2016 Toyota PRIUS

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2016 Toyota PRIUS has 213 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.7x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is visibility problems (20% of all complaints), specifically: my windshield randomly cracked and looking on-line this seems to be a common occurrence on the prius 4th generation vehicles..

4 crash reports 2 injuries

213

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

2.7x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

VISIBILITY

42 complaints

20%

• MY WINDSHIELD RANDOMLY CRACKED AND LOOKING ON-LINE THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON OCCURRENCE ON THE PRIUS 4TH GENERATION VEHICLES.
• WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, REAR VIEW INTERIOR MIRROR DOES NOT DIM AS TRAFFIC APPROACHES FROM REAR. WHEN TAKEN TO DEALER, TECHNICIAN SHINED LIGHT FROM IPHONE ONTO MIRROR AND IT DIMMED PROPERLY. HOWEVER, UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS IT DOES NOT! ON A RECENT 2 HOUR NIGHTTIME DRIVE, AS CAR LIGHTS APPROA
• WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, REAR VIEW INTERIOR MIRROR DOES NOT DIM AS TRAFFIC APPROACHES FROM REAR. WHEN TAKEN TO DEALER, TECHNICIAN SHINED LIGHT FROM IPHONE ONTO MIRROR AND IT DIMMED PROPERLY. HOWEVER, UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS IT DOES NOT! ON A RECENT 2 HOUR NIGHTTIME DRIVE, AS CAR LIGHTS APPROA

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

“MY WINDSHIELD RANDOMLY CRACKED AND LOOKING ON-LINE THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON OCCURRENCE ON THE PRIUS 4TH GENERATION VEHICLES.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

32 complaints

15%

• THE CENTER DISPLAY HAS A MIRROR HIGH GLOSS/GLARE FINISH. BECAUSE OF THIS MIRROR FINISH, WHEN THE SUN IS AT AN ANGLE COMING THROUGH EITHER THE SIDE OR BACK WINDOWS, THE SUN IS REFLECTED BACK INTO THE DRIVER'S EYES. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THE CAR TO REPLACE CENTER DISPLAY TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS.
• THE 2016 PRIUS IV WE JUST PURCHASED 2 WEEKS AGO COMES WITH A WHITE DASH! THE WHITE DASH CREATES A HORRIBLE GLARE WHEN TRYING TO LOOK OUT EITHER DRIVER OR PASSENGER WINDOW! THE ONLY WAY TO AVOID GLARE IS DRIVE WITH WINDOWS DOWN ALL OF THE TIME. VISIBILITY IS GREATLY HAMPERED BY THE WHITE DASH REFLECT
• RODENT DAMAGED WIRING AND CASINGS BY EATING/DAMAGING BOTH AT A COST SO FAR OF $2700. I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR ONE MONTH. I'VE BEEN TOLD THE WARRANTY DOES NOT INCLUDE THE DAMAGE. I ASKED ABOUT WHERE THE DEALERSHIP STORED THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO ITS DELIVERY TO ME. I WASN'T SATISFIED WITH THEIR EXP

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

“THE CENTER DISPLAY HAS A MIRROR HIGH GLOSS/GLARE FINISH. BECAUSE OF THIS MIRROR FINISH, WHEN THE SUN IS AT AN ANGLE COMING THROUGH EITHER THE SIDE OR BACK WINDOWS, THE SUN IS REFLECTED BACK INTO THE DRIVER'S EYES. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THE CAR TO REPLACE CENTER DISPLAY TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

20 complaints

• RODENT DAMAGED WIRING AND CASINGS BY EATING/DAMAGING BOTH AT A COST SO FAR OF $2700. I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR ONE MONTH. I'VE BEEN TOLD THE WARRANTY DOES NOT INCLUDE THE DAMAGE. I ASKED ABOUT WHERE THE DEALERSHIP STORED THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO ITS DELIVERY TO ME. I WASN'T SATISFIED WITH THEIR EXP
• THE COATING ON THE WIRING SYSTEM ATTRACTED RODENTS TO MY CAR, THE RODENTS ATE THROUGH THE ELECTRICAL AND TRIED TO NEST IN THE ENGINE BAY. THE RESULTS WERE MASSIVE SYSTEMS MALFUNCTIONS AND THE CAR WASN'T SAFE TO DRIVE. I HAD TO GET IT TOWED TO TOYOTA AND THEY STATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. "TH
• I RECENTLY PURCHASED MY 3RD TOYOTA IN AUGUST (2016 PRIUS). I UPGRADED MY 2011 PRIUS BECAUSE I REALLY NEEDED BUILT IN NAVIGATION DUE THE NATURE OF MY JOB AND MY COMMUTE. I AM CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING ISSUES WITH THE RADIO/NAVIGATION SYSTEM, WHICH IS VERY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE THIS IS A "BRAND NEW" CAR. T

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

“RODENT DAMAGED WIRING AND CASINGS BY EATING/DAMAGING BOTH AT A COST SO FAR OF $2700. I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR ONE MONTH. I'VE BEEN TOLD THE WARRANTY DOES NOT INCLUDE THE DAMAGE. I ASKED ABOUT WHERE THE DEALERSHIP STORED THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO ITS DELIVERY TO ME. I WASN'T SATISFIED WITH THEIR EXP”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

18 complaints

• WHEN GENTLY APPLYING BRAKES FOR A STOP LIGHT, AND THE RIGHT WHEEL HITS A 1 AND 1/8 INCH DEEP DEPRESSION IN THE ROAD, THE BRAKES FEEL LIKE THEY MOMENTARILY RELEASE. THE DEPRESSION IS FOR A 9 INCH DIAMETER CITY WATER COVER, AND THE OVERALL DIAMETER OF THE DEPRESSION IS 12 INCHES, AND IT IS 1 AND 1/8 I
• AS I TOOK A HIGHWAY EXIT, FOLLOWING BEHIND OTHER CARS DOING THE SAME, MY PRIUS REFUSED TO BRAKE EFFICIENTLY WHEN ANOTHER CAR ABRUPTLY INVADED OUR LINE. IT FELT AS IF THE BRAKES MADE A SLIGHT RELEASE OR COULDN'T REACH A FULL STOP. I HAD ENOUGH SPACE TO STOP, AND I PRESSED THE BRAKES ON TIME BUT THERE
• ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2016 WHILE DRIVING OVER A POTHOLE I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE. THE CAR SLOWED BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN THE BRAKE SUDDENLY DEPRESSED EVEN FURTHER DOWN AND THE CAR JERKED AND SEEMED TO STALL BEFORE PUSHING FORWARD. I HAD BEEN PRESSING THE BRAKE AS FAR DOWN AS IT WOULD GO AND IT SEEMED A

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

“WHEN GENTLY APPLYING BRAKES FOR A STOP LIGHT, AND THE RIGHT WHEEL HITS A 1 AND 1/8 INCH DEEP DEPRESSION IN THE ROAD, THE BRAKES FEEL LIKE THEY MOMENTARILY RELEASE. THE DEPRESSION IS FOR A 9 INCH DIAMETER CITY WATER COVER, AND THE OVERALL DIAMETER OF THE DEPRESSION IS 12 INCHES, AND IT IS 1 AND 1/8 I”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

18 complaints

• THE CAR STARTED TO BURN LOT OF OIL. LIKE 1 QUART FOR EVERY 1000 TO 1200 MILES. WHEN I GOOGLED, I SAW I WAS ONE IN A MILLION AS ALREADY PRIUS OWNERS WERE SHOUTING ABOUT THIS ISSUE ONLINE. WHEN I CALLED AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM TO AUTONATION DEALER IN TEMPE, HE CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD THIS PROBLEM(BECA
• THE COATING ON THE WIRING SYSTEM ATTRACTED RODENTS TO MY CAR, THE RODENTS ATE THROUGH THE ELECTRICAL AND TRIED TO NEST IN THE ENGINE BAY. THE RESULTS WERE MASSIVE SYSTEMS MALFUNCTIONS AND THE CAR WASN'T SAFE TO DRIVE. I HAD TO GET IT TOWED TO TOYOTA AND THEY STATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. "TH
• VEHICLE FEELS LIKE IT WANTS TO GO FORWARD AS SOON AS THE GAS ENGINE TURNS ON TO CHARGE THE HYBRID BATTERY WHEN IT IS STATIONARY, IS IN PARK GEAR WITH THE FOOT PARKING BRAKE FULLY ON AND ON A FLAT SURFACE. WHEN THE CAR IS RUNNING OFF OF BATTERY MODE AND THE BATTERY BECOMES DEPLETED THE GAS ENGINE

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

“THE CAR STARTED TO BURN LOT OF OIL. LIKE 1 QUART FOR EVERY 1000 TO 1200 MILES. WHEN I GOOGLED, I SAW I WAS ONE IN A MILLION AS ALREADY PRIUS OWNERS WERE SHOUTING ABOUT THIS ISSUE ONLINE. WHEN I CALLED AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM TO AUTONATION DEALER IN TEMPE, HE CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD THIS PROBLEM(BECA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

VISIBILITY(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 213 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
VISIBILITY: MY WINDSHIELD RANDOMLY CRACKED AND LOOKING ON-LINE THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON OCCURRENCE ON THE PRIUS 4TH GENERATION VEHICLES.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: THE CENTER DISPLAY HAS A MIRROR HIGH GLOSS/GLARE FINISH. BECAUSE OF THIS MIRROR FINISH, WHEN THE SUN IS AT AN ANGLE COMING THROUGH EITHER THE SIDE OR BACK WINDOWS, THE SUN IS REFLECTED BACK INTO THE DRIVER'S EYES. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THE CAR TO REPLACE CENTER DISPLAY TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: RODENT DAMAGED WIRING AND CASINGS BY EATING/DAMAGING BOTH AT A COST SO FAR OF $2700. I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR ONE MONTH. I'VE BEEN TOLD THE WARRANTY DOES NOT INCLUDE THE DAMAGE. I ASKED ABOUT WHERE THE DEALERSHIP STORED THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO ITS DELIVERY TO ME. I WASN'T SATISFIED WITH THEIR EXP
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: WHEN GENTLY APPLYING BRAKES FOR A STOP LIGHT, AND THE RIGHT WHEEL HITS A 1 AND 1/8 INCH DEEP DEPRESSION IN THE ROAD, THE BRAKES FEEL LIKE THEY MOMENTARILY RELEASE. THE DEPRESSION IS FOR A 9 INCH DIAMETER CITY WATER COVER, AND THE OVERALL DIAMETER OF THE DEPRESSION IS 12 INCHES, AND IT IS 1 AND 1/8 I
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)