Toyota Prius recalls & complaint record (MY 2017–2026)

By Ivan H., EVCostIQ · reviewed against our public methodology · every source dated on this page

As of July 10, 2026, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) lists 11 recall campaigns and 267 consumer complaints for the Toyota Prius (MY 2017–2026). The most-reported complaint areas are Service Brakes, Electrical System, Visibility/Wiper. Every recall is a free remedy — an open recall is repaired at no cost — so a recall adds nothing to what the Prius costs to own.

Every Toyota Prius recall campaign, by year

All 11 NHTSA recall campaigns on file for the Prius (MY 2017–2026), newest first. A recall is a free remedy — the manufacturer repairs the defect at no cost. Source: NHTSA (nhtsa.gov), data as of July 10, 2026.

2026 — 1 campaign

Electrical System26V049000 · January 28, 2026 · about 141,286 vehicles
Risk: A door that unexpectedly opens while the vehicle is moving increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will modify the rear door switch circuits, free of charge.

2025 — 1 campaign

Back Over Prevention25V744000 · October 30, 2025 · about 1,024,407 vehicles
Risk: A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge.

2024 — 2 campaigns

Equipment24V548000 · July 23, 2024 · about 33,848 vehicles
Risk: A vehicle with an incorrect maximum capacity weight value may be overloaded, which can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GST will mail new labels to owners, free of charge.
Electrical System24V274000 · April 17, 2024 · about 55,690 vehicles
Risk: A door that unexpectedly opens while the vehicle is moving or during a crash increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace both right and left rear door opener switches, free of charge.

2021 — 1 campaign

Engine And Engine Cooling21V734000 · September 22, 2021 · about 8,411 vehicles
Risk: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the ECU software, free of charge.

2019 — 3 campaigns

Electrical System19V876000 · December 11, 2019 · about 3,751 vehicles
Risk: A blank main display will not show important information like vehicle speed or fuel level.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the flash memory chip (ROM) production date, and if necessary, replace it along with the combination meter circuit…
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)19V544000 · July 24, 2019 · about 6,925 vehicles
Risk: Deactivation of the vehicle stability control system or a loss of braking assist increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the brake booster pump, free of charge.
Equipment19V244000 · March 27, 2019 · about 3,634 vehicles
Risk: If the driver cannot read the label, they may unknowingly overload the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GST will notify owners, and dealers will provide corrected load carrying capacity modification labels, free of charge.

2018 — 1 campaign

Electrical System18V579000 · September 5, 2018 · about 192,347 vehicles
Risk: An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine wire harness assembly and replace it if damage is found.

2017 — 1 campaign

Tires17V295000 · May 2, 2017 · about 409 vehicles
Risk: A spare tire that is not inflated to the proper value may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Gulf States will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the spare tires, adjusting their pressure as necessary, free of charge.

2016 — 1 campaign

Parking Brake16V741000 · October 14, 2016 · about 91,585 vehicles
Risk: If the parking brake cable disengages from the mechanism and the transmission is left in a gear other than 'Park' while the ignition is on and the driver leaves the ve…
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install a clip at the parking brake cable end to prevent the cable from disengaging, free of charge.

Where the Prius’s recalls and complaints cluster

Recalls by component (11 campaigns total): Electrical System (4), Equipment (2), Back Over Prevention (1), Engine And Engine Cooling (1), Electronic Stability Control (Esc) (1), Tires (1), Parking Brake (1).

Complaints by reported area (267 total; a single complaint can cite more than one area): Service Brakes (44), Electrical System (40), Visibility/Wiper (31), Vehicle Speed Control (27), Engine (24), Fuel/Propulsion System (19).

Recall counts are NHTSA campaign records; complaint counts are consumer reports. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by consumers to NHTSA.

Crash, fire, injury and death reports

Across those consumer complaints, NHTSA’s records for the Prius (MY 2017–2026) include 41 crash reports, 2 fire reports, 23 injury reports and 1 report of a death. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by consumers to NHTSA.

Do recalls affect what the Prius costs to own?

No direct cost. A recall is a free remedy: the manufacturer must repair the defect at no charge, so an open or completed recall adds nothing to the 5-year cost of ownership.
Resale is the one caveat. An unrepaired recall can make a used Prius harder to sell or trade in — a buyer or dealer may want it fixed first — but the fix itself is still free, and completing it removes that friction.
How our totals treat it. Our 5-year cost-of-ownership totals use market-level depreciation estimates; they are not adjusted per recall campaign. See the honest 5-year cost to own: Toyota Prius LE (hybrid) cost to own →.

Recalls & complaints — FAQ

How many recalls does the Toyota Prius have?

As of July 10, 2026, NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns for the Toyota Prius (MY 2017–2026). Each is a free remedy — the manufacturer repairs the defect at no cost. The full dated campaign list is above.

What is the most serious Prius recall?

The largest by scale is campaign 25V744000 (October 30, 2025, Back Over Prevention), affecting about 1,024,407 vehicles: A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. The remedy is free of charge.

How do I check if my Prius has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA’s free recall lookup, nhtsa.gov/recalls. It shows any open (unrepaired) recall for your exact vehicle, and recall repairs are always free at a franchised dealer.

Do recalls make the Prius cheaper or more expensive to own?

Neither, directly — recall repairs are free, so they add nothing to the cost of ownership. An unrepaired recall can make a used one harder to resell, but our 5-year cost totals use market-level depreciation and are not adjusted per campaign. See the Prius cost to own.

About this data

All powertrains and trims. Figures cover all powertrains and trims sold under the Prius nameplate for the model years shown (MY 2017–2026).
A recall is a free fix. A recall means the manufacturer must remedy a safety defect free of charge; it is not the same as a breakdown or a repair bill.
Complaints are unverified. Consumer complaints are unverified reports submitted by consumers to NHTSA — a signal of what owners report, not confirmed defects.

Source: NHTSA (nhtsa.gov), data as of July 10, 2026.