Problems · NHTSA complaints
2011 Toyota Prius problems
Owners filed 523 complaints about the 2011 Toyota Prius with NHTSA between Mar 2011 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is service brakes (264).
Complaints
523
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
37
Reported by owners
Fires
7
Reported by owners
Injuries
17
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Service brakes264
- Electrical system68
- Exterior lighting49
- Engine47
- Air bags46
- Vehicle speed control28
- Power train18
- Electronic stability control (esc)16
- Service brakes, hydraulic12
- Fuel/propulsion system11
- Hybrid propulsion system11
- Visibility11
- Structure9
- Steering7
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 5, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
17
23
27
38
32
56
29
52
56
23
22
38
34
34
24
18
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 17 |
| 2012 | 23 |
| 2013 | 27 |
| 2014 | 38 |
| 2015 | 32 |
| 2016 | 56 |
| 2017 | 29 |
| 2018 | 52 |
| 2019 | 56 |
| 2020 | 23 |
| 2021 | 22 |
| 2022 | 38 |
| 2023 | 34 |
| 2024 | 34 |
| 2025 | 24 |
| 2026 | 18 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Service brakes
264 reports17 crashes
“I was driving the vehicle and a bunch of dash lights came on regarding traction control and stability and lost all brakes and almost caused an accident! The codes thrown showed a fluid level indicator and a leak in accumulator”
Electrical system
68 reports3 crashes4 fires
“I was driving my car at over 70 mph on a highway, no check engine, no issues, just had oil changed when check hybrid system alert came on with check engine light. I started to change lanes to get to shoulder when my car just died, completely. It died in the middle of the highway merging with another major road, so I was stuck between 2 lanes of 70mph traffic on either side. The time to react to the sudden warning to my car dying was less than 2 minutes. I quickly called 911 to ask for help and was told someone had already reported my breakdown as well because my car had died in a horribly dangerous area. I was very lucky that a state trooper came quickly and blocked off my car until it could be towed for repair. I was told that I need a new Hybrid Battery. The fact that I had no signs of failure before complete shut down makes for a very dangerous driving situation and makes me second guess ever buying a Prius again.”
Exterior lighting
49 reports1 fire
“Attached is a report from the Florida Attorney General's project office. Vehicle front headlight bulbs burn out prematurely and frequently and without warning causing reduced visibility at night on dark roads. This is a common and on-going problem for Toyota and other manufacturers and me. Toyota recognized this and issued its own recall ending in 2019, but my car was missed. The 'fix' for me is advice that I should drive my car with high beams on, but in bad weather or on-coming traffic this fix is also a safety hazard. My fear is that one night both bulbs will go out and I will be unable to see the roadway. My car is available for inspection. Constantly replacing bulbs has been and continues to be an expensive issue.”
Engine
47 reports1 crash2 fires
“Coolant leak into the engine, confirmed by the Toyota servicing center. This may be a common problem with the Toyota Prius, causing early engine failure from a design defect.”
Air bags
46 reports18 crashes2 related recalls
“The contact owned a 2011 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed in an intersection, a Ford F-150 vehicle crashed into the front driver's side of the vehicle. The contact stated he was pinned between the door and the infotainment system. The airbags failed to deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact was taken to the local hospital by a friend in a private vehicle, and the contact received medical assistance. The contact sustained internal bruising and external bruising and cuts. Additionally, the contact sustained a major injury was on the neck, on the laryngeal prominence area of the neck and on the collar bone. The medical Doctor informed the contact that the major injury could heal in 4 weeks, or in 7-8 months. The contact was also informed that the major injury could become a permanent condition, causing cramps and stiffness depending on the weather. The contact was experiencing trouble sleeping due to the injuries. The vehicle was towed to a local tow lot and was totaled. A Police report was filed. The leasing company the vehicle was purchased from was notified of the failure. The contact related the failure to…”
Vehicle speed control
28 reports3 crashes
“I was driving my car and suddenly the traction , hand brake and ABS sign started showing up. I usually apply only 10% of force on brake pedal but after this I have to apply almost 60% of force to even slow down the car. Almost 90% force to stop the car It has threatened safety of my family. When diagnosed at autozone they told cannot determine error code. When reading in internet this seems to be common problem in prius. Please help is fixing the issue as it is not at my fault. This seems to be manufacturing defect.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 5, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.