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Toyota · NHTSA safety record

2017 Toyota Prius

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

Owners have filed 91 safety complaints about the 2017 Toyota Prius with the US government. Of those, 12 describe a crash, 2 mention a fire, 7 people were injured and no death is recorded. 3 recall campaigns are open against it.

The most complained-about system is visibility and the wipers, named in 17 complaints, 19% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 14,000 miles, the median across the 66 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers March 2017 to May 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

91 complaints on file

91

Complaints

12

Describe a crash

2

Mention fire

7

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
VISIBILITY/WIPER 17 · 19%
SERVICE BRAKES 14 · 15%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 13 · 14%
ENGINE 12 · 13%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 12 · 13%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 11 · 12%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 11 · 12%
STEERING 7 · 8%
STRUCTURE 7 · 8%
POWER TRAIN 4 · 4%
WHEELS 4 · 4%
AIR BAGS 3 · 3%
0 8 15

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 91.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2018 at 23.

28 21 14 7
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2017 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2017 Toyota PRIUS, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test 5 HB FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover 10.7%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

3 on file

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

18V579000 · September 5, 2018

The defect
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Toyota Prius vehicles. A portion of the engine wire harness connected to the hybrid Power Control Unit (PCU), could contact the cover at this connection and wear, causing an electrical short circuit.
The risk
An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine wire harness assembly and replace it if damage is found. A protective sleeve or protective tape will be included to prevent any future damage. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began October 30, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J0T.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing · up to 192,347 vehicles across all model years covered

TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE

17V295000 · May 2, 2017

The defect
Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (Gulf States) is recalling certain 2017 4Runner , 86, Avalon, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Corolla, Corolla iM, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Prius, Prius C, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Sienna and Yaris vehicles. The spare tire air pressure was not adjusted to the proper pressure as stated on the Tire Pressure Label.
The risk
A spare tire that is not inflated to the proper value may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Gulf States will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the spare tires, adjusting their pressure as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 15, 2017. Owners may contact Gulf States customer service at 1-800-444-1074. Toyota's number for this recall is 17R2.

Gulf States Toyota, Inc. · up to 409 vehicles across all model years covered

PARKING BRAKE

16V741000 · October 14, 2016

The defect
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Prius vehicles manufactured August 6, 2015, to October 3, 2016. The affected vehicles are equipped with a foot-operated parking brake system that has a parking brake cable that may disengage.
The 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 vehicle, the vehicle may roll unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
The 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. The recall began November 10, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is G01.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing · up to 91,585 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations

1 on file

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.

Pedestrian alert sounds

DP22005

Closed defect petition · opened January 27, 2023 · closed August 7, 2023 · led to recall 22V063000

the electrical system

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

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 · 13,850 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2017 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS REVERSING THE VEHICLE INTO A PARKING LOT, IT ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT IT FAILED TO ENGAGE AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A TREE. ALL THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT DID NOT ENGAGE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE CONTACT AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY TOWED THE VEHICLE TO A LOT AND DEEMED IT A TOTAL LOSS. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 13,850. *LN*JB

NHTSA complaint 11277105. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY

1 injured · fire · 1,600 miles

WE PURCHASED A 2017 TOYOTA PRIUS ON JANUARY 29TH 2017 AND ON MARCH 22ND 2017 THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE OUT OF NO WHERE. THE CAR WAS PARKED AND OFF WHEN SMOKE BEGAN TO COME OUT FROM THE AROUND THE SHIFT CHANGER AND THE TOUCH SCREEN AREA. AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY ON FIRE.

NHTSA complaint 10971466. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed · 20,500 miles

TAKATA RECALL POSSIBLY. WET PAVEMENT, TRAFFIC SLOWED ON INTERSTATE TO ABOUT 45 MPH, TAILGATING SMALL PICKUP HIT MY REAR CRUMPLE ZONE, SHOVED ME INTO A SMALL SUV THAT CRUSHED MY FRONT CRUMPLE ZONE. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NEITHER MY WIFE (FRONT SEAT PASSENGER) NOR I FELT ANY DISCOMFORT, BUT A FEW DAYS LATER SHE COMPLAINED ABOUT PAIN IN HER WAIST AREA. SHE WAS LATER DETERMINED TO HAVE A FRACTURED PELVIS AND A JOSTLED LEFT HIP JOINT.

NHTSA complaint 11203456. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed · 20,555 miles

MY VEHICLE WAS REAR-ENDED AND SHOVED INTO A THIRD VEHICLE. WE WERE ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WITH WET PAVEMENT, AND TRAFFIC WAS SLOWING. WE WERE TRAVELING STRAIGHT. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND MY WIFE, BELTED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, WAS TWISTED SIDEWAYS BY THE IMPACT. SHE EXPERIENCED A PELVIC FRACTURE AND AGGRAVATION OF HER ARTHRITIC LEFT HIP JOINT. WE BELIEVE THAT AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THESE INJURIES. I HAVE ATTACHED THREE EVENT DATA FILES AND VEHICLE CONTROL HISTORY FILES. (I CAN'T SEE IF ALL THREE ARE ATTACHED.)

NHTSA complaint 11244699. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
The catalytic converter heat exchanger failed internally, causing coolant to leak into the exhaust system. Symptoms included white smoke from exhaust and coolant loss with no visible ground leak. This is a documented factory defect per Toyota Technical Service Bulletin T-SB-0135-19 affecting 2016-2019 Prius models. Toyota has denied warranty coverage despite the vehicle was originally bought & spent its entire prior operational life registered in New York, a state covered under Toyota's full 15-year/150,000-mile emissions warranty. Defect was confirmed by an authorized Toyota dealership, in PA. Vehicle had approximately 83,104 miles at time of diagnosis. Manufacturer denied coverage and is

NHTSA complaint 11738755, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER

225,810 miles

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2017 Toyota Prius. It was discovered when the contact listed the vehicle for sale that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was as a private sale. At the time of the purchase, the mileage was 126,611. The potential purchaser provided a CARFAX report that recorded the mileage on 11/6/2024 at 225,810.

NHTSA complaint 11706080. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY

crash

Standing at a red light and someone rear ended

NHTSA complaint 11674421. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
During hot temperatures and after coming to a full stop, the car stalls/hesitates significantly (5-6seconds) when pushing the gas pedal. The car eventually proceeds but the issue reoccurs. It can only be intermittently reproduced and no codes are shown on the car dashboard. Mechanics are unable to identify the source of the issue so it cannot be resolved.

NHTSA complaint 11674665. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

81,700 miles

The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25-30 MPH, the vents were blowing out cold air. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was adding coolant to the coolant reservoir every three to four days. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the coolant was leaking into the exhaust pipe. The dealer recommended that the exhaust system front pipe be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted, opened a case, and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 81,700.

NHTSA complaint 11645348. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN

towed · 68,000 miles

The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while the contact's wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed. The accelerator pedal was depressed, however the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled and jerked. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact stated that the battery indicator did not look as if the battery was charging. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to two independent mechanics; however, the failure was not duplicated. In addition, the vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an

NHTSA complaint 11627707, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Toyota Prius

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2026 6 1 —
2025 16 2 —
2024 26 4 —
2023 19 4 1
2022 24 1 —
2020 14 0 —
2019 30 3 —
2018 36 1 —
2016 154 5 —
2015 165 1 3
2014 207 3 —
2013 410 3 —
2012 423 6 —
2011 520 6 —
2010 2,822 10 2

Other 2017 Toyota models

RAV4 307 Highlander 267 Tacoma 239 Corolla 178 Sienna 154 Camry 148 Tundra 78 Prius Prime 42

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Toyota on this site — 281 vehicles.

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. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

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