Service Brakes. Review the 124 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

19 crash reports2 fire reports9 injury reports

What owners actually said

216 reports

300 miles · Mar 11, 2013

Service Brakes

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WHEN YOU START TO DRIVE IT MAKES A LOUD HOWLING SOUND, IT IS GETTING LOUDER AS TIME GOES ON. PEOPLE LOOK AT US LIKE WE ARE CRAZY FOR DRIVING WITH BAD BRAKES. WE HAVE HAD IT IN TO THE DEALER MANY TIMES TO JUST BE TOLD IT IS THE WAY IT IS. NO REPAIR IS NECESSARY. IT IS GETTING MORE AND MORE ANNOYING TO LISTEN TO. IT LASTS LONGER AS TIME GOES ON. COME ON TOYOTA LETS GET THIS TAKEN CARE OF BEFORE THERE IS A FATAL COLLISION DUE TO THIS! IT IS GETTING SCARY TO DRIVE AND FEEL SAFE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10502344

9,700 miles · Mar 8, 2013

Vehicle Speed ControlCrash

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH AND DECELERATING, THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY ACCELERATED AFTER HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE CRASH. THE POLICE WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 9,700. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10502085

4,000 miles · Mar 4, 2013

Service Brakes

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LOUD SCRAPING NOISE COMING FROM REAR OF CAR---HAD THE CAR IN TO TOYOTA 5 TIMES. THE NOISE CONTINUES TO GET LOUDER AS TIME PASSES.-- ITS NOW LOUD ENOUGH TO DROWN OUT THE RADIO.--TOYOTA SERVICE SAYS IT IS JUST RUST ON THE ROTORS.--THIS IS THE 4TH NEW TOYOTA I HAVE OWNED,-- BUT THIS THE ONLY ONE I HAVE HA D THIS PROBLEM WITH.-- WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM.--II WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT TOYOTA KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM AND ARE WORKING A RECALL TO FIX IT.---SO WHERE IS THE RECALL?????? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10501305

3,300 miles · Feb 16, 2013

Engine And Engine CoolingSuspension

A GROANING NOISE AT ALL TEMPERATURES SO FAR. IT BEGINS AND THEN GOES AWAY AFTER I DRIVE FOR A BLOCK. IT IS VERY LOUD AND IT CAN BE HEARD BY OTHERS AROUND ME. IT IS EMBARRASSING AND DOESN'T SOUND LIKE IT IS HEALTHY FOR THE LONGEVITY OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10498368

200 miles · Feb 14, 2013

Visibility/wiper

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2012 PRIUS HAS SERIOUS DEFECT IN THE WINDSHIELD LAMINATION. BRIGHT LIGHT SOURCES ARE TRIPLED AT NIGHT. A GHOST IMAGE APPEARS ABOVE AND BELOW THE ORIGINAL LIGHT SOURCE. LIGHT SOURCES MAY BE, HEADLIGHTS, TAILLIGHTS, SIGNAL LIGHTS, AND EVEN REFLECTED LIGHTS OFF CERTAIN ROAD SIGNS. AS YOU APPROACH THE LIGHT SOURCE, THE TWO GHOST IMAGES WILL MERGE INTO THE PRIMARY LIGHT SOURCE. THE SAFETY HAZARD IS EXTREME EYE FATIGUE AT NIGHT, AND SEVERE VISUAL DISTORTION THAT IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE LIGHT SOURCE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10498148

9,761 miles · Feb 8, 2013

Service Brakes

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PURCHASED PRIUS V IN MARCH 2012, JUNE 2012 TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE AND TO HAVE DEALER LOOK INTO NOISE COMING FROM REAR BRAKES. DEALER STATED THEY COULD NOT HEAR THE NOISE AND SAW NOTHING UPON INSPECTION. NOISE BECAME MORE FREQUENT AND LOUDER, TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER AND THEY COULD HEAR THE NOISE. UPON INSPECTING THE REAR BRAKES THEY FOUND REAR ROTORS HAD ABNORMAL MARKINGS IN THEM FROM IMPROPER MACHINING. BRAKE PAD FRICTION MATERIAL GLAZED. ROTORS AND PADS REPLACED. AFTER A WEEK THE NOISE RETURNED. TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THIS WAS A PROBLEM WHICH TOYOTA HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING FOR MONTHS BUT HAS FOUND NO SOLUTION TOO. WAS TOLD I WOULD BE INFORMED WHEN A SOLUTION WAS FOUND AND I COULD BRING THE VEHICLE BACK THEN. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN WHICH NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10496940

Official recalls

18V684000 · Hybrid Propulsion System

Oct 4, 2018

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 the vehicle to stall while being driven.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the hybrid system shuts down unexpectedly, it can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the motor/generator control electronic control unit (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 22, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J0V. Note: The software updates in this recall are needed even if the vehicle had the software previously updated under recalls 14V-053 or 15V-449.

15V449000 · Hybrid Propulsion System: Inverter

Jul 15, 2015

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Prius V vehicles manufactured August 22, 2011, to June 30, 2014. A component within the hybrid inverter assembly may overheat, causing the hybrid system to reduce output power allowing the vehicle to only drive a short distance. In some circumstances, the hybrid system may shut down causing the vehicle to stop while being driven.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle. The hybrid system could also shut down completely resulting in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the motor/generator control electronic control unti (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU, free of charge. The recall began on July 30, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.

13V014000 · Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE ; Seats

Jan 16, 2013

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 Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.

Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Seats

Consequence: If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.

Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.

Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE

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

DP23005 · Brake Actuator Valve Wear

Opened Nov 22, 2023 · No close date supplied

Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received a petition dated September 19, 2023 from the owner of a 2012 Toyota Prius V requesting that ODI reevaluate its decision to deny DP19-004. In the letter, the petitioner reported experiencing an unexpected and complete loss of brake power while driving, accompanied by multiple dashboard warning lights. This petition is based on the petitioner's direct experience and assessment that ODI closed DP19-004 because its prompting petition was withdrawn by that petitioner. ODI will review the work conducted during DP19-004 and a review of any additional related complaints and crashes via a new defect petition The petition and related materials can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under the following ODI number:11553736.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist