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Research · Compact Cars

2015 Toyota Prius CRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 1 safety recall and 132 owner complaints for the 2015 Toyota Prius C. Most complaints involve service brakes (52) and electrical system (27). The EPA rates it 50 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 4 stars overall.

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Combined MPG
50mpg
EPA · 1 version
NHTSA overall
4of 5 stars
NCAP crash tests
Safety recalls
1campaigns
Latest Aug 2015
Owner complaints
132
Top: service brakes
Fuel cost / yr
$1,250est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

1 NHTSA campaign · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Tires: pressure monitoring and regulating systems

Free remedy

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2015 Toyota Prius C vehicles manufactured April 20, 2015, to June 30, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) may be improperly calibrated and, as a result, the TPMS may fail to warn the driver that the tire pressure is low. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."

TiresReported Aug 13, 2015NHTSA 15V514000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 8, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

132 complaints filed with NHTSA · Jan 2015 – Jul 2026
  1. Service brakes52
  2. Electrical system27
  3. Power train13
  4. Engine9
  5. Exterior lighting8
  6. Air bags8
  7. Vehicle speed control7
  8. Structure7
  9. Fuel/propulsion system6

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

By model year

Complaints for each Prius C model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
2013401
2014206
2015132
2016162
201791
20186
Crashes reported
27
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
14
Deaths reported
3
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 8, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Service brakes

52 reports10 crashes
“The ABS, BREAK, and Traction Control, suddenly turned on when I was traveling on the freeway in mild traffic. I was traveling at about 60-65 mph. I attempted to use the breaks and could feel a substantial difference in how much and how hard I had to push in order to stop. The problem has not been confirmed by a dealer or service center. The vehicle was inspected by my brother in law who works on cars frequently. There were no warning symptoms prior to the problem. The problem first occurred on Saturday November 1st at about 12:30. According to my brother in law, it was the break pump that failed; you can hear air escaping when you push on the break pedal.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 3, 2025Service brakesODI 11697250

Electrical system

27 reports4 crashes1 fire
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 4, 2026Electrical system, EngineODI 11748313

Power train

13 reports4 crashes
“My mom was involved in an accident in her 2015 Toyota Prius on April 19, 2022, which she advised lurched forward at a stop and when applying the brakes to stop the vehicle, she said was unresponsive, causing her to clip a vehicle and sending her vehicle into a ditch totaling her car and injuring her passenger and her. I would like to have this investigated and hold Toyota responsible. This could have been much worse and lives could have been lost. She is now without means of transportation, and she is now possibly responsible for damages to property and bodily injury because of this. Through my research I have discovered multiple class action lawsuits brought against Toyota for the same exact models. I asked the police officer to run a scan on the computer, but he advised it was only for serious accidents. There was no indication of the problem or messages.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 26, 2022Power train, Service brakes, Fuel/propulsion systemCrash reportedODI 11462365
All 2015 Prius C problemsSend a problem to a mechanic on findmechanic.ai
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

1 version rated by the EPA
EPA class
Compact Cars
Engines
1.5L 4-cyl hybrid
Transmissions
Automatic (variable gear ratios)
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 8, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Prius c
Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.5 L · Front-Wheel Drive
534650$1,250178
  • Prius c
    Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.5 L
    53 city · 46 hwy · $1,250/yr
    50
    mpg comb.
Estimate your fuel costCost of ownership
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 8, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

1 tested variant
Overall rating
4/ 5
4 of 5
Toyota Prius C 5 HB FWD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
4 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
11.8%
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 8, 2026Vehicle 9147
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2015 Prius C questions

How many recalls does the 2015 Toyota Prius C have?

1 safety recall as of Nov 8, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2015 Toyota Prius C problems?

Owners filed 132 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are service brakes (52), electrical system (27), power train (13). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2015 Toyota Prius C get?

The EPA rates the 2015 Toyota Prius C at 50 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (1 version rated).

How safe is the 2015 Toyota Prius C?

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2015 Toyota Prius C 4 out of 5 stars overall.

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 8, 2026