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2016 Toyota Prius

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2016 Toyota Prius do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 164.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

100 reports with mileage · 54 unknown

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.

  • Visibility/wiper. Review the 40 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

8 crash reports0 fire reports4 injury reports

What owners actually said

154 reports
Mileage unknown · Jan 24, 2020
Unknown Or Other

ON 1/23/2020 WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY I60 IN AZ AROUND 9 AM THE SUNROOF OF THE CAR EXPLOITED. NO OBJECT WAS NOTICED TO HIT THE CAR OR SUNROOF. IT'S UNKNOWN THE REASON LEADING TO THE EXPLOSION.

NHTSA ODI #11301587

Mileage unknown · Jan 13, 2020
Unknown Or Other

PAINT PEELING FROM TRIM.

NHTSA ODI #11299159

70,000 miles · Dec 26, 2019
Forward Collision AvoidanceVehicle Speed Control

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE COLLISION AVOIDANCE INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED AND THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO WORK. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO GATES TOYOTA (640 W IRELAND RD, SOUTH BEND, IN 46614), BUT IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIF…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE COLLISION AVOIDANCE INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED AND THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO WORK. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO GATES TOYOTA (640 W IRELAND RD, SOUTH BEND, IN 46614), BUT IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

NHTSA ODI #11291277

Mileage unknown · Dec 18, 2019
Service Brakes

VEHICLE HAS CLICKING NOISE WHEN WE PUSH THE BREAK PADDLE. THIS IS THE SECOND VEHICLE THAT I GOT FROM TOYOTA WHICH HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. THE COMPANY KEPT THE FIRST VEHICLE AND THEN GIVE ME THIS ONE AFTER THE TRADE IN.

NHTSA ODI #11289808

Mileage unknown · Sep 12, 2019
Suspension

REAR SHOCK NUT COMES LOOSE AND TOYOTA HAS ISSUED TSB 0144-16, TO TIGHTEN THE NUT. THIS IS COMMON AMONG PRIUS. THIS MUST BE A RECALL OTHERWISE IT IS DANGEROUS IF THE SHOCK BECOME LOOSE. INITIALLY THE DEALER TOLD ME TO REPLACE SHOCKS BUT FORTUNATELY I FOUND OUT ABOUT TSB AND THE DELEAR FIXED IT FREE.

NHTSA ODI #11255204

71,000 miles · Jul 5, 2019
Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STRUGGLED TO MOVE FORWARD WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TEMPE TOYOTA (7970 S. AUTOPLEX LOOP, TEMPE, AZ 83326, (480) 420-3425) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT A NEW FUEL SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STRUGGLED TO MOVE FORWARD WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TEMPE TOYOTA (7970 S. AUTOPLEX LOOP, TEMPE, AZ 83326, (480) 420-3425) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT A NEW FUEL SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CAMEL BACK TOYOTA (1550 E CAMELBACK RD, PHOENIX, AZ 85014, (602) 464-7261), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BECAUSE THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WAS NO FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,000.

NHTSA ODI #11229653

40,700 miles · Jun 21, 2019
Electrical System

WHEN STARTING THE CAR THE ELECTRONIC DASHBOARD WAS BLACK WITH NO INFO ON SPEED. WE DROVE IT 70 MILES HOME GUESSING AT THE SPEED. WE TURNED IF OFF AND RESTARTED IT WITH THE SAME RESULT. THEN WE GOT HOME, TURNED IT OFF, RESTARTED IT AND THE DASHBOARD WAS BACK, WORKING NORMALLY. WTF? NOT HAVING A SPEEDOMETER IS A HUGE SAFETY HAZ…

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WHEN STARTING THE CAR THE ELECTRONIC DASHBOARD WAS BLACK WITH NO INFO ON SPEED. WE DROVE IT 70 MILES HOME GUESSING AT THE SPEED. WE TURNED IF OFF AND RESTARTED IT WITH THE SAME RESULT. THEN WE GOT HOME, TURNED IT OFF, RESTARTED IT AND THE DASHBOARD WAS BACK, WORKING NORMALLY. WTF? NOT HAVING A SPEEDOMETER IS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD. THERE SHOULD BE A FALLBACK FOR THIS. WE CANT TRUST THIS CAR AND LIKELY WILL TRADE IT IN SOON FOR SOMETHING ELSE.

NHTSA ODI #11221678

20,000 miles · Jun 7, 2019
Visibility/wiper

I HAVE A 2016 PRIUS WITH APPROXIMATELY 20,000 MILES THAT WAS PURSUED NEW FROM THE DEALERSHIP IN NOV 2016. AT AROUND 10:30AM, I WAS TWO BLOCKS FROM HOME, DRIVING ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET (25MPH) AND DECELERATED TO APPROX 10MPH AS I APPROACHED A RED STOPLIGHT AT THE ONCOMING INTERSECTION. CROSS TRAFFIC WAS MOVING BUT THERE WERE…

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I HAVE A 2016 PRIUS WITH APPROXIMATELY 20,000 MILES THAT WAS PURSUED NEW FROM THE DEALERSHIP IN NOV 2016. AT AROUND 10:30AM, I WAS TWO BLOCKS FROM HOME, DRIVING ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET (25MPH) AND DECELERATED TO APPROX 10MPH AS I APPROACHED A RED STOPLIGHT AT THE ONCOMING INTERSECTION. CROSS TRAFFIC WAS MOVING BUT THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS IN THE LANES LEFT OR RIGHT OF ME AND/OR APPROACHING MY CAR. I HEARD A VERY FAINT CLICK/POPPING SOUND COMING FROM THE UPPER RIGHT UPSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO EXAMINE THE GLASS. I FOUND A VERY SMALL STAR SHAPED DING, LESS THAN A MILLIMETRE WIDE ABOUT 3-4 INCHES FROM THE TOP RIGHT OF THE WINDSHIELD. I THEN CALLED MY INSURANCE AGENT WHO STATED A SMALL DING LIKE THAT COULD DEFINITELY BE FIXED BY A GLASS SHOP AND WOULD BE COVERED IN FULL BY ALLSTATE. I DECIDED TO JUST GO BACK HOME AND LOOK ONLINE FOR SOMEWHERE NEARBY I COULD TAKE IN MY CAR. I DROVE BACK, PARKED MY CAR BACK INTO MY UNDERGROUND TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED SPACE. I WASN'T ABLE TO GET A SAME DAY APPOINTMENT SO STAYED IN UNTIL 5:30PM WHEN I LEFT TO GO TO DINNER. I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THAT THE SMALL DING WAS NOW A LARGE DIAGONAL CRACK FROM THE UPPER LEFT CORNER, TO JUST PAST MIDPOINT OF THE WINDSHIELD. BECAUSE OF THE CRACK, THE WINDSHIELD CAN NOT BE FIXED. I WAS TOLD THAT REPLACEMENT AND RECALIBRATION WILL COST APPROX JUST UNDER $1000, WHICH I WILL END UP PAYING OUT OF POCKET BECAUSE MY INSURANCE DEDUCTIBLE IS $1000. HAS NOW BEEN 8 DAYS SINCE THE INITIAL DING AND THE CRACK HAS CONTINUED TO ELONGATE. IT IS NOW 2/3 OF THE LENGTH OF THE WINDSHIELD. I HAVE OWNED EIGHT TOYOTA VEHICLES, THREE OF WHICH HAVE BEEN NEW PRIUSES. THIS IS THE FIRST AND ONLY CAR WHERE ANYTHING LIKE THIS HAS EVER HAPPENED. IT APPEARS THAT MANY OTHER 2015-2016 PRIUS OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THEIR WINDSHIELDS TOO. TOYOTA MUST ADDRESS THIS SAFETY ISSUE,

NHTSA ODI #11218509

223,601 miles · May 24, 2019
Electrical SystemEngineEngine And Engine Cooling

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING 66 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND LOST POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO PLACE THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND THEN TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT A …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING 66 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND LOST POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO PLACE THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND THEN TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT A FUSE WAS BLOWN AND A NEW WATER PUMP NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 223,601. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI #11209662

10,000 miles · Mar 30, 2019
Unknown Or Other

THE CAR'S AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM CONTINUALLY SETS ITSELF TO THE AUTO POSITION AND DISABLES ITSELF WHERE NOTHING YOU DO CAN ACTIVATE THE FAN THE AIR CONDITIONING THE HEAT ANYTING, GOING THROUGH ALL THE MENUS RESETTING EVERYTHING TURNING THE CAR OFF AND ON 50 TIMES DOES NO GOOD. THIS BEGAN HAPPENING WHEN THE CAR HAD ABOUT TEN THO…

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THE CAR'S AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM CONTINUALLY SETS ITSELF TO THE AUTO POSITION AND DISABLES ITSELF WHERE NOTHING YOU DO CAN ACTIVATE THE FAN THE AIR CONDITIONING THE HEAT ANYTING, GOING THROUGH ALL THE MENUS RESETTING EVERYTHING TURNING THE CAR OFF AND ON 50 TIMES DOES NO GOOD. THIS BEGAN HAPPENING WHEN THE CAR HAD ABOUT TEN THOUSAND MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN MORE AND MORE COMMON SINCE.

NHTSA ODI #11192609

Official recalls

5

18V579000 · Electrical System:wiring

Sep 5, 2018

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Toyota Prius vehicles. A portion of the engine wire harness connected to the hybrid Power Control Unit (PCU), could contact the cover at this connection and wear, causing an electrical short circuit.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine wire harness assembly and replace it if damage is found. A protective sleeve or protective tape will be included to prevent any future damage. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began October 30, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J0T.

18V085000 · Air Bags:frontal; Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE ; Air Bags:side/window

Jan 31, 2018

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016 Toyota Prius and Lexus RX 350, RX 350 F Sport, RX 450h F Sport and RX 450h vehicles and 2015-2016 Lexus NX 200T, NX Turbo and NX 300h vehicles. The air bag pressure sensors and/or the acceleration sensors may fail causing the side/curtain shield air bags and/or the front air bags to not deploy in the event of a crash.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the air bags fail to deploy in a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the sensors as necessary based on their serial numbers, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 12, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are JLA, J0F.

Additional source detail variants (3)

Air Bags:side/window

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016 Toyota Prius and Lexus RX 350, RX 350 F Sport, RX 450h F Sport and RX 450h vehicles and 2015-2016 Lexus NX 200T, NX Turbo and NX 300h vehicles. The air bag pressure sensors and/or the acceleration sensors may fail causing the side/curtain shield air bags and/or the front air bags to not deploy in the event of a crash.

Consequence: If the air bags fail to deploy in a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the sensors as necessary based on their serial numbers, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 12, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are JLA, J0F.

Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016 Toyota Prius and Lexus RX 350, RX 350 F Sport, RX 450h F Sport and RX 450h vehicles and 2015-2016 Lexus NX 200T, NX Turbo and NX 300h vehicles. The air bag pressure sensors and/or the acceleration sensors may fail causing the side/curtain shield air bags and/or the front air bags to not deploy in the event of a crash.

Consequence: If the air bags fail to deploy in a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the sensors as necessary based on their serial numbers, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 12, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are JLA, J0F.

Air Bags:frontal

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016 Toyota Prius and Lexus RX 350, RX 350 F Sport, RX 450h F Sport and RX 450h vehicles and 2015-2016 Lexus NX 200T, NX Turbo and NX 300h vehicles. The air bag pressure sensors and/or the acceleration sensors may fail causing the side/curtain shield air bags and/or the front air bags to not deploy in the event of a crash.

Consequence: If the air bags fail to deploy in a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the sensors as necessary based on their serial numbers, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 12, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are JLA, J0F.

17V658000 · Hybrid Propulsion System: Inverter

Oct 18, 2017

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016 Prius vehicles. A capacitor within the hybrid system may not have been properly bolted to the inverter housing.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the capacitor was not properly secured, vibrations from driving the vehicle may damage the capacitor, shutting down the hybrid system, causing a loss of motive power and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inverter, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin by early December 2017. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is H0U.

16V741000 · Parking Brake

Oct 14, 2016

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Prius vehicles manufactured August 6, 2015, to October 3, 2016. The affected vehicles are equipped with a foot-operated parking brake system that has a parking brake cable that may disengage.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the parking brake cable disengages from the mechanism and the transmission is left in a gear other than 'Park' while the ignition is on and the driver leaves the vehicle, the vehicle may roll unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install a clip at the parking brake cable end to prevent the cable from disengaging, free of charge. The recall began November 10, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is G01.

16V672000 · Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

Sep 16, 2016

Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Prius vehicles manufactured November 30, 2015, to June 14, 2016. An air bag inflator manufacturing error may result in the inadvertent partial inflation of the front passenger air bag.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A front passenger air bag that unintentionally inflates can increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began November 10, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G0W.

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

1

DP22005 · Pedestrian Alert Sounds

Opened Jan 27, 2023 · Closed Aug 7, 2023

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:propulsion System

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.