2004-2026 model years · 9,360+ owner reports · Updated September 2026
All years · All trims · All engines
Choose the year and equipment for your written issues and visual request.
Interest applies to the selected vehicle and configuration; it is not a reservation. Voting stores a first-party identifier for up to 180 days to prevent repeat votes. No account or email is needed. Clearing cookies or using another device may count separately. Privacy
Visual coming soon
Your interest helps us choose what to build next.
Visual Known Issues · Coming soon
$4.99/month plus taxes at launch · No payment today
Choose a year to request this visual. Trim and engine are optional; omitted trim is Not specified.
According to Au7o's analysis of 9,360+ owner reports, the 2004-2026 Toyota Prius has 19 documented known issues, with 10 rated critical. The most serious are Hybrid Battery Pack (HV Battery) Failure ($1,200-$3,500 repair), Inverter Coolant Pump Failure ($200-$600 repair), 1NZ-FXE Head Gasket Failure and EGR Cooler Issues ($1,200-$2,500 repair), 3rd Generation 2ZR-FXE Excessive Oil Consumption ($0-$3,500 repair), Electric Engine Coolant Pump Failure Causing Overheat Shutdown (P261B / P261C) ($250-$800 repair), Inverter Intelligent Power Module (IPM) Overheating and Hybrid System Stall ($2,500-$5,000 repair), Recall 06V096000: Side, Curtain and Knee Air Bag Inflator Defect on 2004-2006 Prius, Rear Door Opener Switch Water Intrusion Allowing Doors to Open While Driving (Recalls 24V274 / 26V049) ($0-$0 repair), Brake Booster and Brake Booster Pump Assembly Internal Leak (DTC C1391) ($1,800-$3,500 repair) and Catalytic Converter Theft Vulnerability ($150-$3,000 repair). The most commonly reported issue is Hybrid Battery Pack (HV Battery) Failure with 4,500 owner reports. Across all issues with published estimates, repair costs range from $150 to $5,000. DIY maintenance guides at au7o.io.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:SWITCHES/KNOBS/BUTTONS
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Prius Prime, 2023-2026 Prius, and 2025-2026 Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. Water may enter the rear door switch and cause a short circuit, allowing an unlocked rear door to open unexpectedly.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:SWITCHES/KNOBS/BUTTONS
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Prius and Prius Prime vehicles. Water may enter the rear door switch and cause a short circuit, allowing an unlocked rear door to open unexpectedly.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (GST) is recalling certain Toyota 2023 GR Supra, 2024 4 Runner, Corolla, Grand Highlander, Grand Highlander Hybrid, Land Cruiser Hybrid, Tacoma, Tacoma Hybrid, 2023-2024 BZ4X, Corolla Cross Hybrid, GR Corolla, GR86, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Prius, Prius Prime, Sequoia Hybrid, Tundra, Tundra Hybrid, Venza Hybrid, 2023-2025 Crown, and 2025 Camry Hybrid vehicles equipped with GST accessories. The load carrying capacity modification label may display inaccurate added weight values. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or display a blank screen when the vehicle is in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECU/ECM):SOFTWARE
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022 Prius and Prius Prime vehicles. The Engine Control Unit (ECU) software may falsely detect an error and shut down the hybrid system, causing a loss of drive power.
Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check recalls specific to your vehicle.
Don't see your problem? Describe your symptoms to get a diagnosis, or get a full repair guide.
According to Au7o's analysis of 9,360+ owner reports, the 2004-2026 Toyota Prius has 19 documented issues. The most frequently reported are: Hybrid Battery Pack (HV Battery) Failure, Inverter Coolant Pump Failure, 1NZ-FXE Head Gasket Failure and EGR Cooler Issues. Of these, 10 are rated critical and should be addressed promptly.
The 2004-2026 Toyota Prius has 19 known issues documented across 9,360+ owner reports. 10 issues are rated critical: Hybrid Battery Pack (HV Battery) Failure and Inverter Coolant Pump Failure and 1NZ-FXE Head Gasket Failure and EGR Cooler Issues and 3rd Generation 2ZR-FXE Excessive Oil Consumption and Electric Engine Coolant Pump Failure Causing Overheat Shutdown (P261B / P261C) and Inverter Intelligent Power Module (IPM) Overheating and Hybrid System Stall and Recall 06V096000: Side, Curtain and Knee Air Bag Inflator Defect on 2004-2006 Prius and Rear Door Opener Switch Water Intrusion Allowing Doors to Open While Driving (Recalls 24V274 / 26V049) and Brake Booster and Brake Booster Pump Assembly Internal Leak (DTC C1391) and Catalytic Converter Theft Vulnerability. Prospective buyers should inspect for these issues and factor potential repair costs into their purchase decision. Regular maintenance following the manufacturer's schedule helps prevent many common problems.
Repair costs for known Toyota Prius issues range from $0 to $5,000, depending on the specific problem and whether you choose DIY or professional repair. The most critical issue, Hybrid Battery Pack (HV Battery) Failure, typically costs $1,200-$3,500 to repair. Au7o provides step-by-step DIY maintenance guides that can help reduce repair costs.
Reliability varies across model years of the Toyota Prius. Based on documented issues, problems are most commonly reported in earlier model years. Au7o recommends checking the specific known issues for your target year before purchasing, and having a pre-purchase inspection performed by a qualified mechanic. Our known issues database covers the 2004-2026 Toyota Prius with 19 documented issues documented across 9,360+ owner reports.
Gen 2 (2004-2009) and Gen 3 (2010-2015) Prius NiMH battery packs commonly fail between 8-15 years. Individual cell degradation causes voltage imbalances, triggering warning lights and reduced performance. Battery cooling fan clogging accelerates failure. Repairs typically run $1,200-$3,500. Severity: high.
The electric inverter coolant pump (G9020-47031) on Gen 2 Prius fails without warning, causing the inverter to overheat. If not caught quickly, overheating can destroy the inverter assembly ($3,000+ repair). Pump typically fails between 100,000-180,000 miles. Repairs typically run $200-$600. Severity: high.
The 1.5L 1NZ-FXE engine can develop head gasket failure allowing coolant and oil mixing, often linked to EGR cooler problems that cause localized hot spots. Typically appears after 150,000+ miles. External coolant leaks may also occur at the head gasket mating surface. Repairs typically run $1,200-$2,500. Severity: high.
The 3rd generation Prius with the 2ZR-FXE engine consumes excessive oil, often burning 1 quart every 1,000-2,000 miles. The root cause is defective piston rings that do not properly seal against the cylinder walls. Toyota extended the warranty to 10 years/150,000 miles for affect… Repairs typically run $0-$3,500. Severity: high.
Unlike a belt-driven pump, the 2ZR-FXE engine coolant pump is a brushless electric unit commanded by duty cycle from the ECM. The internal motor/controller degrades and the pump slows or stops, so coolant stops circulating through the engine. The ECM detects the speed feedback fa… Repairs typically run $250-$800. Severity: high.
Transistors inside the Intelligent Power Module of the inverter/converter assembly can overheat and fail under sustained high load (long grades, hard acceleration, hot weather). When the module faults, the hybrid system shuts down and the car can stall at speed, sometimes without… Repairs typically run $2,500-$5,000. Severity: high.
Second-generation Prius hatchbacks from 2004 through 2006 are among the vehicles listed in NHTSA safety recall 06V096000. The recalled component is an air bag inflator used in the side air bag, the curtain shield air bag and the knee air bag assembly. Because of improper assembly… Severity: high.
The XW60 Prius uses electronic rear door opener switches instead of mechanical handles. Water can enter the switch housing and short the circuit, which the body control system reads as a door release request - an unlocked rear door can then open unexpectedly, including while the… Repairs typically run $0-$0. Severity: high.
The electro-hydraulic brake booster/accumulator assembly on third-generation Prius develops an internal fluid leak, so the accumulator can no longer hold pressure. The pump then runs constantly to keep pressure up (loud buzzing/grinding from under the driver's footwell) and event… Repairs typically run $1,800-$3,500. Severity: high.
The Toyota Prius is the single most targeted vehicle for catalytic converter theft in the United States. The Prius catalytic converter contains higher concentrations of precious metals (palladium, rhodium, platinum) than most vehicles because the hybrid system results in a cleane… Repairs typically run $150-$3,000. Severity: high.
Gen 3 and Gen 4 Prius models develop heavy carbon buildup in the EGR valve and intake manifold, causing rough idle, misfires, and reduced performance. The Atkinson-cycle engine's low combustion temperatures promote carbon accumulation in the EGR system. Repairs typically run $200-$800. Severity: medium.
XW50 Prius owners report windshields developing long cracks from pebble-sized strikes that would not damage other cars, and in many reports with no impact at all - a crack appearing after sun exposure or a cold morning and then growing several inches a day across the driver's fie… Repairs typically run $400-$1,600. Severity: medium.
The 2004-2009 Prius uses a coolant heat-storage tank and an electrically actuated three-way coolant flow control valve that routes coolant between engine, storage tank and heater core to cut cold-start emissions and warm the cabin quickly. The valve motor or its position sensor f… Repairs typically run $350-$1,000. Severity: medium.
NHTSA recall 25V744000 includes 2023-2025 Toyota Prius hybrids built with the Panoramic View Monitor system. Toyota identified a software error that can freeze the rearview camera image or leave the screen blank when the Prius is shifted into reverse, which places the car outside… Severity: medium.
The 12V auxiliary battery in the Prius is critical for powering the vehicle computer systems that must boot up before the hybrid system can start. Unlike conventional cars where a weak battery can still crank the engine, a dead 12V battery in the Prius means the vehicle will not… Repairs typically run $150-$300. Severity: medium.
On XW20 Prius equipped with factory HID (xenon) headlamps, one or both low beams flicker, cut out while driving, and often will not restrike until the lights are cycled - leaving the driver with no low beam at night. The failure is normally the aged D4R HID bulb (as gas pressure… Repairs typically run $150-$900. Severity: medium.
High-mileage Prius eCVT transaxles develop a speed-dependent whine or groan from failing MG1/MG2 support bearings and worn reduction gears; in the worst cases metal debris or a motor-generator fault trips the hybrid system with codes such as P0A92, P0A7A or an isolation fault (P0… Repairs typically run $1,200-$4,000. Severity: medium.
The vacuum-fluorescent combination meter on XW20 Prius loses segments or goes completely blank, taking the speedometer, fuel gauge and shift indicator with it. Failure is traced to cracked solder joints and failing capacitors/driver components on the meter board, aggravated by da… Repairs typically run $150-$1,500. Severity: medium.
Gulf States Toyota included the 2023-2024 Toyota Prius and Prius Prime in recall 24V548000. Affected cars are those fitted with GST accessories, where the load carrying capacity modification label may display inaccurate added weight values. That sticker is the owner's only record… Severity: low.
Content on this page was compiled with AI assistance using NHTSA complaints, TSBs, owner reports, and public automotive data. While we strive for accuracy, this information may contain errors. Always verify repair procedures and specifications with your vehicle's service manual or a qualified mechanic.
