Toyota Prius C Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 189 consumer complaints across the 6 model years of the Toyota Prius C (2012–2018) that have at least 5 complaints. 2012 has the most, with 64. Across all years, the part named most often is brakes (58 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
Best and worst Prius C years →
All Prius C model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 6 | 10,228 | 2 | 169 | — | Not enough data |
| 2016 | 12 | 4,475 | 0 | 232 | — | Not enough data |
| 2015 | 17 | 18,000 | 1 | 279 | — | Stable |
| 2014 | 33 | 60,884 | 0 | 294 | 1 · Fewer | Rising |
| 2013 | 57 | 66,000 | 0 | 379 | 50 · Typical | Stable |
| 2012 | 64 | 54,000 | 0 | 366 | 66 · More | Rising |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Brakes58 26%
- Electrical system52 23%
- Other or unknown36 16%
- Engine23 10%
- Air bags17 7.7%
- Vehicle speed control13 5.9%
- Exterior lighting12 5.4%
- Transmission and drivetrain11 5.0%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2013: “My Prius C has 110,000 miles and already experience the check hybrid system light twice, the first time I just disconnect all the wiring to the hybrid battery and it sat for about 4 months, than reconnected the wires and operated normal 2 months went by after a normal drive, parked the car but when I went and started the car the check hybrid system light comes back on again.”
NHTSA complaint #11309262, filed 2020-02, 10,000 miles2012: “I was driving my 2012 Prius C and I'm middle of traffic my car lost its power, thankfully I was able to park the car. I got it towed to the dealership and they told me it's the inverter. I advised that I had read on recalls on them they said my car didn't have a recall they are wanting me to pay 4k for a new inverter ( which I know it's the same issue other 2012 Prius C have had issues too). …”
NHTSA complaint #11350503, filed 2020-08, 118,000 miles2018: “While driving on the freeway with no other vehicles around me the moonroof unexpectedly exploded showering the interior with razor sharp shards of glass which inflicted a splinter. After contacting Toyota, I was informed that moonroofs are not covered under warranty I have pictures on my phone of these shards...”
NHTSA complaint #11133378, filed 2018-10, 10,233 milesOther Toyota models
18,207 complaintsToyota Prius
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9,401 complaintsToyota Sienna
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About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology