Toyota Prius C Complaints

191 consumer complaints on file.

#11771074October 14, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
The brakes failed while driving at a high speed (55 MPH) on the highway along with failing when braking at a low speed (15 MPH) near a major intersection. This occured with no warning other than the Brake, ABS, and Traction Control appearing as the failure was occuring. The warning light when away after the first occurance and the brakes began working again within a few moments. It then reoccured and the lights did not turn off and the car began beeping. My safety, along with my passengers safety and the safety of those who were in the area was put at risk. The highway failure occured in a high traffic area which was also a construction zone so workers were at risk. It has been confirmed by an independent service center that the Power Brake Booster and Brake Master Cylinder Assembly failed. There were no sypmtoms or warning prior to this dangerous failure. After researching this issue, I have found that this is a common issue but no recall has been issued, only a Customer Support Program Bulletin, of which I never received. This is extremely troubling due to the nature of brake failure at both high and low speeds can put not only the driver at risk but those who are near the vehicle experiencing the brake failure. Repairs are currently in process at the cost of approximatly $3,200.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11770847October 13, 2026
AIR BAGS, POWER TRAIN, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owned a 2012 Toyota Prius C. The contact stated that while attempting to park, the vehicle rapidly accelerated upon tapping the brake pedal and crashed into a brick storefront without warning. The air bags failed to deploy upon impact. A bystander inside the store assisted the contact in exiting the vehicle. Law enforcement responded to the scene and administered a breathalyzer test, which returned negative for alcohol. A police report was filed, noting minor scratch damage to the storefront's concrete. The contact did not seek immediate medical attention; however, she sustained soreness in her upper arms and upper legs, as well as driving-related anxiety in a rental vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was inspected and deemed a total loss by an insurance adjuster. The contact stated that two days prior to the crash, the vehicle had surged forward without warning when the brake pedal. The dealer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 165,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11760483August 28, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, POWER TRAIN
While I was driving on the freeway the dash lit up with multiple lights. Simultaneously, I lost power to the car and could not accelerate and only break. The steering was tight and I could not steer correctly. Then a message that said, CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM STOP THE VEHICLE IN A SAFE PLACE IMMEDIATELY. The was slowing down and I had to pull over on the side of the freeway. There were no fluids leaking from the car.The car did not power back on nor run for over 10 minutes. The incident put my safety and other safety at risk by turning off while driving highway speeds. I was afraid for my life. There is an open recall which has not yet been resolved Major Safety Recalls for the 2013 Prius •The Hybrid Inverter Module (Critical Recall): Excessive voltage inside the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) can cause the hybrid system to overheat, shut down completely, or put the car into "limp home" mode while you are driving.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11748313July 4, 2026
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
While driving the hybrid battery light turned on. The car then began to reduce its speed and I had to pull over. I restarted the car and on one of the fuses to the computer to restart it. I began to drive the car back home and it did it again. I recently had a hybrid battery replaced in the vehicle. I was on the freeway both times and this caused me a lot of anxiety. There were two individuals in the vehicle, which both were at risk of being injured if there was a collision. We need it to pull over within less than 30 seconds. They appeared in the morning and a year prior. A year previously I replaced the battery. There was an odd buzzing sound in the back of the driver seat were the vent was.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11741935June 3, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
My name is [XXX] currently active duty military stationed in San Diego. Can you please check if my car VIN number [XXX] 2016 Toyota Prius C 103k miles still covered for brake booster malfunction code 1391. I have told they are extended warranty up to 10 yrs less 150k. Toyota dealer here seems not seeing any warranty coverage issues. Please help me look into this issues thank you. My contact number is [XXX] . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11724852March 17, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
Brake actuator assembly known issue in Prius C, Toyota refuses to do anything about it. Part is not cheap.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11722252March 5, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:INVERTER
The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius C. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH, the message "Check Hybrid Status - Stop vehicle in Safe Place Immediately" was displayed. There were several warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with an internal power module transmitter and MG control computer inside the inverter assembly failures. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact called an independent mechanic, and DTC: P0A94 (DC/DC converter or inverter performance problem invertor assembly) was associated with the failure. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 98,015.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11715964February 5, 2026
HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius C. The contact stated that while his wife was attempting to cold-start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that on several occasions the vehicle was started; however, the instrument cluster and other electrical devices failed to operate as needed. The contact replaced the auxiliary battery. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred, and the vehicle needed to be jump-started. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V369000 (Hybrid Propulsion System); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11713042January 23, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Brake master cylinder failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11712556January 21, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
While driving 65 mph on the expressway on January 12th, 2026 under cruise control, I tapped my brakes to slow down. My brake warning light came on, along with the ABS warning light, and the anti-swerve warning light. Cruise control no longer worked, and my brakes were noticeably hard to apply. I immediately had the vehicle computer checked and the issue is a leaking brake booster component, a faulty part known by Toyota to fail prematurely with this and other Prius models. No recall was issued however. The car is now unsafe to drive until a ~$4000 repair is done, according to my service representative.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11708254January 2, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
Car suddenly needed a jump start and again after a day or two of non-use. On the third day Brakes, ABS and traction control warnings were lighted up and remains. Brakes are mostly ineffective. My own scan returns the code C1252 and C1256 that says brake booster system failing. Took it to the dealer who charged $290 again to scan and came up with failed brake booster and pump assembly. The dealers is quoting total $4000 to fix. Toyota Customer Support Program Bulletin dated 8/2018 and revised on 8/2019 extends the warranty on for this issue (for Toyota Prius C 2013) for 10 years or 150000 miles. I was never informed by Toyota or the seller (Stevens Creek Toyota, San Jose CA) about this defect under warranty that I could have gotten repaired well before the dead line of 10 years. Now Both Toyota or the dealer's service department refuse to bear the repair cost.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11707563December 29, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
Brakes went soft with little braking power. Traced the fault code to a faulty braking actuator; toyota says this is past the coverage date for the recall.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11706251December 20, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
Warning lamps for ABS and others and the chiming dings came on while pulling away from the bank drive through and parking for a second. I shut the engine off and turned back on with no success. I was barely able to park in a spot because of difficulties braking. My car had been making an electric noise every 15 seconds or so previously, at different times when parked, but I thought it was the hybrid engine. Now I think it was the brake pump trying to build up pressure due to a faulty, leaking brake actuator.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11700832November 21, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
While driving, suddenly all brake lights and warning lights went on, and brakes stopped working normally. It became difficult to brake (brake took a while to engage - had to press pedal to the floor). After diagnostics at the dealership it looks like the brake booster failed. Apparently Toyota knew about this issue as they did an extended warranty through a Customer Support Program, but unfortunately my issue occurred just past the expiration of that warranty. Since brakes are such a critical component of vehicle safety, if they don't operate well or as expected, it endangers the driver and everyone else on the road. It is wild that Toyota is aware of this issue but that there has been no recall yet.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11690862October 1, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My 2013 Toyota Prius has a failed inverter/converter assembly, including the Intelligent Power Module (IPM). This component is critical for vehicle operation and designed to last the life of the car. Premature IPM shorting and inverter failure is a known defect acknowledged by Toyota through multiple recalls and service campaigns for other VINs with the same part number. My vehicle is giving codes P0A94 and P0A1A which are also listed in the recalls for other Prius models of similar age. My vehicle experiences the same failure, yet Toyota has denied goodwill coverage, claiming “insufficient service history.” Routine maintenance like oil changes and brake inspections does not affect this component, making the denial unreasonable. There is nothing to service on the inverter. This defect poses a serious safety risk, sudden inverter failure caused total loss of power while driving and loss of power steering, it was difficult to pull my car off the road. This poses a danger to drivers, passengers, and others on the road. Toyota’s exclusion of my VIN from coverage leaves me financially responsible for a known safety defect. I request NHTSA to investigate Toyota’s handling of inverter/IPM failures, the denial of goodwill assistance for affected VINs, and ensure that Toyota addresses this life-threatening defect consistently across all affected vehicles instead of narrowing the scope on who gets coverage when this is a dangerous electrical malfunction.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11684746September 3, 2025
HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER
The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius C. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. The contact stated that he and his wife were in the vehicle during the failure, and the vehicle was almost crashed into. The contact stated that he and his wife were left stranded in oncoming traffic. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was a computer failure and that the inverter converter assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 75,421.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11681690August 19, 2025
AIR BAGS
The contact was driving a company-owned 2017 Toyota Prius C. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, another driver merging onto the highway attempted to cross multiple lanes of traffic, misjudged, and collided with the front passenger-side fender of the contact’s vehicle. As a result, the contact’s vehicle struck the left shoulder barrier, became airborne, and overturned three times before coming to rest in the middle of the roadway. Despite the severity of the crash, the air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a storage facility and deemed a total loss by the employer’s insurance provider. A police report was filed, and injuries were reported. The contact was transported by EMTs to a local hospital and treated for multiple nondescript injuries, including a damaged right rotator cuff and body pain. The contact also underwent chest and torso X-rays due to concerns of possible internal bleeding. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11681477August 18, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
I own a 2012 Toyota Prius C with approximately 156,578 miles. The vehicle has been diagnosed with C1391 – Abnormal Leak in Accumulator, which causes the brake actuator to lose hydraulic pressure. This results in frequent buzzing from the actuator pump, illuminated warning lights (BRAKE, ABS, Traction Control), and loss of ABS and stability control. The condition increases stopping distance and creates a serious safety hazard. Toyota previously acknowledged this exact defect under Customer Support Program CSP 21TE01, which covered brake booster and pump assemblies for certain Prius and Prius C models when codes such as C1391 were present. However, the program expired on November 30, 2022, and my vehicle is just over the 150,000-mile coverage limit. Despite this, my Prius exhibits the same defect that Toyota has already recognized as a safety-related issue. Toyota Carlsbad confirmed the diagnosis and quoted $3,399.55 plus tax for repair, with a reduced courtesy estimate of $2,817.86 plus tax, but declined goodwill assistance since CSP 21TE01 expired. Given the widespread reports of brake actuator failures in Prius models, I believe this represents a systemic safety issue that warrants NHTSA investigation and potential recall/extended coverage.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11681053August 16, 2025
TIRES, TIRES:TREAD/BELT
P 175/65r15 I was driving on a slight curve on the I-10 in El Paso, TX when the rear bumper exploded. The car started swaying and swerving then I pulled over. I then realized that the tread on the tire was gone floating across the highway. The trie was bare with no tread with the bumper around the tire was gone. The explosion also caused the tail light to break.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11679204August 7, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
I was told that my Brake Booster and Brake Booster Pump Assembly needed replaced. I had specifically asked my dealership in the past if there were any issues with my car and was told that there was nothing, which was untrue. I called Toyota and was told that I was mailed something back in 2018, but I do not remember receiving it. Now I am told that this has expired. I wanted to know if I had any recourse or extension time on this program 21 TE01. I am afraid that my brakes will not work, as the lights go off and on. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Toyota Prius C