Problems · NHTSA complaints

2017 Toyota Prius C problems

Owners filed 91 complaints about the 2017 Toyota Prius C with NHTSA between Mar 2017 and Aug 2025. The most-cited component is visibility/wiper (17).

Complaints
91
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
14
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
9
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Visibility/wiper17
  2. Service brakes15
  3. Vehicle speed control14
  4. Fuel/propulsion system11
  5. Engine11
  6. Electrical system10
  7. Structure7
  8. Steering7
  9. Air bags4
  10. Power train4
  11. Wheels4
  12. Seats3
  13. Exterior lighting2
  14. Engine and engine cooling1

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

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
201722
201823
201920
20204
20214
20224
20235
20245
20254

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Visibility/wiper

17 reports
“Windshield cracked from bottom to top and across while sitting and there was no evidence of a rock or chip that would cause that. Air temp was about 95 degrees. No rain, no impact, car was sitting parked and not running.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 6, 2021Visibility/wiperODI 11423594

Service brakes

15 reports5 crashes
“On 9/14/22 I was almost a hundred miles from my home in Sherrill, NY on Rte 81 south, approaching the bridge in Binghamton, NY when I heard a loud ringing noise. At first I thought it was my phone; then I thought it was a police vehicle; then a construction noise. I finally faced the fact if was coming from my 2017 Prius which had just reached 20,000 miles. I was in heavy traffic but managed to pull over and walk around the car as the noise seemed to be coming from the rear. I saw nothing amiss. I managed to drive another twenty minutes to Great Bend, PA and just before I pulled into the parking lot at McDonalds the noise stopped. I called Nye Automotive in Oneida, NY which had sold me the car and talked to a mechanic who said he had no experience with a ringing noise. Proceeding cautiously I drove 135 miles to Quakertown, Pa where my son diagnosed the problem as the brake pad on the drivers side rear wheel that had tilted and was banging against the rotor. My son replaced the brake pad and next day we drove to Long Beach Island, NJ, stopping to check for heat coming from that wheel. It was fine. When I got back home to Sherrill I could found the email of Mark…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 11, 2022Service brakesODI 11488767

Vehicle speed control

14 reports6 crashes
“On 10/16/23 I was turning slowly into a parking spot and my car suddenly accelerated without my pressing the accelerator. I slammed on the break and the car stopped. It was frightening because I could have hit someone or something but luckily the car stopped before that happened. I believe that this was a malfunction of the accelerator. This has not been checked or reported to anyone yet but I will be calling Toyota to have it checked. There have been no warning messages.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 17, 2023Vehicle speed controlODI 11550401

Fuel/propulsion system

11 reports1 fire
“During hot temperatures and after coming to a full stop, the car stalls/hesitates significantly (5-6seconds) when pushing the gas pedal. The car eventually proceeds but the issue reoccurs. It can only be intermittently reproduced and no codes are shown on the car dashboard. Mechanics are unable to identify the source of the issue so it cannot be resolved.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 18, 2025Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11674665

Engine

11 reports
“Dear NHTSA, I am seeking assistance and compensation for ongoing warranty and repair issues with my Toyota Prius. Key Incident Timeline: •March 21, 2024: Dashboard message “Grille Shutter Inoperable” •March 25, 2024: Toyota of Glendale visit •Charged $220 for diagnostics •Refused to honor service bulletin •Vehicle mileage: 149,217 Customer Service Interactions: •April 9, 2024: •Contacted Toyota customer service •Confirmed CA emissions coverage to 150,000 miles •Discovered extended warranty unexpectedly canceled Brand Engagement Claim: •April 9, 2024: Filed claim with Toyota’s Brand Engagement line •June 26, 2024: Claim denied, dealership’s decision upheld Repair Challenges: •July 5, 2024: Wondries Toyota diagnostic visit •Charged $200 for diagnostics •Confirmed active service bulletins would have covered repairs Repair Management: •Northeast Mechanic has handled all subsequent repairs due to Toyota’s failures Financial Losses Breakdown: •Initial diagnostic fee (Toyota of Glendale): $220.00 •Diagnostic fee (Wondries Toyota): $200.00 •Car rental (July 6, 2024 - Hertz): $1,356.17 •Car parts: $1,706.55 •Labor on vehicle: $754.22 •Water pump: $167.78 •Head Gasket,…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 21, 2024Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11626715

Electrical system

10 reports2 fires
“For the past year or so we have had issues with the vehicle not starting properly. If we leave the radio, wipers, heater, or air conditioner in the ON position when we shut the car off, or a window down a little on a hot day, a sensor triggers a Low Battery error code. We have had the battery checked and it is NOT low. When this happens to start the car we need to get a jumpstart from someone. This limits where we feel safe driving to as in a remote place where not many other people and cars are it would be more difficult to find someone to give us a jumpstart. On occasion, we have had to call a towing service to come to help us, which requires sometimes a long wait. The car starts right up once the connection to the other vehicle's battery is made. We should not need a checklist to make sure everything is turned off before we leave the car to avoid this non-starting issue.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 26, 2022Electrical systemODI 11491012
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026

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