Toyota Prius V Complaints (2013)

125 consumer complaints on file.

#11593245June 8, 2024
SERVICE BRAKES
The actuator and brake pump booster failed and car was undrivable. For years I complained to Toyota service reps of an ecltronic wining noise. They told me iy was "common for older hybrid cars and not a problem ". It turned out to be the actuator & brake pump & booster all that time. Toyota knew about it years ago, but didn't warn or advise me. Luckily it did not fail while driving, but I had to haved it towed away from my clients parking lot. A toyota service rep mentioned it happened to her on her Highlander Hybrid too. I found this was a common problem and contacted Toyota USA, Engagement dept. They told me that because "they issued an extension to their up to 10 years or 140k miles and my car was 11 years 77k miles, I was not eligible". I told them that the car had made the noises for years but they said "that did not matter". I just got the car back after repairs and the noises I complained to Toyota service about are all gone. This is such a common problem and dangerous, that Toyota needs to recall ASAP before people are injured or killed. Their issuing only an advisory to dealers, who make money on out of warranty repairs, is uncountable and dangerous. Separately thousands of owners have paid thousands of dollars in repairs with no relief and may not know the failure was on Toyota. Please advise me further, thank you.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11592049June 3, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I had just dropped off my daughters at school. On my drive back home, this trip is roughly an 8 mile round trip distance . I heard (then saw) an explosion coming from the rear passenger side of the car. I noticed flames and proceeded to steer the car (car shutdown) towards a side street. Shortly after I was able to put car in park, making sure that it was out of any potential danger to others. I quickly jumped out of my car. This followed by a loss of fluids under the hood and smoke. After everything subsided I called a tow truck and had it towed to my home. It has been parked outside and I am so discombobulated about this whole incident that I do not know how/where to even began with the next step. I have no clue how this happened but what I do know is that by no means should a vehicle ever create a fire .
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11590557May 24, 2024
SERVICE BRAKES
I started my Prius V 2013 and a lot of error lights came on. Some of these included the ABS, BRAKE, and traction control lights. I put the car in reverse to back out of my parking space and the car wouldn't stop beeping and none of the warning lights turned off. When I went to stop the car and put it into drive, the brake pedal was soft and wouldn't brake the car. I pressed as hard as I could and the car slowly came to a stop. I put the car in drive and the same problem happened with the brakes: the brake pedal was soft, as if the hydraulic pump wasn't working, and when I pressed super hard it eventually rolled to a slow stop. I had to have the car towed to a mechanic. They said three error codes that showed up related to the brakes: C1252, C1253, C1256. They followed the Toyota troubleshooting tree and concluded the brake booster pump assembly accumulator was faulty. The cost to fix the Brake Power Booster Unit: $2,700. Meanwhile, I discovered a Customer Service Program (CSP 20TE07CSP) from Toyota that has to do with the Brake Booster. Toyota was covering the cost of this repair under the CSP, but you had to have the problem before 07/08/2023 because that's when the program expired. So I was 10 months outside the window and now Toyota will not cover the cost even though the company knew the accumulator was faulty and will eventually break in all Priuses.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11585365April 26, 2024
SERVICE BRAKES
Brakes are incredibly stiff and require an egregious amount of force to apply any amount of braking force and the brake booster is constantly spooling up and making noises. apparently this as well the EGR was a recall but window to qualify for the recall is too short and the brake booster failing is a serious safety hazard.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11582976April 15, 2024
SUSPENSION
Vehicle was in for routine service at dealer. Dealer reported "Rear axle beam starting to have heavy rust build up metal is getting thin. Will need replacement in the future, approx $3,000.00 depending on what is needed at that time." This is the first warning we have received, The vehicle has gotten Toyota dealer service since new every 5,000 miles. Since we learned of this defect, we have discovered 6 similar reports in our small town including 2 actual axel failures while the vehicle was being driven. These were all Priuses and Prius Vs in the 2013 and 2014 model years. This seems to be a design failure and poses serious risks as axle failure at highway speed seems a formula for death or serious injury.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11582210April 10, 2024
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
The left low-beam headlight repeatedly fails, even with new bulbs. If it were just me, I'd assume a fluke, but there are lots of complaints about Prius V (and 3rd gen regular prius) lights, and they're all about the low beams.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11579946March 28, 2024
SERVICE BRAKES
On November 28, 2023 my brakes went out in the middle of 3 lanes of traffic. Fortunately, I succeeded in not having a traffic accident and pulled off the road. The car was towed to Daytona Toyota. They informed me it was the ABS malfunction. I discovered it has been a known issue. The brake booster pump assembly on certain Prius V vehicles from years 2022 to 2014 are affected. A 'bulletin' had been mailed out several years prior, and it could be repaired free of charge up to September 30, 2023 - if I had mentioned it. It was and has been traumatic to consider what can and could happen when the brakes go out without any warning. There was no indication the brakes were bad, no warning light, nothing. This car has been continually serviced by Daytona Toyota on a regular basis. Not once has it ever been mentioned to me. Not once. In my opinion, nothing said, no repairs to be paid for. When I complained, and called Toyota's 'Brand Engagement' (case # 231129001653) I was told they had mailed out the information and was very sorry I didn't see it. So, as I see it, they are absolved of any legal responsibility. My fault, not theirs. I could have caused serious or deadly harm to someone. It would be my responsibility. Again, not once has my service advisor or anyone else said a word about it. I stopped by my neighbor's to advise him of the problem with the car. He said he liked to keep his cars maintained and had happened to Google any info on his car. It showed up, he took his car in and they said good thing he saw it. That the service coverage was expiring in a few days (it was late September). They fixed it for free right away. I on the other hand, almost 'rear-ended' someone in the center lane of traffic and paid $3,506.76. (they gave me 10% discount for being a good customer) So, how many other car drivers are on the road with this unknowing problem?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11564300January 8, 2024
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Headlights lenses progressively cloudy. Tail light lenses are perfectly clear. Problem progressive over past 5 years.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11561213December 20, 2023
SERVICE BRAKES
At approximately 150,100 miles (barely outside Toyota's extended warranty) several dash lights came on including the brake, ABS, and traction control lights. A Toyota dealer determined the problem to be the notorious C1391 brake booster issue (which seems identical to previous petition DP19-004). Even though by the time I got the vehicle to the dealer it had 150,300 miles on it (just 300 miles outside the extended warranty), Toyota refuses to pay a dime of the $4,000+ repair cost! I cannot afford the repair cost and since I was NOT warned that I could not drive the car as the brakes were still operational without the ABS, stability control, and traction control, I continued driving it. But after approximately 4 months, on 12/29/2023, at 152,787 miles, as I was slowly driving through a residential neighborhood, I lost almost all ability to brake and had to put tremendous pressure on the brake pedal to get the car to stop. Upon a subsequent reading of error codes that I performed myself, in addition to the C1391, codes C1252, C1253, and C1256 have also now triggered. It is a miracle I did not have an accident as I could have easily been on a highway or going down a steep hill when this brake failure occurred. In my 36 years of driving, I have never been behind the wheel of any car in which the brakes have failed like this, regardless of make, model, or year of vehicle. Please issue a recall on this known defective part before someone gets killed. (NOTE: I tried several times to upload the document receipt from the dealership with brake booster diagnosis but every time I click on the "Upload Files" button, the button disappears.)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11558603December 5, 2023
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Repeated failures of the low-beam headlight bulb. Bulbs failing 2-3 times per year. Happens at either passenger or driver side. It's a safety issue because it can mean that the car is driven without both headlights working. This has been a problem for the last couple of years. It just happened again yesterday. I talked with Toyota, and they said that they have no report of this being an issue, but I checked online, and found a number of reports of this issue with the 2013 year.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11556203November 21, 2023
SERVICE BRAKES
It happened overnight. 4 different warning lights on dashboard ( abs , brake, red triangle, ) car 100% unsafe to drive with faulty brakes. Dealer said its brake booster and brake assembly). They refused to cover expenses. 4 K total to fix it. This should be recall 100% . Please do something.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11546021September 22, 2023
SERVICE BRAKES, POWER TRAIN, SUSPENSION
Driving 2013 Prius V multiple lights suddenly came up on dash Brake System, ABS, Master Warning, SLIP indicator Safety put at severe risk while driving. These defective parts installed were never disclosed, or notified, by Toyota and put in severe risk for consumers to drive as a National Recall was NEVER issued. Toyota was called since this and refused to fix. Toyota acknowledges parts are defective yet refutes liability despite acknowledgment of defective parts. Defective parts never disclosed to me by any entity of Toyota including Dealerships/Corporate despite willful knowledge of national defective parts in model 2013 Prius V. This is a liable safety situation that can cause irreparable human life damage.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11532454July 15, 2023
SERVICE BRAKES
When braking to slow down in a roundabout, I had to push my brakes down further than usual to stop. After this various warning, signals came on my dashboard: brakes, slip indicator, brake system warning light, PCS, ABS. I took it in to Toyota dealer they said I needed to replace my master cylinder kit and brake booster pump. My concern is that when I went online, I discovered this has been an on going problem with no recall. It has caused accidents!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11520461May 4, 2023
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owned a 2013 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 25 MPH, the ABS warning light was illuminated. The contact then stated that the brake pedal was applied but failed to respond, causing the vehicle to swerve and the contact to crash into a retaining wall. The contact sustained whiplash. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where failure codes were retrieved for the brake booster and ABS. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the brake booster needed to be replaced; however, the warranty had expired. The vehicle was not repaired and was auctioned. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 143,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11506037February 7, 2023
SERVICE BRAKES
The brake booster begins to show signs of failure and Toyota refuses to address it citing expired warranty. The faulty brake booster in Toyota Prius is a known issue to Toyota since there are numerous accidents happened because of it and a class action lawsuit brought against Toyota.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11505671February 5, 2023
SERVICE BRAKES
As my wife was driving my children to school All the lights on my 2013 Prius V dash came on as I was driving on December 2, 2022. All braking power became stiff and it was hard for me to stop. I pulled over turned off my car called AAA. When the AAA driver came to check out the vehicle she was surprised he told me “oh ya this is a common problem. He told me is most likely was the ABS master cylinder and brake boosters needing to be replaced. I would take it to Lithia Toyota of Missoula. A representative from BOSCH came to look at the vehicle made a special appointment for this person to meet me and my wife at my local Toyota dealership. They checked the car and told me there wasn’t a problem with my brakes. The Bosch representative said the car was fine. My wife and I would then leave and exactly one week my wife called me at work to say all the lights on the dash would came on again as she was driving. We would then take it back to Lithia Toyota for them to tell me it was the ABS braking system and I would need to spend $5000 to get the car repaired. Parts and labor. Her car is only worth 11500. They wanted me to spend more then half of what the car was worth. I would research and learn so many people are having this issue. There was a “customer support program that ended at the end of August 2022. This would be there way of weaseling themselves out of the issue. I am reporting this to help me and other drivers. Please don’t ignore. There are TOO MANY COMPLAINTS FOR YOU TO IGNORE. People have HAD MAJOR ACCIDENTS my wife and Children’s lives were at jeopardy due to your incompetence of over looking this issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11474740July 19, 2022
SERVICE BRAKES
All brake and traction lights illuminated. Brake pedal developed variable pressure. Brake Booster diagnosed. This particular issue is now appearing across many Toyota Prius V of the same vintage. A TSB and Recall should be announced, extremely unsafe to drive as is.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11459757April 5, 2022
SERVICE BRAKES
Completely unexpected, I started my Prius V and the ABS warning light, Traction control and parking brake lights were on. I had been hearing a high pitched thumping sound when stopped at street light or other times when brakes were engaged, but my mechanic was unable to locate the source. After the warning lights came on, The brakes still worked in a limited fashion requiring several seconds to engage. Had I not been an experienced driver using longer distance between myself and other drivers, I am sure I would have wrecked. Took the car to my mechanic. He ran the codes and found C 1391. After researching the chat groups, I found this to be a long term known defect. Disappointed that consumers reports did not mention. Called dealership and they required their machines run diagnostic codes. I decided to call Toyota customer service and talked to several levels of associates and I am stone walled. By the way: I feel for those people in their jobs. The supervisor I talked with kept mentioning the distressing lights. My concern is the wrecks I, and other drivers, could cause. I do see people stating in chat groups that thry have wrecked. And someone mentioned that if the dealership runs the code, the receipt will say “ do not drive” and “Toyota is not liable” if car is driven and a wreck occurs. ( my summary may not be exact.) I now have a fabulous non-functioning car.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11431758September 4, 2021
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
We bought this car new and since then we have replaced the right low beam headlight at least four times. At least twice it has failed while driving at night.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11428419August 9, 2021
SERVICE BRAKES
The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving with the brake pedal applied, the vehicle hesitated and was slow to respond. The brake warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the brake module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Toyota Prius V