Home · 2011 Toyota Prius V · Complaints

What 516 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Toyota Prius V

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (516)Crash / fire / injury (44)Brakes (270)Electrical system (68)Lights (49)Airbags (46)Engine (46)Speed control (28)Transmission & drivetrain (18)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (16)Visibility & wipers (13)Fuel system (11)

Newest first · 516 complaints · page 13 of 21

Aug 29, 2017Lights

FRONT LOW BEAMS HEADLIGHTS BURN OUT ABOUT EVERY SIX MONTHS

NHTSA ODI 11020317

Aug 28, 2017Body & structure

THE LOWER WINDOW ON THE REAR HATCH SHATTERED WITHOUT WARNING.

NHTSA ODI 11020167

Aug 24, 2017Speed control

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED EVEN WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS NOT DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE STILL ACCELERATED AND SOUNDED AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY TWENTY TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 154,000.

NHTSA ODI 11019401

Aug 23, 2017Airbags

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V487000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. STERLING MCCALL TOYOTA (LOCATED AT 9400 SOUTHWEST FWY, HOUSTON, TX) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ODI 11019096

Aug 9, 2017Engine

EXCESSIVE ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION - 1QT EVERY 2,000 MILES.

NHTSA ODI 11014079

Jul 6, 2017Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HORN WAS INOPERABLE. WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT, THE HORN FUNCTIONED AS INTENDED. HOWEVER, IF THE STEERING WHEEL WAS CENTERED, THE HORN WOULD BE INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LIA TOYOTA OF NORTHAMPTON (LOCATED AT 280 KING STREET, NORTHAMPTON, MA 01060, TEL: 413-341-5299) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLOCK SPRING FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000.

NHTSA ODI 11003309

Jun 19, 2017Electrical system

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S HORN LOST FUNCTIONALITY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000.

NHTSA ODI 10995896

Jun 17, 2017Speed controlCrash

MAKING RIGHT TURN INTO A PARKING SPOT AND THE CAR ACCELERATED STRIKING A PARKED CAR TO MY RIGHT AND MY CAR WAS STOPPED BY A CEMENT HANDICAP RAMP. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE FRONT END DAMAGE TO MY CAR, AS WELL AS THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR. THE CAR ON MY HAD THE RIGHT FRONT BUMPER REMOVED AND THE WROUGHT IRON RAILING ON THE RAMP SEVERELY DENTED.

NHTSA ODI 10995691

Jun 17, 2017Speed control

THIS IS THE SECOND COMPLAINT FOR THE SAME VEHICLE AND THE SAME COMPLAINT. THE FIRST OCCURRED 11/11/2016. I WAS MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN INTO A PARKING SPOT IN THE SAME PARKING LOT. AS I TURNED INTO THE SPOT AND RELEASED MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR MY CAR ACCELERATED. THIS TIME I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BEFORE STRIKING ANOTHER CAR OR THE HANDICAPPED RAMP.

NHTSA ODI 10995694

Jun 12, 2017Electrical system

DASH BOARD KEEPS BEEPING, YET I HAVE REPLACED THE KEY BATTERY 3 TIMES AND NOW DEALER SAYS KEY NOT DETECTED, YET CAR RUNS SO THE KEY IS DETECTED BUT THE BEEPING WILL NOT STOP. TOOK TO DEALER PAID 89.99 FOR DIAGNOSTIC PER DEALER. DEALER NOW SAYS THE LEFT HARNESS NEEDS REPLACED FOR $1802 PLUS TAX. I FEEL MANUFACTURER SHOULD ALLOW CONSUMERS WHO BOUGHT THERE PRODUCT BE GIVEN INFORMATION ABOUT HISTORY OF FAULTY ELECTRICAL WIRES EVEN WHEN IT IS NOT A SAFETY HAZARD. JUST TURN OFF THE BEEPING NOISE IF THAT IS THE ONLY ISSUE. MILEAGE 58847...

NHTSA ODI 10994385

Jun 6, 2017Lights

WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE TURNED ON DURING THE DAY (I.E. WHEN IT IS RAINING), THE LIGHTED PANEL ON THE CONSOLE FADES TO UNREADABLE. SINCE THE SPEED IS INDICATED ON THE CONSOLE, WE CANNOT MONITOR OUR SPEED DURING THESE TIMES. THIS IS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS WHEN WE ARE HIGHWAY DRIVING. MY TOYOTA SERVICE DEALER DID NOT FIX THIS PROBLEM WHEN WE TOOK THE CAR IN FOR REPAIRING THIS PROBLEM, NOR DID THEY RESPOND TO THREE SURVEYS THEY AND TOYOTA SENT TO ME IN WHICH I OUTLINED THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 10993510

Jun 1, 2017Electronic Stability Control (esc)

MY TOYOTA PRIUS WARNING LIGHTS BRAKE,ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL CAME ON. I CHECK WITH THE DEALER AND IT SAID MY ACCUMULATOR WAS LEAKING. THIS PART ALONE IS $2600 PLUS $500 IN LABOR. MY CAT HAS 41,900 MILES ON IT. THIS PART IS AN OBVIOUS PROBLEM BECAUSE THE 09-10 MODELS HAD A RECALL FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM. AMAZING THAT THE SAME PART EXCISE IN NEWER MODELS BUT NO RECALL. ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IT'S THE MOST EXPENSIVE PART OTHER THEN THE HYBRID BATTERY. I WAS DRIVING MY CAR WHEN THTHE LIGHTS CAME ON AND MY BRAKES RELEASED WHEN DEPRESSED AND I ALMOST HIT THE CAR WAITING AT A STOP LIGHT. MY KIDS DRIVE THIS CAR OFTEN BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS SAFE AND INEXPENSIVE FOR GAS. PERFECT FOR A KID WITH NOT A LOT OF INCOME. BUT, NOW THEY CAN'T BECAUSE OF THE RISK AND THE PRICEY REPAIR. IF YOU LOOK AT FORUMS THIS IS A WORLDWIDE COMMON PROBLEM AND TOYOTA NEEDS TO FIX IT. NOT JUST A RECALL FOR TWO YEARS OF THE VEHICLE. IF I HAD THE MONEY, I WOULD TAKE THEM TO COURT. I'M JUST A LITTLE MAN THOU. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT TOYOTA HAS OBVIOUSLY GOTTEN AWAY WITH. IF YOU DO YOUR RESEARCH ONLINE, THEY'RE IS ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO SHOW THAT THEY ARE NOT FIXING THEIR MISTAKE. I WOULD LIKE A CALL FROM SOMEONE TO MAKE SURE THAT OTHERS DON'T PUT THEIR KIDS IN THE VEHICLES WITH THESE ACCUMULATORS PRESSURIZING THEIR BRAKES. SOMEONE WILL LOSE THEIR LIFE IF IT'S LEFT IGNORED. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME AT 808-721-718. I WILL ALSO CALL TOYOTA CORPORATION BUT THAT WILL PROBABLY GET ME NO WHERE. I'M A LITTLE GUY AGAINST A BIG CORPORATION.

NHTSA ODI 10992773

May 22, 2017Airbags

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V487000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. UPDATED 07/13/17*LJ *CN

NHTSA ODI 10991022

May 9, 2017Brakes

WHILE IN MOTION WHEN I PRESSED THE BRAKES THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. BRAKES FAILED. RAPID BEEPING WITH BRAKE LIGHT ON. I PUSHED ON THE BRAKES AND THERE WAS NOTHING. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND THIS VEHICLES ARE HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE BOOSTER ASSY. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE SAME PARTS FOR THE 2010 PRIUS, NOT 2011 - 2015

NHTSA ODI 10984549

Mar 28, 2017Lights

BOTH MAIN HEADLAMPS HAVE BURNT OUT REGULARLY FOR ~2.5 YEARS. IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING MORE FREQUENT. LUCKILY I CAN BUY THE PART AND INSTALL IT MYSELF, BUT TO ACTUALLY GO TO A MECHANIC AND CHECK THE ELECTRIC WIRING IS A DIFFERENT AMOUNT OF TIME AND MONEY ENTIRELY.

NHTSA ODI 10969193

Mar 9, 2017Brakes

THREE WEEKS AGO THE BRAKES FAILED AT A STOP LIGHT ON A CITY STREET AND THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON IN THE DASH. THE BRAKE FLUID APPEARED TO BE LOW SO WE OPENED A NEW BOTTLE OF FLUID AND FILLED THE RESERVOIR WHICH SEEMED TO TEMPORARILY REMEDY PROBLEM AND NOTHING COULD BE DIAGNOSED BECAUSE NO LIGHTS WERE ON IN DASH. THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN WITH THE BRAKES FAILING AND THE DASH LIGHTS COMING ON WHILE AT A RED LIGHT ON A CITY STREET. WE HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED AND WERE TOLD IT WAS THE MASTER CYLINDER ASSEMBLY, BOOSTER PUMP ETC. AND WASN'T COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AT $6400. THE CAR HAS 82,925 MILES AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED.

NHTSA ODI 10959811

Mar 7, 2017Lights

BOTH HEADLIGHTS WON'T TURN ON. HOWEVER, WHEN I PRESS AND HOLD THE LEVER FOR BRIGHT LIGHTS, THE LIGHTS WORK ON THE "BRIGHTS" SETTING. LIGHTS DON'T WORK WHEN I'M DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI 10959463

Feb 27, 2017Body & structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SOY BASED PLASTIC CABIN ENTRYWAYS WERE MISSING THE SCREENS. THE FAILURE ALLOWED RODENTS AND MICE TO ENTER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI 10957374

Feb 23, 2017Lights

DUE TO FAULTY HEADLIGHT WIRING AND ASSEMBLY, HEADLIGHTS WILL BURN OUT REGULARLY OR BE TOO DIM FOR SAFE USE. BOTH HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OUT WITHOUT WARNING, WHILE IN USE, AT NIGHT. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE AND IS A DOCUMENTED/KNOWN ISSUE WITH TOYOTA. THIS IS NOT A MILD ANNOYANCE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED.

NHTSA ODI 10956508

Feb 23, 2017Airbags

CAR HAD RECALL FOR CURTAIN SHIELD AIRBAGS. TOOK AUTOMOBILE TO DEALER TO PERFORM CORRECTIVE ACTION FOR RECALL. DEALER STATES THEY WILL NOT PERFORM REPAIR AT ALL, AS THERE IS AN AFTER MARKET SUNROOF INSTALLED. DEALER THAT ORIGINALLY SOLD CAR INSTALLED SUNROOF PRIOR TO MY PURCHASING THE CAR NEW. THEY WILL NOT ASSIST IN FINDING A SOLUTION. TOYOTA CUSTOMER CARE SAID THEY WOULD NOT HELP AND THAT THEY ARE NOT OBLIGATED TO HELP AS SUNROOF IS AFTER MARKET. CUSTOMER SERVICE STATES THAT THEY ARE NOT OBLIGATED TO PERFORM RECALL REPAIRS.

NHTSA ODI 10956651

Feb 20, 2017Airbags

TAKATA RECALL 6/28/2016. THIS CAN POTENTIALLY KILL VEHICLE PASSENGERS IF NOT ADDRESSED

NHTSA ODI 10955606

Jan 27, 2017Lights

PULLED INTO A PARKING SPOT AT NIGHT, PARKED, TURNED THE LIGHTS OFF, SHUT CAR OFF, RETURNED TO THE CAR, STARTED IT AND BOTH LOW BEAMS WOULD NOT COME ON. HIGH BEAMS WORK FINE. NOT A FUSE ISSUE BECAUSE HORN WORKS. TURNING THE LIGHT SWITCH ON THE STALK TURNS ON THE DASH INDICATOR LIGHT BUT NOT THE LOW BEAMS OR THE PARKING LIGHTS.

NHTSA ODI 10948073

Jan 4, 2017Engine

AT APPROXIMATELY 120,000 MILES WE STARTED RECEIVING MESSAGES FROM OUR DEALERSHIP THAT THE CAR WAS STARTING TO USE OIL EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE PERFORMED ALL REQUIRED MAINTENANCE AND ON TIME. THEN BETWEEN 130,000 AND 140,000 WE STARTING GETTING AN OIL LIGHT THAT WOULD COME ON DURING CORNERING. WE WERE TOLD TO KEEP A GALLON OF OIL WITH US AND FILL IT BETWEEN CHANGES AND WE DID. IT WOULD USE ABOUT 1 TO 2 QUARTS BETWEEN CHANGES. THEN AT 150,000 THE ENGINE BLEW UP. IT WAS WITHIN THE TIME LIMITS OF THE WARRANTY BUT NOT THE MILEAGE SO TOYOTA WOULD NOT HELP US OUT ON A NEW MOTOR. AFTER THAT I RESEARCHED ON LINE AND OTHERS ARE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS. MOST IF NOT ALL OUR MILES WERE HIGHWAY CRUISING MILES SO EASY MILES. WE DROVE THIS THING LIKE A BABY. WE HAVE OWNED MANY OTHER VEHICLES TO WELL OVER 250,000 SO THIS IS NOT A CASE OF WE DON'T TAKE CARE OF OUR VEHICLES. THE MOTOR RIGHT BEFORE IT BLEW WAS MAKING A LOUD SCREECHING NOISE BUT NO LIGHTS ON THE DASH TO INDICATE THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10939761

Dec 30, 2016Lights

BOTH LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED WITHIN 1 WEEK OF EACH OTHER. ONE WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10938709

Dec 8, 2016

ON NOVEMBER 4, DURING A ROUTINE MAINTENANCE APPOINTMENT, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT OUR PRIUS IS COMPLETELY INVADED WITH MICE, FROM WHERE THE WIND SHEILD MEETS THE DASHBOARD, ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE ENTIRE CAR - BETWEEN THE VISIBLE INTERIOR AND THE METAL FRAME - TO THE REAR HATCH DOOR LATCH. WE LEARNED THAT TOYOTA IS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM,​ DUE TO HOW IT IS DESIGNED, WHICH GREATLY ALLOWS FOR RODENTS TO ENTER THE CAR'S CABIN AND TRUNK AREA VIA THE HEATER BOX AND CABIN FILTER AREA. THIS IS A PARTICULAR HEALTH HAZARD....A SIGNIFICANT ONE. TO REMEDY THE ISSUE THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT HA​D​ TO LITERALLY STRIP THE ENTIRE INTERIOR OF THE CAR DOWN TO THE METAL, FROM WINDSHIELD TO TRUNK LATCH. EVERY THING HA​D​ TO BE TAKEN OUT, SEVERAL PARTS REPLACED (INCLUDING THE CARPET WHICH WAS DAMAGED ON THE UNDERSIDE), OR CLEANED AND REINSTALLED. THIS COSTS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND OVER A MONTH OF TIME. I HAVE INVOICES AND STATEMENTS BUT DO NOT KNOW HOW TO CONVEY THOSE TO YOU, BASED ON THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN.

NHTSA ODI 10933938

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Working with the data? Download all 516 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 22, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2011 Toyota Prius V verdict →