NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls and 2,004 owner complaints for the 2007 Toyota Prius. Most complaints involve exterior lighting (1,060) and electrical system (248). The EPA rates it 46 mpg combined.
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2009 Prius vehicles manufactured August 5, 2003, through March 30, 2009. The affected vehicles have a steering intermediate extension shaft assembly built with metal splines that complete the connection from the steering wheel to the steering gear. These splines may have been manufactured with an insufficient hardness.
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2009 Prius vehicles manufactured August 6, 2003, through March 30, 2009 and FCHV-adv vehicles manufactured December 12, 2008, through September 13, 2011. During manufacturing, a scratch may have occurred inside of the electrically driven water pump at the coil wire. The coil wire may corrode at the scratched portion.
SOUTHEAST TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2011 PASSENGER VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Complaints for each Prius model year we’ve synced.
| Model year | NHTSA complaints |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 170 |
| 2002 | 193 |
| 2003 | 111 |
| 2004 | 610 |
| 2005 | 1,051 |
| 2006 | 1,440 |
| 2007 | 2,004 |
| 2008 | 1,497 |
| 2009 | 502 |
| 2010 | 2,823 |
| 2011 | 523 |
| 2012 | 688 |
| 2013 | 414 |
| 2014 | 241 |
| 2015 | 166 |
| 2016 | 181 |
| 2017 | 91 |
| 2018 | 38 |
| 2019 | 30 |
| 2020 | 14 |
| 2021 | 6 |
| 2022 | 24 |
| 2023 | 21 |
| 2024 | 27 |
| 2025 | 16 |
“I CANT SEE THE ROAD. Who is in charge of allowing these new bright LED headlights? They make it very hard to see where I’m driving when they’re eye level with my car!! So all I see is a bunch of LED lights coming straight at me, which is very unacceptable because now I can’t see the road. Making it a very obvious safety concern which is weird when I thought the government is supposed to be preventing stuff like this from happening. What the heck”
“Combination meter often does not turn on when turning the car on. This means you cannot see a speedometer, any warning lights, fuel tank levels, or mileage. Also the trunk gets locked and is unable to open. Sometimes the car will not turn off. This has been happening on and off for over a year but has gotten increasingly worse. There are no warning signs. This can happen any time you turn on the car but might not always happen. It can also prevent you from turning off the car. When searching online, it seems this is a common problem with high mileage Priuses between 2005-2009 and so Toyota extended a warranty on it but did not tell all of the owners, most likely to get out of a recall.”
“catalytic converter is easily accessible and there should be a recall to have a safety operation and stop all these cars from being sold in the market because there is a rise in many thefts of the catalytic converter due to it being very easily accusable without any guard in place to prevent thieves from getting to it to remove and sell for parts. Spray paint can be cleaned off and vin numbers can be sanded down. simply trying that will not work. i was unaware that it was stolen off of the vehicle until i drove it a little ways to where the vehicle was then burning and i could smell it catching on fire”
Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.
| Version | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prius Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.5 L · Front-Wheel Drive | 48 | 45 | 46 | $1,400 | 193 |
| Item | Miles | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine oil & filter | 5,000–10,000 mi | 6–12 months | Follow the oil-life monitor if fitted |
| Tire rotation | 5,000–7,500 mi | Every oil change | Check pressure monthly |
| Engine air filter | 15,000–30,000 mi | 1–2 years | Sooner in dusty areas |
| Cabin air filter | 15,000–25,000 mi | 1–2 years | |
| Brake fluid | — | 2–3 years | Absorbs moisture over time |
| Coolant | 60,000–100,000 mi | 5–10 years | Long-life coolants last longer |
| Spark plugs | 60,000–100,000 mi | — | Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end |
| 12V battery | — | 3–5 years | Heat shortens battery life |
4 safety recalls as of Nov 4, 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.
Owners filed 2,004 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are exterior lighting (1,060), electrical system (248), structure (184). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.
The EPA rates the 2007 Toyota Prius at 46 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (1 version rated).