2012 TOYOTA PRIUS — Owner-Reported Problems

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-08-22 447 complaints · 7 recalls
Most-reported system: SERVICE BRAKES (178 complaints · 39.8%)
Safety signals:
  • Crashes 47
  • Fires 3
  • Injuries 35
  • Deaths 0
Compare with 2011 →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Component Problem Distribution

Share of owner complaints filed for each vehicle system (unaffected by sales volume)

Component Problem Distribution SERVICE BRAKES appears in 178 of 447 owner complaints (39.8%) in this vehicle snapshot. SERVICE BRAKES: 178 complaints, 39.8% of reports SERVICE BRAKES 178 · 39.8% · 6 crash reports EXTERIOR LIGHTING: 36 complaints, 8.1% of reports EXTERIOR LIGHTING 36 · 8.1% · 1 crash reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 35 complaints, 7.8% of reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 35 · 7.8% · 1 crash reports 2 fire reports VISIBILITY: 26 complaints, 5.8% of reports VISIBILITY 26 · 5.8% ENGINE: 24 complaints, 5.4% of reports ENGINE 24 · 5.4% POWER TRAIN: 23 complaints, 5.2% of reports POWER TRAIN 23 · 5.2% · 4 crash reports AIR BAGS: 19 complaints, 4.3% of reports AIR BAGS 19 · 4.3% · 16 crash reports STRUCTURE: 12 complaints, 2.7% of reports STRUCTURE 12 · 2.7% · 3 crash reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: 10 complaints, 2.2% of reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 10 · 2.2% · 7 crash reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER: 86 complaints, 19.2% of reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER 86 · 19.2% · 9 crash reports 1 fire reports 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER is an NHTSA classification artifact and is always listed last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
SERVICE BRAKES 178 39.8% 6 crashes · 0 fires
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 36 8.1% 1 crashes · 0 fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 35 7.8% 1 crashes · 2 fires
VISIBILITY 26 5.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
ENGINE 24 5.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
POWER TRAIN 23 5.2% 4 crashes · 0 fires
AIR BAGS 19 4.3% 16 crashes · 0 fires
STRUCTURE 12 2.7% 3 crashes · 0 fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 10 2.2% 7 crashes · 0 fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 86 19.2% 9 crashes · 1 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Problem & Recall Timeline

Observed complaint volume and manufacturer recall actions over time

Problem & Recall Timeline Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Oct 2011; the first recall shown was reported in Jan 2013. 2011-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2012-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2012-Q3: 13 owner reports 13 2012-Q4: 18 owner reports 18 2013-Q1: 13 owner reports 13 2013-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2013-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2013-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2014-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2014-Q2: 16 owner reports 16 2014-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2014-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2015-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2015-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2015-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2015-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2016-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2016-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2016-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2016-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2017-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2017-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2017-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2017-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2018-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2018-Q2: 12 owner reports 12 2018-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2018-Q4: 16 owner reports 16 2019-Q1: 13 owner reports 13 2019-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2019-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2019-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2020-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2020-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2021-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2021-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2021-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2021-Q4: 9 owner reports 9 2022-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2022-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2022-Q3: 12 owner reports 12 2022-Q4: 13 owner reports 13 2023-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2023-Q2: 10 owner reports 10 2023-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2023-Q4: 9 owner reports 9 2024-Q1: 10 owner reports 10 2024-Q2: 11 owner reports 11 2024-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2024-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2025-Q1: 17 owner reports 17 2025-Q2: 14 owner reports 14 2025-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2025-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2026-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2026-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2026-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 Owner reports Oct 2011 Jul 2026 Recall campaign 13V014000 ◆ Recall campaign 13V014000 Recall campaign 13V123000 ◆ Recall campaign 13V123000 Recall campaign 14V053000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V053000 Recall campaign 16V396000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V396000 Recall campaign 16V487000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V487000 Recall campaign 17V718000 ◆ Recall campaign 17V718000 Recall campaign 18V684000 ◆ Recall campaign 18V684000 Investigation DP19004 ● Investigation DP19004 Investigation DP19004 ● Investigation DP19004 Investigation DP22005 ● Investigation DP22005 Investigation DP23005 ● Investigation DP23005
  • Campaign 13V014000 was reported 266 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 13V123000 was reported 465 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 14V053000 was reported 694 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 16V396000 was reported 1,615 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 16V487000 was reported 1,527 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2011-Q4 Owner reports 1
2012-Q1 Owner reports 4
2012-Q2 Owner reports 3
2012-Q3 Owner reports 13
2012-Q4 Owner reports 18
2013-Q1 Owner reports 13
2013-Q2 Owner reports 6
2013-Q3 Owner reports 9
2013-Q4 Owner reports 8
2014-Q1 Owner reports 4
2014-Q2 Owner reports 16
2014-Q3 Owner reports 3
2014-Q4 Owner reports 6
2015-Q1 Owner reports 6
2015-Q2 Owner reports 2
2015-Q3 Owner reports 4
2015-Q4 Owner reports 5
2016-Q1 Owner reports 2
2016-Q2 Owner reports 4
2016-Q3 Owner reports 9
2016-Q4 Owner reports 5
2017-Q1 Owner reports 8
2017-Q2 Owner reports 6
2017-Q3 Owner reports 4
2017-Q4 Owner reports 7
2018-Q1 Owner reports 6
2018-Q2 Owner reports 12
2018-Q3 Owner reports 5
2018-Q4 Owner reports 16
2019-Q1 Owner reports 13
2019-Q2 Owner reports 8
2019-Q3 Owner reports 9
2019-Q4 Owner reports 7
2020-Q1 Owner reports 8
2020-Q2 Owner reports 1
2020-Q3 Owner reports 1
2020-Q4 Owner reports 2
2021-Q1 Owner reports 4
2021-Q2 Owner reports 5
2021-Q3 Owner reports 5
2021-Q4 Owner reports 9
2022-Q1 Owner reports 11
2022-Q2 Owner reports 8
2022-Q3 Owner reports 12
2022-Q4 Owner reports 13
2023-Q1 Owner reports 11
2023-Q2 Owner reports 10
2023-Q3 Owner reports 5
2023-Q4 Owner reports 9
2024-Q1 Owner reports 10
2024-Q2 Owner reports 11
2024-Q3 Owner reports 8
2024-Q4 Owner reports 3
2025-Q1 Owner reports 17
2025-Q2 Owner reports 14
2025-Q3 Owner reports 5
2025-Q4 Owner reports 8
2026-Q1 Owner reports 5
2026-Q2 Owner reports 5
2026-Q3 Owner reports 5
Recall campaign 1 13V014000
Recall campaign 1 13V123000
Recall campaign 1 14V053000
Recall campaign 1 16V396000
Recall campaign 1 16V487000
Recall campaign 1 17V718000
Recall campaign 1 18V684000
Defect investigation 1 DP19004
Defect investigation 1 DP19004
Defect investigation 1 DP22005
Defect investigation 1 DP23005
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Safety Recalls (7)

Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA

  1. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 13V014000

    Report date
    Component:
    AIR BAGS
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 13V123000

    Report date
    Component:
    EQUIPMENT
    Consequence:
    An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires. An overloaded vehicle can result in a tire failure which may result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or property damage.
    Remedy:
    Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additonal remedies which are still being developed. The recall began on May 28, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 14V053000

    Report date
    Component:
    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
    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 both the motor/generator control electronic control unit (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU, free of charge. If an owner experiences a failure of the inverter before the vehicle receives updated software, the dealer will repair or replace the inverter assembly with a new one at no charge. The recall began on March 21, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 16V396000

    Report date
    Component:
    SEATS
    Consequence:
    If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
    Remedy:
    SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET number for this recall is SET16B.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 16V487000

    Report date
    Component:
    AIR BAGS
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 17V718000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  7. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 18V684000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Complaint Narrative Explorer

Verbatim owner-reported defect narratives from NHTSA public records

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-08-21
Safety incident filters
Showing 0 of 447 complaints · page 1 of 18

No complaints match the current filters.
EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Data sourced from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Snapshot date: 2026-08-21.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources