Model record
Toyota Prius Years to Avoid: Reliability and Recalls
Every Toyota Prius model year in NHTSA's owner complaint file, 2010 to 2025: how many complaints each year drew, the problem owners named most, and the recalls to check before you buy.
NHTSA owner complaintsChecked Oct 3, 20264,934 complaints15 model years
The Toyota Prius years with the most owner complaints are 2010, 2011 and 2012. Owners named the hydraulic braking most for 2010, and the braking system for 2011 and 2012.
It's a count of reports, not a failure rate, and the newest years have had less time on the road to collect them.
Most of the complaints fall on the third-generation Prius, and they peak at 2,819 for 2010.
Toyota Prius complaints by model year
Every Toyota Prius model year in NHTSA's owner complaint file, 2010 to 2025. Years with 2,000 or more complaints are dark; beside each bar is the system owners named most that year.
- 2010Hydraulic braking27%2,819
- 2011Braking system50%517
- 2012Braking system43%422
- 2013Braking system56%405
- 2014Braking system44%205
- 2015Braking system52%162
- 2016Wiper system26%154
- 2017Wiper system19%91
- 2018Exterior lighting14%36
- 2019Braking system31%29
- 2020Braking system29%14
- 2022Electrical system17%24
- 2023Electrical system26%19
- 2024Airbag system14%22
- 2025Electrical system33%15
Best Toyota Prius years by complaint count
Of the years with at least five years on the road, these drew the fewest owner complaints. Fewer reports is not a clean bill of health: check the recalls for the exact car, and remember 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 have had less time to collect complaints.
- 2020Braking system · recalls not read14
- 2019Braking system · 3 recalls29
- 2018Exterior lighting · 1 recall36
Most common Toyota Prius problems
The systems owners named most across all 15 model years, counted from each year's six most-named systems.
- Braking systemNamed most in 7 of 15 years1,492
- Hydraulic brakingNamed most in 1 of 15 years751
- Electric brakingNever the top system in a year502
- Electrical systemNamed most in 3 of 15 years441
- Throttle and speed controlNever the top system in a year345
Our guides for these problems
Check engine codes Toyota Prius owners name
The OBD-II codes owners wrote into their complaints for the Prius years we have read in full (2010), one count per complaint. None of these codes has a guide yet.
Toyota Prius years to avoid by generation
Toyota called the 2010, 2016 and 2023 Prius all-new, so the years in the file fall into three groups. NHTSA's file has the Prius from 2010 to 2025.
2010–2015
All-new for 2010
2010 most complaints · hydraulic braking
- 20102,819
- 2011517
- 2012422
- 2013405
- 2014205
- 2015162
4,530 complaints · 6 model years
2016–2022
All-new for 2016
2016 most complaints · wiper system
- 2016154
- 201791
- 201836
- 201929
- 202014
- 202224
348 complaints · 6 model years
2023–2025
All-new for 2023
2024 most complaints · airbag system
- 202319
- 202422
- 202515
56 complaints · 3 model years
Toyota Prius recalls by year
Recall campaigns NHTSA lists for each model year, read Oct 3, 2026. A campaign that covers several years counts in each of them. NHTSA's recall service returned no answer for 2020, so that year is not counted. Recall repairs are free at the dealer; check one car with its VIN.
- 2010Most often: hybrid propulsion system10
- 2011Most often: hybrid propulsion system6
- 2012Most often: hybrid propulsion system6
- 2013Most often: hybrid propulsion system3
- 2014Most often: hybrid propulsion system3
- 2015Most often: hybrid propulsion system1
- 2016Most often: airbag system5
- 2017Most often: electrical system3
- 2018Most often: electrical system1
- 2019Most often: electrical system3
- 2020No answer from NHTSA—
- 2022Most often: engine and cooling1
- 2023Most often: electrical system4
- 2024Most often: electrical system4
- 2025Most often: backup camera2
Toyota Prius crash test ratings by year
NHTSA's overall star rating for each model year, with the frontal, side and rollover stars beside it.
- 2010No overall rating—
- 2011Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2012Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2013Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2014Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 44/5
- 2015Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 44/5
- 2016Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2017Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2018Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2019Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2020Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2022Frontal 4 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2023Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2024Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
- 2025Frontal 5 · Side 5 · Rollover 45/5
Federal investigations
NHTSA's defect office has opened 4 investigations into 3 problems that cover Toyota Prius model years from 2010 to 2025. An investigation looks into a possible defect; it is not a finding.
Common questions
What are the Toyota Prius years to avoid?
The years with the most owner complaints are 2010, 2011 and 2012. Treat them as the years to inspect hardest, not as a verdict on every car: run the VIN for open recalls and have the systems owners named checked before you buy.
What year is the most reliable Toyota Prius?
Complaints can't name a most reliable year, because the file counts reports, not failures per car sold. Of the years with at least five years on the road, 2020 drew the fewest complaints: 14. Newer years have fewer still, but they have had less time to collect them.
What is the most common problem with the Toyota Prius?
Across every year in the file, owners named the braking system most, in 1,492 complaints, then the hydraulic braking, in 751.
Which Toyota Prius years have the most recalls?
2010, 2011 and 2012, with 10, 6 and 6 recall campaigns.
Prius year pages
20102,819