What breaks most · 2010 to 2026 model years
Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid problems by year
Owners have filed 68 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid across model years 2010 to 2026. Three years stand out: 2012 for brakes complaints, 2014 for brakes complaints and 2013 for brakes complaints. The quietest years are 2011, 2015 and 2010.
- Years to check closely: 2012, 2014, 2013
- Fewest complaints: 2011, 2015, 2010
- Complaints on file
- 682010 to 2026, all trims
- Worst year
- 201225 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 101 fires · 2 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 84kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 9Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 2 | 1 | Brakes (3) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Hybrid Propulsion System (1) | |
| 25 | 1 | 2 | Brakes (10) | |
| 12 | 3 | 1 | Brakes (8) | |
| 13 | 3 | 1 | Brakes (5) | |
| 5 | 1 | 1 | Brakes (2) | |
| 2 | 0 | 2 | Electrical system (1) | |
| 4 | 0 | 1 | Electrical system (2) |
What fails on the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 40% |
10 | 1 | Shop brakes parts for the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid |
| Unknown or other | 16% |
4 | 0 | — |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 12% |
3 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 8% |
2 | 1 | Shop speed control and throttle parts for the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid |
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 8% |
2 | 0 | Shop brakes (hydraulic) parts for the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 8% |
2 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 8% |
2 | 0 | Shop engine parts for the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid |
| Hybrid Propulsion System | 4% |
1 | 0 | — |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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I was driving less than 55mph on freeway on February 5, 2024 when my vehicle went into an out of control spin, Brakes did not seem to work and unable to control vehicle until hit center divider on freeway, Spun 180 degrees and kept going back with no braking until hit center divider.
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On toyota's website the vehicle has a 10.9 gallon fuel tank capacity listed. I bought the car used at the end of last year and have never been able to get above 8.5 gallons. I constantly achieve 45-50 miles per gallon as advertised but never get the range i was promised from the dealer or by toyota's website.
-
Brakes stopped functioning fully when i was driving and car started throwing ABS and Brake warning signs. I could not brake my car properly and had to stop the car and get it towed. The dealer said its a brake actuator failure. The error code is C1391.Its costing me around 2000 to get it fixed
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2012, 2014, 2013 carry the most filings on the Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid. The 2012 alone has 25 complaints, led by brakes.
What is the most common Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid problem?
On the 2012 model year, the most-reported component is brakes with 10 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid complaints that include mileage is about 84,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.