9 recalls covering model years 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. To check whether your vehicle is affected, look up your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — a recall may apply only to some vehicles of a given year.
Water can get into the switch inside a rear door and cause a short circuit. If that happens, an unlocked rear door can pop open on its own, including while the car is moving. The dealer will change the wiring for the rear door switches at no cost. This recall replaces an earlier one, so even if your car was already fixed under the older recall, it needs the new repair done.
These vehicles have a Panoramic View Monitor system that shows what is behind and around you. A software error can make the backup camera image freeze or go completely blank when you shift into reverse. That means you may not see a child, a pet or an object behind the vehicle. Federal rules require a working rear view. A dealer will update the parking assist software at no cost; it is a software fix, not a part replacement.
These Toyotas were sold with accessories added through Gulf States Toyota. When accessories are added, a sticker is supposed to be placed on the vehicle showing how much less weight it can now carry in people and cargo. On these vehicles that sticker shows the wrong numbers. If you go by it, you could load the vehicle heavier than it is rated for. Gulf States Toyota is mailing corrected labels to owners at no charge; nothing on the vehicle needs repair.
Water can get into the switch that opens the rear doors on these Prius and Prius Prime cars. If the water causes a short circuit, a rear door that is not locked can pop open by itself. That can happen while you are driving down the road or during a crash. The dealer will replace both the right and left rear door opener switches at no cost. Toyota mailed letters to owners on August 9, 2024.
The software in your Prius's engine computer can wrongly think something is broken. If that happens, it shuts down the hybrid system while you are driving, and the car loses power. You could slow down or stop without warning, which is dangerous in traffic or on the highway. There is no broken part to fix: a dealer loads corrected software into the engine computer at no cost to you.
A short circuit can happen inside the main instrument display behind the steering wheel. When it does, the screen goes blank, so you lose the speedometer, the odometer, and the fuel gauge all at once. You would have no way to see how fast you are going or how much gas you have left. Dealers will check the production date of a memory chip inside the display and, if needed, replace that chip along with the display's circuit board.
A pump that helps power the brakes can fail on these vehicles. If it does, the system that keeps the car from sliding or spinning in a turn stops working, and the brakes lose their power assist. The brake pedal will feel much harder to push and the car will take longer to stop. Because of this, these vehicles do not meet the federal safety rule for stability control. A dealer will check the brake booster pump and replace it if needed.
Every vehicle has a sticker, usually in the driver's door opening, that tells you how much weight it can safely carry, including passengers and cargo. On these vehicles the printing on that sticker can fade until you cannot read it. If you cannot see those numbers, you may load the vehicle heavier than it was built to handle, which can affect how it steers, brakes, and wears its tires. The dealer will give you a corrected replacement label.
A bundle of wires that runs to the hybrid system's power control unit under the hood can rub against the cover where it connects. Over time that rubbing wears through the insulation, and the bare wire can short out. A short circuit can spark and start a fire. Toyota dealers will inspect the wire bundle, replace it if it is damaged, and add a protective sleeve or tape so it cannot wear again.
Complaints owners have filed with NHTSA about the Toyota Prius. These are unverified reports; better-selling years collect more.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 36 | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| 2019 | 30 | 7 | 0 | 2 |
| 2022 | 24 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 2023 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024 | 24 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Recalls and complaint record for one model year at a time: