IllustrationWHILE STOPPED IN A PARKING LOT, FOOT BRAKE PRESSED,TRANSMISSION IN DRIVE, WHEN OPENING DRIVERS DOOR AND FOOT BRAKE RELEASED CAR STILL MOVES FORWARD. IT SHOULD GO INTO PARK AUTOMATIC BUT DOES NOT.
2012 Toyota Prius PLUG-IN Hybrid
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Prius PLUG-IN Hybrid years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 16 of 25 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Service Brakes. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports
Unknown Or Other complaints
4 reportsI RECENTLY HAD A REPAIR SERVICE DONE ON MY PRIUS PLUG-IN, BUT CAN'T IN GOOD CONSCIOUS UNDERSTAND WHY I HAD TO PAY $756 TO GET INTO MY CAR. I PURCHASED MY 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS PLUG-IN IN JULY, 2012. THREE AND A HALF YEARS LATER, I HAD TO HAVE THE DRIVER'S DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR REPLACED @ 51K MILES. LESS THAN TWO AND A HALF YEARS LAT…
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I RECENTLY HAD A REPAIR SERVICE DONE ON MY PRIUS PLUG-IN, BUT CAN'T IN GOOD CONSCIOUS UNDERSTAND WHY I HAD TO PAY $756 TO GET INTO MY CAR. I PURCHASED MY 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS PLUG-IN IN JULY, 2012. THREE AND A HALF YEARS LATER, I HAD TO HAVE THE DRIVER'S DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR REPLACED @ 51K MILES. LESS THAN TWO AND A HALF YEARS LATER, THE SAME DRIVER'S DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR HAD TO BE REPLACED @ APPROXIMATELY 80K MILES ' IN ADDITION TO ALL THREE OTHER DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS. ROUGHLY SIX MONTHS AGO, THE RIGHT, REAR DOOR LOCK STOPPED WORKING. THEN THE LEFT REAR STOPPED WORKING. THEN THE DRIVER'S DOOR (WHICH WAS NOTICED ON MY LAST SERVICE VISIT). AND FINALLY THE PASSENGER DOOR LOCK. THIS CAR DOES NOT HAVE A KEY TO UNLOCK THE DRIVER'S DOOR, ONLY AN ELECTRONIC FOB. AS A RESULT, I HAVE BEEN CLIMBING THOUGH MY REAR HATCH TO REACH THE RIGHT REAR DOOR LOCK, TO UNLOCK THAT DOOR, TO THEN REACH IN TO THE RIGHT FRONT DOOR LOCK; AT WHICH POINT I CAN OPEN THE RIGHT FRONT DOOR AND REACH OVER TO UNLOCK THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. NOT ONLY IS THIS RIDICULOUS AND EMBARRASSING, AS I'VE HAD TO DO THIS IN FRONT OF CO-WORKERS, AND CONSULTANTS I'VE HAD TO DRIVE TO MEETINGS WITH AT MY COMPANY, BUT IT'S INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS. I WON'T HAVE MY DAUGHTER OR WIFE DRIVE THE CAR, SINCE THEY CAN'T SAFELY UNLOCK OR ENTER THE CAR. SO HERE I AM, HAVING SPENT $756 TO BE ABLE TO ENTER MY CAR, SINCE THERE IS NO KEY OPTION, AND IN FACT IT'S THE SECOND TIME IN LESS THAN 30K MILES TO REPLACE THE DRIVER'S DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR.
WHEN THE DRIVER DOOR IS OPEN, FULL POWER IS ON, BRAKE PEDDLE RELEASED THE CAR WILL STILL MOVE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. THEN STARTED IN MOTION I STARTED TO GET OUT OF CAR BUT STOPPED IT
CAR WAS PARKED AND THE CHARGE CORD CONNECTED. IT HAD ABOUT 2.9 MILES LEFT ON BATTERY POWER, BY THAT CALCULATION IT SHOULD BEEN CHARGED BY 1100P. AT 1230P CAR WAS FULLY ENGULFED IN FIRE. FIRE DEPT IS INVESTIGATING FOR ARSON, BUT MY NEIGHBORS CAMERA CAUGHT IT ALL (I HAVEN'T SEEN IT) IT SEEMS THE CAR JUST START ON FIRE BY ITSELF, I…
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CAR WAS PARKED AND THE CHARGE CORD CONNECTED. IT HAD ABOUT 2.9 MILES LEFT ON BATTERY POWER, BY THAT CALCULATION IT SHOULD BEEN CHARGED BY 1100P. AT 1230P CAR WAS FULLY ENGULFED IN FIRE. FIRE DEPT IS INVESTIGATING FOR ARSON, BUT MY NEIGHBORS CAMERA CAUGHT IT ALL (I HAVEN'T SEEN IT) IT SEEMS THE CAR JUST START ON FIRE BY ITSELF, INSURANCE IS STILL INVESTIGATING, BUT I'M ALMOST POSITIVE THAT THIS FIRE STARTED ON ITS ON. IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU GUYS COULD FOLLOW UP. MY HOUSE ALSO CAUGHT ON FIRE. HAD I NOT BEEN JOLTED UP AND TRIED TO SAVE MY HOUSE WITH A HOSE, WE WOULD HAVE LOST THE HOUSE ALSO. CAR WAS 100 PERCENT DESTROYED
Official recalls
217V718000 · Hybrid Propulsion System
Nov 15, 2017
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2012-2015 Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. The hybrid battery contains an Electric Vehicle (EV) fuse that may fracture after repeated high-load driving conditions such as climbing long hills.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: The failed fuse may cause the hybrid system to shut down resulting in the loss of power. Loss of power while driving at higher speeds can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EV fuse, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 8, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is H0R.
16V487000 · Air Bags:side/window
Jun 30, 2016
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 both portions of the inflator to eject into the passenger cabin.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If either portion of the curtain shield air bag inflator ejects into the passenger cabin, there is an increased risk of injury to vehicle occupants.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install retention brackets to the curtain shield air bags, free of charge. The recall began on October 17, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota Customer Service Department at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is Toyota G0U, and Lexus GLJ.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1DP19004 · Brake Actuator Valve Wear
Opened Sep 30, 2019 · Closed Jan 21, 2021
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist
On September 19, 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a defect petition from Mr. Roger Hogan requesting that the Agency investigate and recall certain Toyota Prius, Prius PHV, Camry Hybrid and Avalon Hybrid vehicles for a brake actuator valve wear condition covered under Toyota Customer Support Programs ZJB and ZKK (subject CSP?s). In support of his request, the petitioner identified 117 NHTSA complaints allegedly related to the subject CSP condition, including 60 reporting crashes. On September 30, 2019, ODI opened Defect Petition DP19-004 to evaluate the petitioner?s request for an investigation. In August 2020, the petitioner notified the Agency that he was withdrawing his petition. Because the petitioner has withdrawn the petition, we are denying the petition as moot and no further analysis of this petition is necessary.NHTSA is authorized to issue an order requiring notification and remedy of a defect if the Agency?s investigation shows a defect in the design, construction, or performance of a motor vehicle that presents an unreasonable risk to safety. 49 U.S.C. ?? 30102(a)(9), 30118. Because the petitioner has with withdrawn the petition, the petition is denied as moot. This action does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency notes that it is not required to receive a defect petition prior to opening a defect investigation and will take further action if warranted by future circumstances.