2012 Toyota PRIUS V

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2012 Toyota PRIUS V has 287 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 3.6x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is brakes problems (45% of all complaints), specifically: purchased prius v in march 2012, june 2012 took vehicle in for service and to have dealer look into noise coming from rear brakes. dealer stated they could not hear the noise and saw nothing upon inspection. noise became more frequent and louder, took vehicle back to dealer and they could hear the . ⚠️ 1 fire report filed.

1 fire report 24 crash reports 10 injuries

287

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

3.6x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

BRAKES

130 complaints

45%

• PURCHASED PRIUS V IN MARCH 2012, JUNE 2012 TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE AND TO HAVE DEALER LOOK INTO NOISE COMING FROM REAR BRAKES. DEALER STATED THEY COULD NOT HEAR THE NOISE AND SAW NOTHING UPON INSPECTION. NOISE BECAME MORE FREQUENT AND LOUDER, TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER AND THEY COULD HEAR THE
• LOUD SCRAPING NOISE COMING FROM REAR OF CAR---HAD THE CAR IN TO TOYOTA 5 TIMES. THE NOISE CONTINUES TO GET LOUDER AS TIME PASSES.-- ITS NOW LOUD ENOUGH TO DROWN OUT THE RADIO.--TOYOTA SERVICE SAYS IT IS JUST RUST ON THE ROTORS.--THIS IS THE 4TH NEW TOYOTA I HAVE OWNED,-- BUT THIS THE ONLY ONE I HAVE
• WHEN YOU START TO DRIVE IT MAKES A LOUD HOWLING SOUND, IT IS GETTING LOUDER AS TIME GOES ON. PEOPLE LOOK AT US LIKE WE ARE CRAZY FOR DRIVING WITH BAD BRAKES. WE HAVE HAD IT IN TO THE DEALER MANY TIMES TO JUST BE TOLD IT IS THE WAY IT IS. NO REPAIR IS NECESSARY. IT IS GETTING MORE AND MORE ANNOYI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 10 crashes

“PURCHASED PRIUS V IN MARCH 2012, JUNE 2012 TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE AND TO HAVE DEALER LOOK INTO NOISE COMING FROM REAR BRAKES. DEALER STATED THEY COULD NOT HEAR THE NOISE AND SAW NOTHING UPON INSPECTION. NOISE BECAME MORE FREQUENT AND LOUDER, TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER AND THEY COULD HEAR THE ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

36 complaints

13%

• A GROANING NOISE AT ALL TEMPERATURES SO FAR. IT BEGINS AND THEN GOES AWAY AFTER I DRIVE FOR A BLOCK. IT IS VERY LOUD AND IT CAN BE HEARD BY OTHERS AROUND ME. IT IS EMBARRASSING AND DOESN'T SOUND LIKE IT IS HEALTHY FOR THE LONGEVITY OF THE VEHICLE. *TR
• MY 2012 PRIUS V HAS SEVERAL UNRESOLVED PROBLEMS. ON THOSE OCCASIONS WHEN THE GAS ENGINE CRANKS THE CAR, THERE IS A LOUD ENGINE RATTLER. THE ENGINE SOUNDS AS IF THERE ISN'T ANY OIL. TURNING OFF THE ENGINE AND RE-CRANK DOES NOT ALWAYS FIX THE PROBLEM. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT SOMETIMES RATTLE. TW
• MY CAR HAS AN ISSUE I FIRST NOTICED SOON AFTER I BOUGHT IT, AND THAT NOW HAPPENS AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK. THE DATE I'VE ENTERED IS THE APPROXIMATE FIRST DATE I NOTICED THE PROBLEM OCCUR. I DESCRIBE BELOW A MORE RECENT INSTANCE OF THE SAME BEHAVIOR, THE TIME WHEN IT FELT THE LEAST SAFE. /// THE RECURRI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“A GROANING NOISE AT ALL TEMPERATURES SO FAR. IT BEGINS AND THEN GOES AWAY AFTER I DRIVE FOR A BLOCK. IT IS VERY LOUD AND IT CAN BE HEARD BY OTHERS AROUND ME. IT IS EMBARRASSING AND DOESN'T SOUND LIKE IT IS HEALTHY FOR THE LONGEVITY OF THE VEHICLE. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

24 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE DASHBOARD AND THE VEHICLE'S MILEAGE FLUCTUATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT HER INSULIN PUMP MALFUNCTIONED WHILE IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE SMOKING FAI
• MY 2012 PRIUS V HAD ABOUT 3000 MILES ON THE SPEEDOMETER WHEN I BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT FROM A START, WHEN I WOULD PUT THE LEVER INTO DRIVE IT WOULD GO INTO REVERSE. IT IS VERY INTERMITTENT. I CANNOT MAKE IT DELIBERATELY HAPPEN. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP OVER THIS ISSUE TWICE. THEY COUL
• DRIVING IN THE EVENING, USING HEADLIGHTS. TURN VEHICLE OFF AND EXIT. WITHIN AN HOUR, GET BACK INTO VEHICLE, START, TURN ON HEADLIGHTS AND THEY (LOW BEAMS) FAIL TO ILLUMINATE. HIGH BEAMS WORK, AS DO PARKING LIGHTS, BUT THE LOW BEAMS STOPPED WORKING, AND THEY STILL FAIL TO WORK. DRIVING WITHOUT HE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE DASHBOARD AND THE VEHICLE'S MILEAGE FLUCTUATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT HER INSULIN PUMP MALFUNCTIONED WHILE IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE SMOKING FAI”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

17 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH AND DECELERATING, THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY ACCELERATED AFTER HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE CRASH. THE POLICE
• MY CAR HAS AN ISSUE I FIRST NOTICED SOON AFTER I BOUGHT IT, AND THAT NOW HAPPENS AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK. THE DATE I'VE ENTERED IS THE APPROXIMATE FIRST DATE I NOTICED THE PROBLEM OCCUR. I DESCRIBE BELOW A MORE RECENT INSTANCE OF THE SAME BEHAVIOR, THE TIME WHEN IT FELT THE LEAST SAFE. /// THE RECURRI
• FROM A STANDSTILL, UNDER LIGHT WINTER CONDITIONS, THERE HAVE MANY TIMES WHEN THE VEHICLE WILL NOT/CAN NOT MOVE. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS DEPRESSED POWER IS SENT FOR A FRACTION SECOND (VERY QUICK PULSE) AND THEN ALL POWER IS CUT OFF AND NOTHING FURTHER HAPPENS UNTIL YOU LIFT OFF ACCELERATOR AND TRY A

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 5 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH AND DECELERATING, THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY ACCELERATED AFTER HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE CRASH. THE POLICE ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

15 complaints

• I FELT A LOOSE NOISE BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THE CAR. TOOK THE CAR TO SERVICE WHERE I HAD BOUGHT IT AND THEY CERTIFIED THAT THE STEERING SHAFT NEEDS A REPLACEMENT @ 47,000 MILES. PRIUS MODELS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS HAVE A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE. THE ISSUE IS NOT SOLVED, YET THEY CONTINUE TO HAVE THE DEFE
• THE NAVIGATION, BLUETOOTH & RADIO SYSTEM WAS TURNED OFF ON IT OWN AND BECAME CORRUPTED WHEN THE CAR DEALERSHIP TRIED TO UPDATE THE SYSTEMS SOFTWARE. THE HARDWARE WAS THEN RENDERED INOPERABLE AND THE SYSTEMS COMPUTER WAS THEN REPLACED, THE WARRANTY DID NOT COVER THE DEFECTS IN THE SYSTEM. THE ESTIMAT
• NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 15V449 MANUFACTURER RECALL: FOR / HYBRID INVERTER/POWER MODULE (IPM) CRASH INVOLVING PRIUS V (OWNED BY ANOTHER PERSON - MY MOTHER WAS HIT AND KILLED BY PRIUS V) OCCURRED ON SR 105. PRIUS V TRAVELING N ON OUTSIDE LANE CROSSED INSIDE LANE AND 11' GRASS MEDIAN BORDERED BY CONC

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“I FELT A LOOSE NOISE BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THE CAR. TOOK THE CAR TO SERVICE WHERE I HAD BOUGHT IT AND THEY CERTIFIED THAT THE STEERING SHAFT NEEDS A REPLACEMENT @ 47,000 MILES. PRIUS MODELS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS HAVE A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE. THE ISSUE IS NOT SOLVED, YET THEY CONTINUE TO HAVE THE DEFE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 287 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
BRAKES: PURCHASED PRIUS V IN MARCH 2012, JUNE 2012 TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE AND TO HAVE DEALER LOOK INTO NOISE COMING FROM REAR BRAKES. DEALER STATED THEY COULD NOT HEAR THE NOISE AND SAW NOTHING UPON INSPECTION. NOISE BECAME MORE FREQUENT AND LOUDER, TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER AND THEY COULD HEAR THE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: A GROANING NOISE AT ALL TEMPERATURES SO FAR. IT BEGINS AND THEN GOES AWAY AFTER I DRIVE FOR A BLOCK. IT IS VERY LOUD AND IT CAN BE HEARD BY OTHERS AROUND ME. IT IS EMBARRASSING AND DOESN'T SOUND LIKE IT IS HEALTHY FOR THE LONGEVITY OF THE VEHICLE. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE DASHBOARD AND THE VEHICLE'S MILEAGE FLUCTUATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT HER INSULIN PUMP MALFUNCTIONED WHILE IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE SMOKING FAI
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SPEED CONTROL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH AND DECELERATING, THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY ACCELERATED AFTER HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE CRASH. THE POLICE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)