2012 Toyota Prius Reliability
The 2012 Toyota Prius has 688 owner complaints and 6 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and electrical system. Compared with other Prius model years, it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Prius's typical year.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
688
NHTSA owner complaints
6
Recall campaigns
71
Complaints citing a crash
4
Complaints citing a fire
2012 Toyota Prius complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 model year, filed between 2011 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 344 | 50% |
| Electrical system | 89 | 13% |
| Engine | 71 | 10% |
| Unknown or other | 54 | 8% |
| Air bags | 43 | 6% |
| Exterior lighting | 42 | 6% |
| Visibility / wipers | 35 | 5% |
| Speed control / throttle | 31 | 5% |
2012 Toyota Prius recalls
6 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2012 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13V014000 | Jan 16, 2013 | 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 Cruiser, and… |
| 13V123000 | Apr 9, 2013 | Equipment — other / labels | Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ… |
| 14V053000 | Feb 12, 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 damaged from high… |
| 16V396000 | Jun 2, 2016 | Seats — front assembly / seat heater/cooler | Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011… |
| 16V487000 | Jun 30, 2016 | Air bags — side/window | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Toyota Prius, 2010 and 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid, and 2011-2012 Lexus CT200h vehicles. A weld in the curtain shield air bag inflator may crack causing one or… |
| 18V684000 | Oct 4, 2018 | 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 shut down, causing… |
How the 2012 compares with nearby Prius years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year Prius analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 2,823 | 10 | Service brakes | Avoid |
| 2011 | 523 | 6 | Service brakes | Avoid |
| 2012 (this page) | 688 | 6 | Service brakes | Avoid |
| 2013 | 414 | 3 | Service brakes | Avoid |
| 2014 | 241 | 3 | Service brakes | Avoid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
The 2012 Toyota Prius on the used market
- 64 of 403 2012 Toyota Prius listings in CarWhere's lifespan study showed 200,000 miles or more.
What to check on a used 2012 Toyota Prius
- Brakes: check pedal feel, pulling and grinding, and look at rotor and pad wear; ask when the brake fluid was last changed.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Air bags: make sure the air bag warning light goes out after start-up and that any air bag recall was completed on this VIN.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 6 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2012 Toyota Prius can be better or worse than its model year. 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.
2012 Toyota Prius reliability FAQ
Is the 2012 Toyota Prius reliable?
The 2012 Toyota Prius has 688 owner complaints and 6 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and electrical system. Compared with other Prius model years, it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Prius's typical year.
What are the most common 2012 Toyota Prius problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2012 Toyota Prius are service brakes (344), electrical system (89), engine (71), unknown or other (54). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2012 Toyota Prius have recalls?
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2012 Toyota Prius, including 13V014000 (air bags — frontal / sensor/control module-inactive) and 13V123000 (equipment — other / labels). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2012 Toyota Prius compare with the 2011 and 2013 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2011 has 523 complaints and 6 recalls (avoid); the 2013 has 414 complaints and 3 recalls (avoid). The 2012 has 688 complaints and 6 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2012 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.
More Toyota Prius research
Other Toyota Prius model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2012 Prius, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.