Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 61 consumer complaints across the 5 model years of the Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid (2010–2015) that have at least 5 complaints. 2012 has the most, with 25. Across all years, the part named most often is brakes (33 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All Prius Plug-In Hybrid 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 5 | 60,000 | 1 | 79 | — | Not enough data |
| 2014 | 13 | 70,068 | 1 | 79 | — | Not enough data |
| 2013 | 12 | 88,900 | 1 | 77 | — | Not enough data |
| 2012 | 25 | 89,000 | 2 | 93 | Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years) | Rising |
| 2010 | 6 | 110,000 | 1 | 69 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Brakes33 46%
- Other or unknown10 14%
- Electrical system10 14%
- Engine6 8.3%
- Vehicle speed control5 6.9%
- Transmission and drivetrain3 4.2%
- Fuel system3 4.2%
- Wheels2 2.8%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2012: “My 2012 plug-in prius came up with a c1391 code. The ABS, brake and brake skid lights came on. I have no re-gen braking and when I actually brake it seems very sluggish.”
NHTSA complaint #11387560, filed 2021-01, 135,000 miles2013: “Got a 2014 plug in.. I smell some elctrical burn under the hood... It feel like come from the invter I see a 2nd recalled on the 2018 but I never got a recalled letter.”
NHTSA complaint #11323099, filed 2020-05, 800 miles2014: “I was on a well travelled and very winding road coming down a mountain when all of a sudden my prius lost power and lights on the dashboard indicating a malfunction in the parking system and the hybrid system came on. It was a hokey pokey all the way down the mountain and there was no place to pull over while my car kept losing power and going into neutral while in motion. It happened about 5 times in all, the last time as I merged onto another road where I could pull off the road and was in oncoming traffic which felt extremely dangerous. …”
NHTSA complaint #10960261, filed 2017-03, 40,000 milesOther Toyota models
18,214 complaintsToyota Prius
12,521 complaintsToyota Corolla
11,743 complaintsToyota RAV4
9,405 complaintsToyota Sienna
8,833 complaintsToyota Tacoma
8,484 complaintsToyota Tundra
6,946 complaintsToyota 4RUNNER
5,903 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology