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Toyota Prius VModel year report

2013 Toyota Prius V Problems

Compared with other Toyota Prius V years

Typical for this model

50/100 1.0× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with a typical complaint level and no open NHTSA investigation: 2014

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
125filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
68,000miles, 67 complaints with mileage
Recalls
2campaigns on record
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
5 / 5stars overall
EPA fuel economy
41 mpgcombined, 1.8L 4-cyl · hybrid FWD · 43 city / 39 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2013 Toyota Prius V (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe brake problems: warning lights (ABS, brake, slip, traction control) coming on together, a pedal that feels soft or hard, and braking that is slow to respond. Many of these complaints are tied to the brake booster, booster pump and accumulator, with dealers often citing a specific diagnostic code. A smaller but consistent group describes sudden loss of power in the hybrid system, and some high-mileage owners report head gasket and oil consumption concerns.

  1. Brakes

    Brake booster/accumulator leak with warning lights

    • 51 complaints (41%)
    • median 102,000 mi at 7.6 yrs old (19 state mileage)
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $4,000 (median of 15 quotes)
    • filed 2014–2026

    Owners describe several dash lights coming on at once - brake, ABS, slip and master warning - sometimes with a pedal that feels soft, spongy or unusually hard. Some report the pedal going close to the floor and the car taking much longer to slow, while others notice the car rolling backward when shifting into gear after an overnight sit. Complaints say dealers diagnosed a leaking brake accumulator or booster pump, often citing one specific diagnostic code, and several report the repair was not covered or was declined because a particular code could not be retrieved. Mostly reported between roughly 50,000 and 140,000 miles, and often noted as intermittent, appearing for a day and then clearing.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask whether the brake booster, booster pump or accumulator has ever been replaced, and whether any customer support program or TSB work was applied. Have a shop scan for brake-related trouble codes and test the pedal after the car has sat overnight.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “This is something that's happening occasionally, I'm driving and all of the sudden, the traction control, ABS and brake lights, turn on and the brake pedal feels sluggish and starts to apply at a dangerous low level, the pedal almost hits the floor, then a day may pass, then it starts normal again, for a couple of hours, then, the lights come on again, and the pedal starts with the problem again, it's getting very dangerous for me to drive the car. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11339636, filed 2020-07, 79,000 miles

    “As my wife was driving my children to school All the lights on my 2013 Prius V dash came on as I was driving on December 2, 2022. All braking power became stiff and it was hard for me to stop. I pulled over turned off my car called AAA. When the AAA driver came to check out the vehicle she was surprised he told me “oh ya this is a common problem. He told me is most likely was the ABS master cylinder and brake boosters needing to be replaced. I would take it to Lithia Toyota of Missoula. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11505671, filed 2023-02, 133,000 miles
  2. Electrical system

    Hybrid system loses power or shuts down while driving

    • 10 complaints (8%)
    • median 65,000 mi at 5.9 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2014–2025

    Owners describe the car jolting, refusing to accelerate, or dropping to a low-speed limp mode with check engine, hybrid system and stability lights on; some report the hybrid system shutting off entirely. Several state the inverter was identified as the cause, and a number mention a prior software recall or campaign on the vehicle before the problem appeared. Others report the hybrid battery was named during diagnosis. Spread across the sample from about 30,000 to 150,000 miles, with several reports at highway speed.

    Recall 18V684000Recall 15V4490005 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask for documentation showing whether the hybrid inverter recalls (15V449000 and 18V684000) were completed, including any later re-repairs. A scan for inverter and hybrid battery codes before purchase gives useful context.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was driving and pulling out into the road and upon accelerating the car jumped and then suddenly stalled - luckily I was able to move it to the side of the road. After restart the car is running slowly as far as pickup and all the yellow lights are on. It seems this was a recall in oct. 2018 and I think now my inverter is blown or not working. Taking it to the dealership to diagnose.”

    NHTSA complaint #11186260, filed 2019-03, 87,500 miles

    “Today, 9/11/2019. I was driving on highway 405, my car was going at highway speed around 65. Suddenly there was a beep sound and my engine light turn on. My vehicle went into the limp home mode, the car would not accelerate. Then the car red light was on, and the speedometer went off and the engine shuts off. Luckily I was driving on the slow lane as I was planning to exit the highway in a mile distance. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11254880, filed 2019-09, 65,000 miles
  3. Brakes

    Rough cold braking and traction-control intervention

    • 16 complaints (13%)
    • median 28,583 mi at 3.5 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2014–2026

    Owners describe grinding or groaning brake noise when the car is cold, and in some cases the brakes seeming to release or grab on uneven pavement, potholes or wet roads while the traction-control light appears. Some report the car lurching or rolling when the pedal is held at a stop, and a few say dealers called the noise normal or could not reproduce the condition. Reported from near-new mileage up to about 100,000 miles, often in cold weather or on uneven and wet surfaces.

    4 related service bulletins

    What to check: Test the brakes from a cold start and on a bumpy or wet stretch if possible, and ask whether any brake noise or traction-control bulletins have been applied.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “2013 Prius V - brand new. Brakes make a grinding noise when cold. Three different Toyota dealerships told me that it is normal for the brakes to grind when cold. Nothing they could do about it. Vehicle now has 15,000 miles on it and it still makes grinding noises when cold. I had a 2010 prius and had no problems with it. Found on the Toyota owners website there are several others with the same problem. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10583895, filed 2014-04, 200 miles

    “With my foot on the brake, coming to a stop at a stop sign, we went over uneven pavement and the car lurched forward while only a few feet from the crosswalk. Braking to a stop at an intersection - the road is dry and flat. The car's traction control/slippery icon comes on. Car is parked in an underground parking lot. Start car and reverse out of parking spot when the car suddenly stops and losses power. Had to start car again and the slippery icon comes on and car wouldn't go into gear. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10663345, filed 2014-12, 28,583 miles
  4. Engine

    Head gasket failure and coolant loss

    Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

    Owners of higher-mileage cars describe rough running, misfires, a knocking noise at start-up, coolant loss and white exhaust, with shops diagnosing a compromised head gasket. Some mention they had kept up regular maintenance and connect the failure to the exhaust gas recirculation system, while others say a dealer attributed engine damage to oil neglect. Almost all reports in the sample come in above 140,000 miles, with one near 165,000 miles.

    What to check: Check coolant level and condition, look for white residue or steam at the exhaust, and ask whether the head gasket or EGR components have been serviced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “My Prius V recently started to have some issues with coolant loss and loss of performance. My onboard monitoring system (hum by verizon) warned me I have a misfire on cylinder 2. I replaced the spark plugs ( denso plugs) and checked all the coils. I also checked and cleaned the EGR valve. This made no difference. Upon start up, there is a loud knocking noise and I have water periodically coming out of the tailpipe. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11390493, filed 2021-01, 165,000 miles

    “Loss of power, engine rattle at start. Toyota dealer inspected and said the head gasket is compromised. We have always take care and regular maintenance on the vehicle. I found out that Toyota has a fault EGR system that is the source of the compromise. Toyota never notified us.”

    NHTSA complaint #11403166, filed 2021-03, 190,000 miles

Buying note. This model year draws most of its owner complaints from the brake booster and accumulator system, so a pre-purchase inspection that includes a brake code scan and a cold-start pedal test is worth the cost. Also confirm the hybrid inverter recall work and check the oil and coolant, especially on cars past 100,000 miles.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 125 consumer complaints for the 2013 Toyota Prius V. 67 of the complaints include a mileage, and 36% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 68,000 miles. Of all complaints, 9 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 8 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 497 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 2 Toyota Prius V model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 50 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Suspension (4), Hybrid propulsion system (3), Body and structure (3), Electronic stability control (2), Seat belts (2), Engine cooling (1), Equipment (1), Seats (1), Steering (1).

Example complaints

Brakes: “Was going down hill at 40mph the light turned red I tried to stop I pumped the brakes twice then twice again the lain to my life was full to my right was a curb about 13in height and by then we were in the back end of the car in front of us and no air bags I don't know when air bag deploy or at what speed I thank god for other cars back ends that we can hit and not kill any one I guess.”

NHTSA complaint #10653155, filed 2014-11, 36,198 miles

Electrical system: “This vehicle has a push start and keyless remote fob. The engine was started properly with the keyless remote inside of the vehicle. I stepped out of the vehicle and the key was left outside of the vehicle. I drove away and the engine was still running. There is no safety feature that notifies you that the key is outside of the vehicle or stops the engine when the key is out of range.”

NHTSA complaint #11330139, filed 2020-06, 68,000 miles

Engine: “The engine oil runs low between oil changes and no warning lights are displayed. The car was in motion and shaking and jerking occurred. The car was on a city street. I added the appropriate type and weight of oil. It has happened several times since first time but I check it regularly. I know one other Prius V 5 2013 owner who has the same issue.”

NHTSA complaint #11316850, filed 2020-03, 100,000 miles

Other or unknown: “Car began to display incoherent dash icon and alerts. We parked and had a tow service deliver our vehicle to town & country Toyota, south blvd, charlotte nc. There they told us it needed alternately a $1,500 repair, a $350 repair and finally a $100 repair, none of which the service salesman could describe or explain. When we mentioned the symptoms were identical to the hybrid system/failsafe driving mode recall notice he was evasive and said that we were too late for the recall. We didn't think it was possible to be too late for a safety recall, especially one that landed in the last week. …”

NHTSA complaint #11193209, filed 2019-04, 59,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

36% of the 67 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 30,000 and 106,853 miles.

9%0–109%10–2518%25–5018%50–7516%75–10024%100–1506%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (67 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 68,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: rising. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.

’14’16’18’20’22’2421’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2013 Toyota Prius V. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Prius V · wagon FWD★★★★★4 / 4544 · 13.6% risk

Neighbouring years: 2014: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2013 Toyota Prius V version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Prius v FWD1.8L 4-cyl · hybridCVT433941$1,650

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2013 Toyota Prius V → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 497 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 497 bulletins →

Other model years of the Toyota Prius V

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20171224,7501—41—Not enough data
20161622,6501—41—Stable
20152459,1002—41—Falling
20148296,500454139 · TypicalRising
201312568,000254150 · TypicalRising
201221869,0243—4193 · MoreStable

All Toyota Prius V model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2013 Toyota Prius V?

Owners of this model year most often describe brake problems: warning lights (ABS, brake, slip, traction control) coming on together, a pedal that feels soft or hard, and braking that is slow to respond. The issues reported most often: Brake booster/accumulator leak with warning lights; Hybrid system loses power or shuts down while driving; Rough cold braking and traction-control intervention.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2013 Toyota Prius V have?

NHTSA recorded 125 consumer complaints for the 2013 Toyota Prius V as of Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2013 Toyota Prius V is reported most often?

Brakes is named most often, in 68 complaints (54% of the total), followed by electrical system with 16.

Has the 2013 Toyota Prius V been recalled?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2013 Toyota Prius V do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2013 Toyota Prius V 5 out of 5 stars overall. Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2013 Toyota Prius V get?

The EPA rates the 2013 Toyota Prius V (Prius v, 1.8L 4-cyl · hybrid) at 41 mpg combined, 43 city and 39 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $1,650 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2013 Toyota Prius V reported?

Among the 67 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 68,000 miles and the middle half falls between 30,000 and 106,853 miles; 36% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.