2017 Toyota PRIUS PLUG-IN HYBRID

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Excellent Reliability

Quick Summary

The 2017 Toyota PRIUS PLUG-IN HYBRID has 13 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.2x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is other problems (23% of all complaints), specifically: toyota safety connect communication module has ceased functioning. vehicle telematics inoperative. sos button inoperative. collision notification inoperative. dealer unable to diagnose..

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.2x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

OTHER

3 complaints

23%

• TOYOTA SAFETY CONNECT COMMUNICATION MODULE HAS CEASED FUNCTIONING. VEHICLE TELEMATICS INOPERATIVE. SOS BUTTON INOPERATIVE. COLLISION NOTIFICATION INOPERATIVE. DEALER UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE.
• THE AIR CONDITIONER EMITS A FOUL SMELL WHEN STARTING AND WHILE DRIVING. HAVE MANY NEW CARS AND NEVER HAD THIS CHRONIC PROBLEM. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A RECURRING PROBLEMS WITH TOYOTA. TRADED IN 2015 PRIUS WITH 36000 MILES FOR THE PRIUS PRIME AND NEVER HAD A AIR CONDITI
• HEAD RESTRAINT (HEAD REST). PUSHES HEAD FORWARD. CAUSES NECK/BACK DISCOMFORT. HEAD STRIKING HEAD RESTRAINT ON ROUGH ROAD FEELS LIKE A CONCUSSION! LONG DRIVES ARE MISERABLE. SEAT ADJUSTMENTS FAIL TO OVERCOME THE ISSUE. 5'3" WOMAN. I HAD A PRIUS 2006 AND IT WAS JUST FINE. THIS PRIUS SEAT IS SO UNC

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“TOYOTA SAFETY CONNECT COMMUNICATION MODULE HAS CEASED FUNCTIONING. VEHICLE TELEMATICS INOPERATIVE. SOS BUTTON INOPERATIVE. COLLISION NOTIFICATION INOPERATIVE. DEALER UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

VISIBILITY

3 complaints

23%

• NOTICED TWO SMALL CRACKS IN THE WINDSHIELD, CENTER AREA CLOSE TO BOTTOM OF WINDSHIELD. DID NOT NOTICE SOUND OR SIGHT OF AN IMPACT, BUT TWO DAYS LATER, CRACKS HAD SPREAD LEFT AND RIGHT ABOUT 14 INCHES EITHER SIDE OF ORIGINAL SITE OF CRACKS.
• TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, A SMALL ROCK THROWN UP BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC HIT THE LOWER LEFT EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD, A LARGE CRACK EXTENDING MORE THAN HALFWAY ACROSS THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDSHIELD APPEARED. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE WITH NEWER TOYOTA HYBRIDS. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP HAS QUOTED
• SUMMARY: HAVE OWNED MY PRIUS PRIME FOR EIGHT MONTHS AND HAVE NEEDED TO REPAIR ONE WINDSHIELD CHIP, REPLACE MY WINDSHIELD ONCE, AND CURRENTLY HAVE ANOTHER CRACK THAT CANNOT BE REPAIRED. DETAILS: PURCHASED MY PRIUS PRIME DEC 10, 2017. ON DEC 20, 2017, GOT A CHIP IN MY WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING TO W

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“NOTICED TWO SMALL CRACKS IN THE WINDSHIELD, CENTER AREA CLOSE TO BOTTOM OF WINDSHIELD. DID NOT NOTICE SOUND OR SIGHT OF AN IMPACT, BUT TWO DAYS LATER, CRACKS HAD SPREAD LEFT AND RIGHT ABOUT 14 INCHES EITHER SIDE OF ORIGINAL SITE OF CRACKS.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BODY/STRUCTURE

2 complaints

15%

• THE WINDSHIELD OF OUR 2017 PRIUS PRIME SUSTAINED DAMAGE WHILE TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY. THE STONE WAS PEA SIZED AND SHOULD NOT HAVE CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD AT THE SPEED OF 50MPH.
• CAR HAS LOUD CONTINUOUS CREAKING/SQUEAKING NOISE FROM LEFT REAR OF THE CAR. SOUNDS LIKE IT IS COMING FROM THE SUSPENSION OR BODY FLEXING WHEN DRIVING. IT OCCURS WHEN TURNING AND REVERSING OUT OF PARKING SPACES. ALSO HAPPENS WHEN CAR IS GOING UPHILL AND DOWNHILL AND ON WINDING ROADS. DRIVER SEAT ALSO

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“THE WINDSHIELD OF OUR 2017 PRIUS PRIME SUSTAINED DAMAGE WHILE TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY. THE STONE WAS PEA SIZED AND SHOULD NOT HAVE CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD AT THE SPEED OF 50MPH.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SEATS/RESTRAINTS

2 complaints

15%

• CAR HAS LOUD CONTINUOUS CREAKING/SQUEAKING NOISE FROM LEFT REAR OF THE CAR. SOUNDS LIKE IT IS COMING FROM THE SUSPENSION OR BODY FLEXING WHEN DRIVING. IT OCCURS WHEN TURNING AND REVERSING OUT OF PARKING SPACES. ALSO HAPPENS WHEN CAR IS GOING UPHILL AND DOWNHILL AND ON WINDING ROADS. DRIVER SEAT ALSO
• HEAD RESTRAINT (HEAD REST). PUSHES HEAD FORWARD. CAUSES NECK/BACK DISCOMFORT. HEAD STRIKING HEAD RESTRAINT ON ROUGH ROAD FEELS LIKE A CONCUSSION! LONG DRIVES ARE MISERABLE. SEAT ADJUSTMENTS FAIL TO OVERCOME THE ISSUE. 5'3" WOMAN. I HAD A PRIUS 2006 AND IT WAS JUST FINE. THIS PRIUS SEAT IS SO UNC

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“CAR HAS LOUD CONTINUOUS CREAKING/SQUEAKING NOISE FROM LEFT REAR OF THE CAR. SOUNDS LIKE IT IS COMING FROM THE SUSPENSION OR BODY FLEXING WHEN DRIVING. IT OCCURS WHEN TURNING AND REVERSING OUT OF PARKING SPACES. ALSO HAPPENS WHEN CAR IS GOING UPHILL AND DOWNHILL AND ON WINDING ROADS. DRIVER SEAT ALSO”

— NHTSA complaint filing

LIGHTING

1 complaints

• BRIGHT LED HEADLIGHTS ISN'T THE ISSUE JUST WITH MY PRIUS PRIME BUT WITH ALMOST ALL NEW VEHICLES ON THE ROAD THAT I PRESUME HAVE LED LIGHTS. THE LIGHTS ARE SO BRIGHT THAT IT BOTHERS THE DRIVER OF THE ONCOMING VEHICLE OR TRAFFIC. I FACE THAT ISSUE WHILE DRIVING AND CAN IMAGINE THE SAME WITH THE DRIVER

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“BRIGHT LED HEADLIGHTS ISN'T THE ISSUE JUST WITH MY PRIUS PRIME BUT WITH ALMOST ALL NEW VEHICLES ON THE ROAD THAT I PRESUME HAVE LED LIGHTS. THE LIGHTS ARE SO BRIGHT THAT IT BOTHERS THE DRIVER OF THE ONCOMING VEHICLE OR TRAFFIC. I FACE THAT ISSUE WHILE DRIVING AND CAN IMAGINE THE SAME WITH THE DRIVER”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

VISIBILITY(~50K mi)

$500

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

SEATS/RESTRAINTS(~50K mi)

$500

LIGHTING(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 13 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
OTHER: TOYOTA SAFETY CONNECT COMMUNICATION MODULE HAS CEASED FUNCTIONING. VEHICLE TELEMATICS INOPERATIVE. SOS BUTTON INOPERATIVE. COLLISION NOTIFICATION INOPERATIVE. DEALER UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
VISIBILITY: NOTICED TWO SMALL CRACKS IN THE WINDSHIELD, CENTER AREA CLOSE TO BOTTOM OF WINDSHIELD. DID NOT NOTICE SOUND OR SIGHT OF AN IMPACT, BUT TWO DAYS LATER, CRACKS HAD SPREAD LEFT AND RIGHT ABOUT 14 INCHES EITHER SIDE OF ORIGINAL SITE OF CRACKS.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BODY/STRUCTURE: THE WINDSHIELD OF OUR 2017 PRIUS PRIME SUSTAINED DAMAGE WHILE TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY. THE STONE WAS PEA SIZED AND SHOULD NOT HAVE CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD AT THE SPEED OF 50MPH.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SEATS/RESTRAINTS: CAR HAS LOUD CONTINUOUS CREAKING/SQUEAKING NOISE FROM LEFT REAR OF THE CAR. SOUNDS LIKE IT IS COMING FROM THE SUSPENSION OR BODY FLEXING WHEN DRIVING. IT OCCURS WHEN TURNING AND REVERSING OUT OF PARKING SPACES. ALSO HAPPENS WHEN CAR IS GOING UPHILL AND DOWNHILL AND ON WINDING ROADS. DRIVER SEAT ALSO
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)