What Owners Report NHTSA ODI · 2,175,102 complaints · MY1998–2026

2011 Toyota Prius

Typical pattern

3.2% of complaints about the 2011 Toyota Prius came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2011 vehicle — around the middle of the 203 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 8.1 yr in service. The most-reported system is service brakes (261 complaints), typically at 9.4 yr or about 80,000 miles.

Complaints
664
Median age at failure
8.1 yr
Median mileage
75,000 n=424
Crash / fire / tow
12.8% of reports
Safety recalls
6

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System
0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y
Service brakes
261 reports · 80,000 mi
9.4 yr
6.5%
Electrical system
68 reports · 82,500 mi
8.3 yr
16.2%
Exterior lighting
48 reports · 69,000 mi
5.6 yr
2.1%
Air bags
46 reports · 65,000 mi
5.9 yr
39.1%
Engine
46 reports · 116,480 mi
8.1 yr
19.6%
Other
28 reports · 90,100 mi
8.2 yr
3.6%
Speed control
28 reports · 21,000 mi
5.6 yr
14.3%
Power train
18 reports · 60,000 mi
7.8 yr
0%
Electronic stability control (esc)
16 reports · 60,000 mi
8.1 yr
6.2%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

18V684000 2018-10-04
Hybrid propulsion system

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Toyota Prius and 2012-2014 Toyota Prius V vehicles. Excessive voltage in the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) within the inverter may cause the hybrid system to shut down, causing the vehicle to stall while being driven.

If the hybrid system shuts down unexpectedly, it can increase the risk of a crash.

16V487000 2016-06-30
Air bags:side/window

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Toyota Prius, 2010 and 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid, and 2011-2012 Lexus CT200h vehicles. A weld in the curtain shield air bag inflator may crack causing one or both portions of the inflator to eject into the passenger cabin.

If either portion of the curtain shield air bag inflator ejects into the passenger cabin, there is an increased risk of injury to vehicle occupants.

16V396000 2016-06-02
Seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010 Camry, and 1989 and 2009-2010 Corolla vehicles equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters with a copper strand heating element. The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.

If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.

14V743000 2014-11-19
Seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4, and 2007-2011 Rav4 and 4Runner. The affected vehicles may experience compression of the seat cushion which may damage the seat heater wiring.

Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.

14V053000 2014-02-12
Hybrid propulsion system: inverter

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 through 2014 Prius vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) inside the inverter module (a component of the hybrid system) contains transistors that may become damaged from high operating temperatures. If this occurs, various warning lamps will be illuminated on the instrument panel and the vehicle will have reduced power allowing it to only drive a short distance.

The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle. The hybrid system could also shut down completely resulting in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

13V014000 2013-01-16
Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger se

If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.

In owners’ own words

Other mileage not reported 6 mo in service
REAR VISIBILITY SERIOUSLY HAMPERED BECAUSE NO CAMERA INSTALLED IN VEHICLE. TOYOTA MOTOR CAR COMPANY KNOWS FROM EXPERIENCE THE SERIOUS SAFETY & FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ADDRESSING A SAFETY ISSUE & A CAMERA PROVIDING THE DRIVER REAR VISIBILITY COULD DRAMATICALLY SAVE THE LIFE OF PERSON(CHILD) AT REAR OF VEHICLE. IT IS TO BE NOTED TOYOTA INSTALLED CAMERA IN THE PRIUS ONLY WHEN NAVIGATION SYS. IS PURCHASED.
Other 29,000 mi 4.9 yr in service
LEFT CAR RUNNING THE NIGHT BEFORE. DIDN'T KNOW IT. LOCKED CAR THAT EVENING. BATTERY DEAD NEXT DAY. SHOULDN'T THERE HAVE BEEN A WARNING WHEN I LOCKED CAR, THAT CAR WAS NOT OFF?
Other 44,000 mi 5.9 yr in service
DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK FAILED AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR LOCK ALSO FAILED. WE HAVE OWNED A TOTAL OF FIVE PRIUS VEHICLES SINCE 2007 AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM BEFORE THIS DUAL FAILURE. JUDGING FROM THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE AND INFO GATHERED DURING INTERNET RESEARCH IT APPEARS THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM, MOST LIKELY DUE TO POOR QUALITY OR DEFECTIVE DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS. A GOOGLE SEARCH (TOYOTA PRIUS "DOOR LOCK" FAILURE) RESULTED IN A QUARTER MILLION RESULTS.
Power train 970 mi 6 mo in service
NEW 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS SHOOK VIOLENTLY UPON STARTUP. SEVERE ENGINE NOISE FOR 10 SECONDS UNTIL SMOOTHING OUT AFTER 40 SECONDS. DASHBOARD AND BODY PANELS VISIBLY RATTLING. ONLY 970 MILES ON ODOMETER. CHECKED INTERNET, AND FOUND MANY OTHERS WITH SAME PROBLEM. WORRIED ABOUT DRIVETRAIN DAMAGE. *TR

Other Prius model years

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