CSR

Toyota · NHTSA safety record

2012 Toyota Prius Plug-IN Hybrid

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

25

Complaints

1

Crashes

1

Fires

2

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-IN Hybrid have filed 25 safety complaints with NHTSA between December 2016 and August 2024. The most complained-about system is the brakes, named in 10 of them (40%). The typical failure was reported at 89,000 miles, the median across the 16 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 2 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (2)

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM

17V718000 · November 15, 2017

The defect
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2012-2015 Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. The hybrid battery contains an Electric Vehicle (EV) fuse that may fracture after repeated high-load driving conditions such as climbing long hills.
The risk
The failed fuse may cause the hybrid system to shut down resulting in the loss of power. Loss of power while driving at higher speeds can increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EV fuse, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 8, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is H0R.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing · up to 39,915 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

16V487000 · June 30, 2016

The defect
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.
The risk
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.
The remedy
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install retention brackets to the curtain shield air bags, free of charge. The recall began on October 17, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota Customer Service Department at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is Toyota G0U, and Lexus GLJ.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing · up to 482,002 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations (1)

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Brake Actuator Valve Wear

DP19004

Closed defect petition · opened September 30, 2019 · closed January 21, 2021

the hydraulic brakes

On September 19, 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a defect petition from Mr. Roger Hogan requesting that the Agency investigate and recall certain Toyota Prius, Prius PHV, Camry Hybrid and Avalon Hybrid vehicles for a brake actuator valve wear condition covered under Toyota Customer Support Programs ZJB and ZKK (subject CSP?s). In support of his request, the petitioner identified 117 NHTSA complaints allegedly related to the subject CSP condition, including 60 reporting crashes. On September 30, 2019, ODI opened Defect Petition DP19-004 to evaluate the petitioner?s request for an investigation. In August 2020, the petitioner notified the Agency that he was withdrawing his petition. Because the petitioner has withdrawn the petition, we are denying the petition as moot and no further analysis of this petition is necessary.NHTSA is authorized to issue an order requiring notification and remedy of a defect if the Agency?s investigation shows a defect in the design, construction, or performance of a motor vehicle that presents an unreasonable risk to safety. 49 U.S.C. ?? 30102(a)(9), 30118. Because the petitioner has with withdrawn the petition, the petition is denied as moot. This action does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency notes that it is not required to receive a defect petition prior to opening a defect investigation and will take further action if warranted by future circumstances.

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 25.

SERVICE BRAKES 10 40%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 4 16%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 3 12%
ENGINE 2 8%
POWER TRAIN 2 8%
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 2 8%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 2 8%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 4%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 1 4%
HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 4%
STEERING 1 4%
SUSPENSION 1 4%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2018 at 5.

2016 2018 2024
2016 to 2024

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

SERVICE BRAKES

2 injured · crash · towed

I was driving less than 55mph on freeway on February 5, 2024 when my vehicle went into an out of control spin, Brakes did not seem to work and unable to control vehicle until hit center divider on freeway, Spun 180 degrees and kept going back with no braking until hit center divider.

NHTSA complaint 11572415. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

fire

CAR WAS PARKED AND THE CHARGE CORD CONNECTED. IT HAD ABOUT 2.9 MILES LEFT ON BATTERY POWER, BY THAT CALCULATION IT SHOULD BEEN CHARGED BY 1100P. AT 1230P CAR WAS FULLY ENGULFED IN FIRE. FIRE DEPT IS INVESTIGATING FOR ARSON, BUT MY NEIGHBORS CAMERA CAUGHT IT ALL (I HAVEN'T SEEN IT) IT SEEMS THE CAR JUST START ON FIRE BY ITSELF, INSURANCE IS STILL INVESTIGATING, BUT I'M ALMOST POSITIVE THAT THIS FIRE STARTED ON ITS ON. IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU GUYS COULD FOLLOW UP. MY HOUSE ALSO CAUGHT ON FIRE. HAD I NOT BEEN JOLTED UP AND TRIED TO SAVE MY HOUSE WITH A HOSE, WE WOULD HAVE LOST THE HOUSE ALSO. CAR WAS 100 PERCENT DESTROYED

NHTSA complaint 10937368. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

towed · 130,000 miles

The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the stabili-trak, ABS, and a several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated there were also audible alarms being sounded. The contact depressed the brake pedal and the brake pedal failed to respond. The contact stated that she was able to coast the vehicle off the highway and shifted into park(P) and turned off the vehicle. The contact turned off and turned on the vehicle and attempted to depress the brake pedal; however, the brake pedal was abnormally firm. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the brake

NHTSA complaint 11548466, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES
1. The ABS system failed upon inspection at a dealership. Specifically the ABS accumulator and booster. 2. The ABS system put us at risk by failing prematurely, and traction control and ABS functions seemingly stopped working while driving on the road. 3. Yes, dealership confirmed the issue with a full diagnostic, and the part has a customer support program bulletin/TSB out for this specific issue. 4. inspected by manufacturer dealership service center. 5. Lights such as the parking brake, ABS, and (!) lit up while driving and the failure occurred at the same time.

NHTSA complaint 11610069. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION
Today 05/25/2024 noticed a slight camber on the right rear wheel. Jacked up the car and removed the right rear to take a closer look and realized the rear axle/subframe was splitting in half along the weld point. If I hadn't caught this today and my daughter was driving it I'm confident she or others would have been killed or severely injured since most of her driving is highway related. The part that is blowing my mind is the vehicle was at the dealership twice in the last month and no one noticed when on a lift. The car is now permanently on jack stands till it can be repaired. I'm not sure it will even hold together to get onto a tow truck. I will not attempt driving do to safety

NHTSA complaint 11590779, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

130,000 miles

The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving down a winding road, the brake warning light and brake message suddenly activated and while depressing the brake pedal, the pedal extended to the floorboard and the vehicle would not immediately stop. The vehicle was later taken to the local service center who diagnosed that the brake booster, brake master cylinder, and brake booster pump assembly were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the vehicle did not qualify for the manufacturers extended

NHTSA complaint 11581169, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES
2012 level 5 plug-in I was driving on the freeway with radar cruise control and the vehicle dash lit up with check pcs system ever warning light came on the brake petal was not there as normal it would go about half way down to engage very scary I took it to the dealership service said I need new brake booster installed not covered under warranty 130k miles

NHTSA complaint 11545308. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Toyota Prius Plug-IN Hybrid

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2014 13 1
2013 12 1

Other 2012 Toyota models

Every Toyota on this site — 272 vehicles, 370 recall campaigns and 3 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst