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What 684 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Toyota Prius C

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 (684)Crash / fire / injury (79)Brakes (335)Electrical system (89)Engine (71)Airbags (42)Lights (42)Visibility & wipers (35)Speed control (31)Transmission & drivetrain (31)Body & structure (28)Steering (24)

Newest first · 684 complaints · page 28 of 28

Jul 12, 2012Electrical system

NEW PRIUS DOES NOT WORK BLUETOOTH WISE WITH EXISTING PHONE. PRIUS I JUST TRADED IN DID. NO RESOLUTION FROM DEALER (TOYOTA WORLD O NEWARK DELAWARE) AND NO RESOLUTION FROM TOYOTA CORPORATE. I WAS TOLD THEY COULD DO NOTHING AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PURCHASE NEW PHONES. WE ARE DRIVING VEHICLE WITHOUT BLUETOOTH WITHOUT CELL PHONES IN OUR EARS THEREBY CREATING SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10465451

May 24, 2012Speed controlCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AS SHE WAS ENTERING A PARKING SPACE AT 3 MPH, THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. THE POLICE WERE NOTIFIED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY WAS CONTACTED WHO ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO SENT A REPRESENTATIVE TO FURTHER ASSES THE FAILURE. AFTER INSPECTION, THE REPRESENTATIVE NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS WERE DEPRESSED SIMULTANEOUSLY AND ADVISED THAT THERE WERE NO FAILURES WITHIN THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,400.... UPDATED 08/15/12 *BF

NHTSA ODI 10459527

May 15, 2012BrakesCrash

AS I WAS APPROACHING A TURN I BEGAN TO BRAKE AND THE BRAKES FAILED. I TRIED PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL HARDER AND MAKING SURE THAT I HAD PROPER FOOT PLACEMENT AND IT FELT LIKE THE CAR ACCELERATED AT THAT POINT. SINCE THE CAR WAS NOT SLOWING DOWN I WAS UNABLE TO MAKE THE TURN AND ENDED UP CROSSING THE ROAD DIAGONALLY AND GOING UP ONTO THE CURB. ONCE THE CAR WAS OVER THE CURB AND IN THE GRASS THE BRAKES FINALLY ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10458505

Apr 25, 2012AirbagsCrash

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A MULTI VEHICLE ACCIDENT, WHERE THE CAR WAS HIT TWICE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, THE 2ND IMPACT HITTING THE DRIVERS DOOR CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE DOOR AND FENDER ALONG SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE AIR BAGS ILLUMINATED DUE TO THE CRASH, BUT THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAGS. ALL PARTY'S WERE CONCERNED WHY THE MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON DURING THE CRASH, AND SHOULD THE BAGS HAVE DEPLOYED. THE BODY SHOP SAID THEY THINK IT WAS CAUSE THE DOOR WAS MISALIGNED AFTER THE IMPACT. CONCERNED THAT THE SYSTEM MAY DEACTIVATE ITSELF DURING A CRASH AND NOT DEPLOY THE AIRBAGS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10456435

Mar 27, 2012Seats

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT COULD NOT BE ADJUSTED AWAY FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,300 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2300.

NHTSA ODI 10453180

Mar 20, 2012Electrical system

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A HANDS-FREE PHONE SYSTEM. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERNS THAT HE HAD TO ACTIVATE TOO MANY BUTTONS IN ORDER TO OPERATE THE PHONE SYSTEM. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE SYSTEM COULD CREATE A SAFETY HAZARD WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS INTENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5.

NHTSA ODI 10452430

Feb 1, 2012Seat belts

THE LATCH SYSTEM DESIGN ON THE SEATS ON THE NEW PRIUS V IS FLAWED. INSTEAD OF HAVING FOUR LATCH POINTS, ONE SET OF TWO FOR THE LEFT SEAT AND ONE SET OF TWO FOR THE RIGHT SEAT, THEY HAVE ONLY THREE LATCH POINTS, ONE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LEFT SEAT, ONE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RIGHT SEAT AND ONE IN THE MIDDLE OF CAR. OUR CHILD SAFETY SEAT HAS THREE BUCKLES DESIGNED TO WORK WITH THE LATCH SYSTEM, ONE ON THE LEFT, ONE ON THE RIGHT AND A TOP TETHER. THE LEFT AND RIGHT BUCKLES CANNOT ATTACH TO THE SAME LATCH POINT BECAUSE THEN THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT WILL PIVOT. THIS MEANS ONE MUST INSTALL THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT AT AN OFFSET TO THE CAR'S SEAT, USING THE MIDDLE AND RIGHT LATCH POINTS FOR A CHILD SAFETY SEAT INSTALLED ON THE RIGHT SIDE. BUT THEN THE TOP TETHER, WHICH MUST GO OVER THE TOP OF THE SEAT DOWN TO A LATCH POINT, IS NO LONGER AS SECURE AS IT SHOULD BE, SINCE THE LATCH POINT IS THEN OFF-CENTER WITH REGARD TO THE TOP TETHER. IF THE CHILD IS OLD ENOUGH THAT THEY NEED TO USE THE CAR'S SEAT BELTS WITH THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT (E.G., A BOOSTER SEAT) INSTEAD OF THE RESTRAINTS BUILT-INTO THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT, ONE CAN'T BUCKLE IN THE SEAT BELT BECAUSE THE BUCKLE INTENDED FOR THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR IS BURIED UNDERNEATH THE OFFSET CHILD SAFETY SEAT. THE MIDDLE BUCKLE IS DESIGNED TO NOT WORK WITH THE SIDE SEAT BELTS. IF ONE USES THE LEFT SIDE BUCKLE WITH THE RIGHT SIDE SEAT BELT, IT'S NOT AS SECURE, AND THEN THE LEFT SIDE PASSENGER (OR A SECOND CHILD SAFETY SEAT) HAS NO SEAT BELT. SO A PROPER USE OF THE SEAT BELTS REQUIRES THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT TO BE CENTERED ON THE SEAT, BUT THEN EITHER THE LATCHES ARE CONNECTED AT AN OFFSET OR THEY ARE CONNECTED TO THE SAME LATCH AND PIVOT. EITHER WAY THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT IS NOT REALLY SECURE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10446096

Jan 17, 2012Brakes

SUNDAY DEC. 11TH: PULLING OUT OF CHICAGO GARAGE, CAR MAKES ODD ROTATIONAL NOISE. THE SOUND SEEMS TO GO AWAY AFTER ABOUT A BLOCK OR SO OF DRIVING. THE DEALERSHIP IS CLOSED AND I AM BOOKED UP WITH CLIENTS, SO I CONTINUE TO TEST AND SEE IF TEMPERATURE OR ENVIRONMENT EFFECT THE NOISE. THE NOISE APPEARS TO ONLY HAPPEN ON A 'COLD START' BUT ALL OTHER FACTORS DO NOT SEEM TO SHOW AN IMPRESSIVE CHANGE. DEC. 15TH: I CALL TOYOTA CORPORATE AND FILE A COMPLAINT, THEN PER THEIR DIRECTION, CALL THE DEALER AND MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE NOISE PROBLEM FIXED. JAN. 13TH: AFTER SEVERAL CALLS TO CORPORATE, AND HAVING TAKEN THE CAR IN THREE TIMES TO THE DEALERSHIP (MIDTOWN TOYOTA- CHICAGO), I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY ONE OF THE SERVICE EMPLOYEES THAT TOYOTA IS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH MANY OF THESE MODELS. THEY THINK IT IS A BACK BRAKE ISSUE, PERHAPS DEFECTIVE PART(S). AS BOTH TOYOTA & THE DEALERSHIP ARE NOT OFFICIALLY TELLING ME THIS. THIS IS WHAT I KNOW, THEY HAVE BEEN LYING TO ME AS A CONSUMER AND ME AND OTHER CUSTOMERS ARE DRIVING A CAR WITH A POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEM. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR.

NHTSA ODI 10445290

Dec 31, 2011Seats

THE DRIVERS SEAT DOES NOT RAISE FAR ENOUGH TO ALLOW SHORTER DRIVERS TO SEE OVER THE DASH BOARD , BASE OF WINDSHIELD AND REAR OF HOOD. THIS PREVENTS SHORTER DRIVERS FROM BEING ABLE TO SEE THE THE GROUND ANYWHERE NEAR THE CAR. GIVING THE DRIVERS A 2 DIMENSIONAL VIEW OF THE TRAFFIC AND OBJECTS BETWEEN 3 AND 5 FEET HIGH. ANYTHING BELOW 3 FOOT TALL IS NOT VISIBLE FOR 30 TO 50 FEET IN FRONT OF THE CAR. THE RAISED BELT LINE IS ALSO CAUSING THIS PROBLEM OF 2 DIMENSIONAL VIEWS VERSES 3 DIMENSIONAL VIEWS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE.. IT COULD BE FIXED WITH INCREASED TRAVEL HEIGHT FOR THE DRIVERS SEAT. AS I HAVE HAD TO OFFER SEVERAL FRIEND CHAIR CUSHIONS TO PROP THEM UP SO THEY COULD SEE.. WHEN I LOOKED IN THE CAR. I DON'T THINK DO TO THE WINDSHIELD ANGLE.. THAT I BEING ALMOST 6 FOOT TALL COULD SEE THE GROUND ANYWHERE NEAR THE FRONT OF THE CAR EITHER. I DON'T FIT IN THESE CARS. *KB

NHTSA ODI 10441922

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Working with the data? Download all 684 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 2012 Toyota Prius C verdict →