Problems · NHTSA complaints

2014 Toyota Prius problems

Owners filed 241 complaints about the 2014 Toyota Prius with NHTSA between Jan 2014 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is service brakes (102).

Complaints
241
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
31
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
19
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Service brakes102
  2. Electrical system39
  3. Engine24
  4. Vehicle speed control18
  5. Air bags17
  6. Steering11
  7. Structure11
  8. Exterior lighting9
  9. Electronic stability control (esc)9
  10. Visibility/wiper9
  11. Service brakes, hydraulic8
  12. Power train8
  13. Forward collision avoidance6
  14. Fuel/propulsion system6

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 3, 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
201425
201520
20167
201717
201824
201917
202011
202110
20229
202312
202431
202530
202628

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

Service brakes

102 reports16 crashes
“The Toyota Prius, models through 2010 - 2015 have a known issue with the Brake Booster (actuator) and ABS Pump where the parts will degrade and break at or around 100,000mi. Toyota issued a bulletin and had a replacement program that covered the part that has since elapsed but has not corrected the issue with existing stock and inventory so the problem remains. When I purchased my car I was the 2nd owner, the car was purchased with roughly 160,000mi. The previous owner had informed me that he already replaced the actuator and ABS pump so I wouldn't have to worry about that repair. All told he said he spent $4000+ on the repair. When the car was driving I heard a high pitched whine. I took it to garages after my OBD tools could not identify the issue, no one had a fix and speculated that it was a power inverter and it was normal. Some weeks later, I was involved in an accident where the car did not stop in time, the brake went spongy and locked up, ABS failed to activate with no warnings or indicators. This is what first led me to suspect something wrong with the ABS. later the persistent whine was loud enough that I could identify that it was hydraulic in…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 21, 2026Unknown or other, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidanceCrash reportedODI 11772582

Electrical system

39 reports2 crashes1 fire
“I am submitting this complaint regarding a serious safety concern involving the brake actuator/booster assembly on my 2014 Toyota Prius. My vehicle has experienced failure of this critical braking component and has been unable to be properly repaired since November due to difficulty obtaining the correct replacement parts. This involves a major safety system required for proper braking operation. Brake actuator/booster assembly. Diagnostic codes: B1206, B2321, C1252, C1253 C1256. Toyota previously acknowledged brake actuator concerns through Customer Support Program ZJB. However, my vehicle is outside the program limits despite experiencing what appears to be the same type of failure reported by many other Prius owners. Since November, I have faced difficulty obtaining the correct parts, reports of nationwide backorders or limited availability, conflicting information regarding updated Toyota part numbers, and concerns about repair providers advertising new OEM parts that may actually be aftermarket or incorrect components. This creates a safety concern because owners experiencing brake failures may be unable to obtain timely repairs using verified, appropriate…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 3, 2026Electrical system, Unknown or other, Service brakesODI 11754349

Engine

24 reports1 crash
“the cylinder head gasket blew because of the poor design of the intake manifold and the EGR system. There are updated parts to fix this issue, but there was no recall. This poor design led to the vehicle having "the Death Knock." It started doing this knock on my trip driving my daughter to college. The engine could have seized in traffic on the way to [XXX] from [XXX] . No warning lights came on telling me there was an issue. The vehicle is being taken apart now to see if my connecting rods were bent from the coolant entering the combustion chamber.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 15, 2026EngineODI 11724395

Vehicle speed control

18 reports8 crashes
“Cruise Control Not Working. Traction Control Light Active, Brake Light Active, And Light Active The cause was diagnosed by Toyota of Paris. TSB for C1391 Code abnormal leak in accumulator. The corrective action is to replace brake booster assembly with Master cylinder and Brake Booster pump Assembly.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 14, 2025Vehicle speed control, Unknown or other, Service brakesODI 11673351

Air bags

17 reports12 crashes
“Passenger airbag indicator on/off light was on despite having passenger over the airbag activation weight requirement being present with seatbelt buckled. Brought car to Toyota dealership and after running diagnostics for two hours they found that the airbag itself is faulty.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 30, 2022Air bagsODI 11499586

Steering

11 reports
“The contact owns a 2014 Toyota Prius C. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds and turning from the left lane, the steering wheel popped out. The vehicle was able to reverse however, tires were pushed inward. The vehicle was pushed out of the roadway. There were no warning lights illuminated. The hazard light was inoperable. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000. The VIN was not available.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 2, 2024Steering, Exterior lighting, WheelsODI 11586549
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026

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