is compared only with other Prius years: complaints are adjusted for time on the road, and serious ones (engine, transmission, brakes, steering, fuel system, or a reported crash, fire or injury) count double, with a smaller adjustment for recall campaigns.
How long does a Toyota Prius last?
In CarWhere's lifespan study, 8.4% of 7,135 used Prius listings in the US had passed 200,000 miles and 24.7% had passed 150,000. Among those 10+ years old, 15.5% are past 200,000 miles. Maintenance history matters more than the model average for any one car.
How many recalls does the Toyota Prius have?
NHTSA lists 29 recall campaigns covering Toyota Prius model years 2008–2026. The one covering the most model years is 18V684000 (hybrid propulsion system, 2010–2014). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How do I check a specific used Toyota Prius?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
How we measure Prius reliability
- Complaints are every NHTSA owner complaint filed for the Toyota Prius, model years 2008–2026, across all the body-style and trim names NHTSA files them under, de-duplicated by complaint number. They are unverified owner reports.
- Year flags compare each Prius model year only with other Prius years, so they say which years to prefer, not how the Prius compares with other models.
- This is federal complaint and recall data, not a survey and not comparable to Consumer Reports or J.D. Power ratings. It does not estimate repair costs.
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints and NHTSA recall campaigns (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-11-10; published U.S. sales figures; CarWhere years-to-avoid analysis.
More Toyota Prius research
Toyota Prius reliability by model year: