Toyota Prius V Complaints (2012)

218 consumer complaints on file.

#11766722September 24, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH and depressing the brake pedal there was a buzzing sound coming from the vehicle and the brake warning light illuminated. The contact stated that after inspecting the vehicle, the brake fluid level was very low. The vehicle was taken to a service center where it was diagnosed and DTC: C1391; was retrieved. The contact was informed that a leak in the brake accumulator had caused the brake master cylinder and hydraulic power brake accumulator to fail and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was scheduled to be repaired by the service center. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure via telephone. The contact stated that the manufacturer was aware of the failure and offered an extended warranty to cover the repair. However, the part needed to be replaced. The failure mileage was approximately 81,239.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11764638September 16, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius V. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, brake fluid was leaking from the vehicle. While driving over 45 MPH, the brake pedal became firm, requiring the driver to exert extra force while depressing the brake pedal; the brakes failed to respond as intended. Additionally, a burning and toxic odor was present during the failure. Multiple warning lights illuminated on the instrument cluster, including the ABS system, parking brake, brake malfunction, and electronic stability warning lights. In addition, the automotive brake system, brake pump, and pressure warning messages were displayed. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with a failed brake booster assembly after inspection. The dealer determined that the brake booster assembly needed to be replaced. The contact associated the failure with Customer Support Program: 20TE07. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline by a lawyer, and the contact had found a class action lawsuit related to the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 187,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11763226September 9, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
2012 Toyota Prius v with 89,662 miles. Multiple brake warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle stored diagnostic trouble code C1391, “Abnormal Leak in Accumulator.” The brake booster/accumulator pump is also cycling about every 13 seconds, even when the brake pedal is not being applied. The vehicle and components are available for inspection. My safety concern is that this involves a critical braking-system component. When the warning lights are on, regenerative braking is disabled, and braking behavior changes. I am concerned that continued deterioration could reduce braking performance or result in loss of brake assist. The issue has not yet been formally diagnosed by a Toyota dealer. I scanned the vehicle with a diagnostic scan tool, which currently shows C1391. I also contacted my independent repair shop, which recommended that Toyota diagnose the vehicle because this code is associated with the brake booster/booster pump failure previously addressed by Toyota Customer Support Program 20TE07. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by Toyota, police, insurance, or another manufacturer representative. A Toyota corporate case has been opened and escalated. There were no known brake warning lights before this incident. The problem first became apparent when multiple brake warning lights illuminated. Afterward, I noticed the brake booster pump cycling unusually often. Toyota previously identified C1391 as a qualifying code under 20TE07 for certain 2012–2014 Prius v brake booster/booster pump failures. My vehicle is outside the time-based coverage period despite relatively low mileage. I am reporting this because I am concerned this safety-related failure may continue occurring in similarly aged vehicles.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11747171June 29, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
Brake actuator assembly failure on a vehicle with 99,818 miles. Whirring sound when braking followed by lighting of several brake alert lights on dash including PCS and ABS and others. The whirring noise has occured for several weeks, but the light indicators happened on 6/28/26. Toyota has an acknowledged Customer Support Program (20TE07) for this exact failure on this exact and Toyota declined to cover the repair. This vehicle is 14 years old but has well under 150k miles and Toyota will not honor claim though they clearly are aware of the safety hazard.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11747076June 28, 2026
ENGINE
Driving down the highway, the engine suddenly threw a rod, causing a terrible jolt, after which the engine burst into flames. There had been no warning lights.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11745426June 21, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
The ABS system has failed. All brake related warning lights have appeared on the dash board and the ABS no longer works. The car will brake for now, but the pedal is mushy. The issue was diagnosed by a dealer. The diagnosis from the dealer, based on diagnostic trouble codes they did not provide, is that brake fluid is leaking in the master cylinder and brake booster. The recommendation is to have both the master cylinder and booster replaced. This vehicle has 143,000 miles on it. No accidents have occurred as a result of the brakes yet but how long before the brakes ultimately fail is unknown.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11743546June 11, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
ABS, brake, and traction control lights, all illuminated at once on the dashboard. Inspection found DTC C1391 indicating the accumulator is leaking or failing to hold pressure correctly. We are advised that the braking system performance will decline, eventually failing. An very expensive repair is required and Toyota apparently has a shortage of the parts required. We cannot drive the vehicle given the potential of braking failure and cannot get it repaired in a timely manner for lack of Toyota parts.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11715101February 2, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake master cylinder was constantly cycling. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. Most recently, while the vehicle was turned off, the brake master cylinder was cycling. The contact stated that while the keys were in his hands and standing several feet away from the vehicle, the brakes started cycling. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11704509December 11, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
The power assist braking system failed while I was driving in the rain. I was approaching a stoplight and I had to push down a lot harder and farther than I typically have to in order to stop. Luckily I was not going that fast and there were no cars ahead of me, but I stopped beyond where I had intended at a busy intersection. No warning lamps or messages had been illuminated prior to this happening. After the failure, the Brake system, ABS, and SLIP indicator lights were on and remained on when the car was restarted. An independent service center used a scan tool and found code C1391 stored in memory, indicating that the brake booster is unable to hold pressure due to an internal leak. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police or insurance, but can be available upon request.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11703955December 9, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
I bought this car over a week ago for a good price, performed fine until I’m driving it home on the interstate and some abs/brake lights came on the dash. I enter my city and notice the brakes aren’t performing as tight as they were during the test drive. A few days later I take it to a local dealership to get it looked at. The brake actuator and pump had gone bad, causing this issue. It cost almost $5,000 to fix there, I couldn’t afford it so I had to only pay the $185 for the diagnostic. It’s an on and off thing, sometimes the lights go away and it brakes as it should, but most of the time the lights are on and the brakes don’t work as they should. I fear one day the brakes may eventually give out on me and cause an accident. I am available for inspection.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11692218October 8, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
After 13 years and 112,000 the brake booster and brake booster pump went out on my car. Toyota extended the warranty to 10 years because of this issue. Now just outside of the 10 yr mark my car has this issue and Toyota will not cover it. This is a huge expense and also a major issue with this year and model of car.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11686967September 12, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
I have a Prius v 2012, and the lights for abs turned on and when I checked on internet Toyota was repairing the part for 150k miles and 10 years but this is a safety feature my car is now at 149922, And while I was on road suddenly the signs came up and I the brakes were hard, and this is a problem for my safety and for others too since It doesn’t brake well
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11668719June 23, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
While driving on the interstate I went to slow down to merge and my brakes failed. The following warning lights came on: Master Warning Light (yellow), Brake System Warning Light, Brake System warning light (red), ABS Warning Light, and the Slip Indicator light. My vehicle was towed to a Toyota Dealership and after running a diagnostic test, they confirmed that it was the "Break booster with accumulator c1391 stored internal leak of accumulator and need immediate attention" which they quoted at $4,295.68 to fix. After researching the issue saw A Customer Support Program 20TE07 was issued taking responsibility for the faulty Brake Booster Pump Assembly however only covered the repair for a two-year period and only if it was one of the identified diagnostic trouble codes listed in the CSP issued by Toyota but expired in Feb 2022. The code pulled from my vehicle 3 days ago was listed in this document, but the coverage only covers until Feb 2022. This is not a normal wear and tear issue, it is a faulty part that Toyota identified as a life and death safety concern but refuses to do anything about because mine didn't show an issue within their 2-year CSP timeframe. Toyota identified that there are roughly 118,950 2012-2014 model year prius V with a production period of late September 2010 to mid-November 2014 vehicles that this faulty part affects along with everyone else on the road with these vehicles as it causes failure of the brake booster pump assembly, which leads to a loss of braking assist and the deactivation of the Vehicle Stability Control system. For the safety and lives of the owners of these vehicles and all of the other lives of the drivers on the road that this could affect in the case of this faulty part should there be a catastrophic accident, like mine could have been, a nationwide recall on this part MUST be issued.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11660422May 12, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the service brakes warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed failures with the brake booster assembly and brake booster pump assembly. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21TE01. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11660257May 11, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, AIR BAGS
On 10-17-24 these warning lights came on: 1. Pre-collision System 2. Hybrid System 3. Airbag 4. Safety Connect red light And Intermittently: 1. Slip Indicator 2. Brake System Cruise control would not set, and displayed "E3". ------- Component failed: Dealer determined that the driver's side door harness had been chewed by a rat that had entered the under dash area "somehow". They said it couldn't be repaired but must be replaced. My insurance deductible was $500 and they paid the balance of the $1,387.06 bill. (I have retained the harness, which could have been repaired by splicing the two wires connecting to the driver's side airbag collision sensor. The labor to splice the wires would have been less than an hour.) ------ Safety: The chewed wire apparently disabled the Airbag, Pre Collision, Emergency Automatic Braking, Seatbelt Pre-Tensioning, ABS, and Stability Systems. ----- The dealer confirmed the problem. ----- My insurance adjuster did inspect the harness. ----- I placed electronic rat traps in the vehicle, which killed three rats. ========= NEXT ========= ALL THE SAME WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON A FEW MONTHS LATER! I didn't throw more money at the Dealer, and took off the panels to inspect the wiring myself. There was damage to the passenger side door harness wires. I removed the harness and ordered a $60 used replacement on Ebay. While waiting for delivery, I researched rat damage to Toyota wires, and how rats could possibly enter the interior of the car. I discovered that there is an UNSCREENED 12x9 inch opening to bring fresh air into the HVAC system. It is hidden under the windshield wiper cowls. Also, there are two UNSCREENED vents in the trunk area. Other Prius owners covered those openings with 1/4 inch metal wire hardware cloth. I spent a few hours disassembling, covering, and reassembling pieces to prevent further access through the fresh air intake, and will do to the rear next. TOYOTA should recall these cars and ratproof the harnesses
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11643279February 17, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
My wife was driving home and four dashboard error lights illuminated (Brakes, ABS, SLIP and a yellow light_) The brakes suddenly "went soft" (in her words), and it freaked her out. I now learn that I need to have the brake master cylinder and a booster pump assembly replaced at a cost of over $4,000. Ouch!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11639525January 30, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
While driving suddenly the ABS and vehicle traction lights came on and the car became very slippery, was unable to stop without an excessive amount of space between the car in front of me and me. While looking at the car, I realized the actuator brake booster pump. I then found multiple websites and forums dedicated to people with the same problem ( brakes suddenly not functioning correctly while driving) with the same model car as I have, and there was a service bulletin that shows Toyota acknowledged there was a problem ( and a fix) but with the date of the bulletin and the date it was to be fixed within, it was near impossible to actually have it fixed. My car has 87,000 miles and the brake system is dangerous
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11637372January 21, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
Brake booster pump assembly. Toyota has sent a notice of extended warranty for this vehicle which has expired. Without repair, the brakes will loose compression and stop working.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11636405January 17, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Anti lock brake malfunction. Code c1391 leak in brake accumulator. This seems to be a common code for brake issues with Prius. The cost to repair is significant, more than the value of the car. This is a certain safety issue that needs to be addressed. This is clearly a Hazzard and will cost lives to those who cannot afford the cost of repair.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11636624January 17, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
The issue is my brakes failed on me all of a sudden. My abs light, traction control light, and brake light came on out of nowhere. Suddenly didn't have brake pressure. Had to pump the brakes a few times before the car would stop. Luckily I didn't hit anything or anyone. I brought the car to Prius specialist and they diagnosed it saying it was the ABS Actuator Pump Assembly and Master Cylinder. They said it is quite common in the 3rd generation of Prius'. I contacted Toyota North America and they said they had a recall on the parts but it ended Dec 31st, 2021. I bought the car in 2022 unknowingly. Was quoted around $4000 to repair it parts and labor. This is a safety issue that should not be limited to time. Luckily I was not on a Freeway or anywhere where I could have done damage. This issue is a hazard to myself and other people on the road. Toyota needs to resolve this.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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