2018 Toyota PRIUS

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Above Average

Quick Summary

The 2018 Toyota PRIUS has 44 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.6x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is visibility problems (14% of all complaints), specifically: while driving on the highway in the rain at 55mph a very small pebble/bug struck the lower right windshield below the wiper. it was not very loud, but did create a crack in the windshield with a few minutes. within a few days the crack has spread across the entire windshield..

6 crash reports 1 injury

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.6x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

VISIBILITY

6 complaints

14%

• WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE RAIN AT 55MPH A VERY SMALL PEBBLE/BUG STRUCK THE LOWER RIGHT WINDSHIELD BELOW THE WIPER. IT WAS NOT VERY LOUD, BUT DID CREATE A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD WITH A FEW MINUTES. WITHIN A FEW DAYS THE CRACK HAS SPREAD ACROSS THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD.
• LAST YEAR,JUNE 2017, WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED WE NOTICED THERE WAS A HAIRLINE CRACK ON THE WINDSHIELD. WE RECEIVED SOME QUOTES SAYING IT WOULD BE ABOUT $900 TO FIX. SO WE DECIDED TO GO WITH AN ADHESIVE INJECTION AND PAID ABOUT $50 FOR SOMEONE TO COME FIX IT. HOWEVER, AFTER A MONTH, IT SPREAD. WE
• I OWNED A 2008 PRIUS WITH 273,453 MILES WHEN I TRADED IT FOR A 2018 PRIUS ON 3/15/18. MY 2008 NEVER HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED; MEANWHILE, THE 2018 HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE AND THE 2ND IS NOW CRACKED WITHIN 2 MONTHS OF REPLACEMENT. ON 8/7/18 I WAS DRIVING IN A SINGLE LANE ROAD WITH NO VEHICLES AHEA

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

“WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE RAIN AT 55MPH A VERY SMALL PEBBLE/BUG STRUCK THE LOWER RIGHT WINDSHIELD BELOW THE WIPER. IT WAS NOT VERY LOUD, BUT DID CREATE A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD WITH A FEW MINUTES. WITHIN A FEW DAYS THE CRACK HAS SPREAD ACROSS THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

5 complaints

11%

• THE GEAR WOULD SHIFT EITHER FROM 'DRIVE TO NEUTRAL' OR 'REVERSE TO NEUTRAL' THIS HAPPENED MORE THAN 10 TIMES WHEN I HAD MY SISTER, MOTHER, AND FATHER IN THE CAR. 1) IT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS PULLING OUT OF THE GARAGE (ABOUT 20 DEGREE ANGEL) GOING UP THE HILL. I WENT TO PICK THEM UP, ALL 3 PF THEM WEN
• WHEN USING IPHONE WITH BLUETOOTH RANDOM SONGS PLAY WHILE DIRECTIONAL NAVIGATION PROMPTS PLAY (SEE HTTP://OSXDAILY.COM/2017/07/29/STOP-AUTOPLAYING-MUSIC-IPHONE-CAR-BLUETOOTH/). THIS CREATES DRIVER DISTRACTION. THE PROBLEM IS MORE-SO WITH APPLE IOS RATHER THAN THE PRIUS IN PARTICULAR.
• BACK UP ALARM TOO LOUD, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. FACT IT IS SO LOUD YOU CAN NOT HEAR THE REAR CROSS-TRAFFIC ALERT OR ANY PERSON OUTSIDE THE CAR YELLING. TOYOTA NEEDS TO EITHER DEVELOP A METHOD SO THE OWNER CAN ADJUST THE BACKUP ALARM VOLUME OR HAVE THE DEALER TURN DOWN THE VOLUME FREE OF CHARGE.

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

“THE GEAR WOULD SHIFT EITHER FROM 'DRIVE TO NEUTRAL' OR 'REVERSE TO NEUTRAL' THIS HAPPENED MORE THAN 10 TIMES WHEN I HAD MY SISTER, MOTHER, AND FATHER IN THE CAR. 1) IT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS PULLING OUT OF THE GARAGE (ABOUT 20 DEGREE ANGEL) GOING UP THE HILL. I WENT TO PICK THEM UP, ALL 3 PF THEM WEN”

— NHTSA complaint filing

LIGHTING

5 complaints

11%

• AUTOMATIC HIGH BEAMS DIM AND THEN FAIL TO BRIGHTEN INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN DRIVING, AUTOMATIC HIGH BEAMS FUNCTION AS INTENDED THEN THE DASH INDICATOR SPONTANEOUSLY TURNS OFF AND THE HEADLIGHTS FAIL TO BRIGHTEN. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT TWICE FOR THIS. THE SECOND TIME , TH
• THE CAR IS INADEQUATE IN THE WINTER. WHEN IT SNOWS I CAN'T KEEP THE WINDOWS CLEAN. THEY CHANGED THE FITTINGS AND I CAN'T EVEN PUT WINTER BLADES ON THE CAR. ALSO, AND THIS APPLIES TO ALMOST ALL NEW CARS AS WELL, THE LED LIGHTS FREEZE OVER. IT'S A SAFETY HAZARD NOT TO HAVE LIGHTS THAT WORK. AND IT
• AUTO HIGH BEAM FEATURE INTERMITTENTLY CUTS OUT AND THEN RESUMES, ESPECIALLY FREQUENTLY IN RAINY WEATHER. WHILE OFF, I CANNOT ENGAGE THE HIGH BEAM WITHOUT FIRST SHUTTING OFF THE AHB FEATURE. MANY SIMILAR REPORTS REGARDING TOYOTA VEHICLES; SEE HTTPS://WWW.RAV4WORLD.COM/THREADS/AUTO-HIGH-BEAM-ISSUES.2

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

“AUTOMATIC HIGH BEAMS DIM AND THEN FAIL TO BRIGHTEN INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN DRIVING, AUTOMATIC HIGH BEAMS FUNCTION AS INTENDED THEN THE DASH INDICATOR SPONTANEOUSLY TURNS OFF AND THE HEADLIGHTS FAIL TO BRIGHTEN. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT TWICE FOR THIS. THE SECOND TIME , TH”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

4 complaints

• THIS IS A BRAND NEW CAR I PURCHASED. THERE IS A HIGH-PITCHED NOISE THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL MAKES WHEN YOU DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL. I THOUGHT THIS WAS PART OF THE BEEPS THE CAR MAKES, BUT IT'S NOT. THE BRAKE BOOSTER WAS REPLACED, BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL CONTINUES TO MAKE A HIGH-PITCHED CHIRPING NOISE. I
• I STARTED MY CAR, PUT IT IN DRIVE AND BEGAN TO MAKE A U TURN OUT OF A PARKING LOT WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. I HAD THREE TURNS I HAD TO MAKE IN QUICK SUCCESSION (U TURN, LEFT ON PUBLIC DRIVEWAY, RIGHT ON MAIN ROAD) TO GET ON TO THE MAIN ROAD, AND I DID THIS AT BREAK NECK SPEED. BY THE
• I WAS DRIVING UP TO MY GARAGE ON THE SIDE OF MY HOUSE ON A CLEAR DAY, EARLY AFTERNOON. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 3 MPH AND TRIED TO STOP TO PARK IN FRONT OF THE GARAGE DOOR. I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT DID NOT ENGAGE, BUT LURCHED FORWARD INTO THE GARAGE, CRASHING INTO THE GARAGE AND CAUSING DAMAG

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

“THIS IS A BRAND NEW CAR I PURCHASED. THERE IS A HIGH-PITCHED NOISE THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL MAKES WHEN YOU DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL. I THOUGHT THIS WAS PART OF THE BEEPS THE CAR MAKES, BUT IT'S NOT. THE BRAKE BOOSTER WAS REPLACED, BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL CONTINUES TO MAKE A HIGH-PITCHED CHIRPING NOISE. I”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

4 complaints

• I STARTED MY CAR, PUT IT IN DRIVE AND BEGAN TO MAKE A U TURN OUT OF A PARKING LOT WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. I HAD THREE TURNS I HAD TO MAKE IN QUICK SUCCESSION (U TURN, LEFT ON PUBLIC DRIVEWAY, RIGHT ON MAIN ROAD) TO GET ON TO THE MAIN ROAD, AND I DID THIS AT BREAK NECK SPEED. BY THE
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE THE VEHICLE HAD EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND CRASHED INTO A SECOND PARKED VEHICLE. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALER DCH
• Stopped at red light, then the car didn't accelerate when hitting gas. Engine revs but the car does not accelerate. It happened multiple time when the car was out in sun with full ac on(100f). Happened once in intersection and almost got hit head on

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

“I STARTED MY CAR, PUT IT IN DRIVE AND BEGAN TO MAKE A U TURN OUT OF A PARKING LOT WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. I HAD THREE TURNS I HAD TO MAKE IN QUICK SUCCESSION (U TURN, LEFT ON PUBLIC DRIVEWAY, RIGHT ON MAIN ROAD) TO GET ON TO THE MAIN ROAD, AND I DID THIS AT BREAK NECK SPEED. BY THE ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

VISIBILITY(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

LIGHTING(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 44 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
VISIBILITY: WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE RAIN AT 55MPH A VERY SMALL PEBBLE/BUG STRUCK THE LOWER RIGHT WINDSHIELD BELOW THE WIPER. IT WAS NOT VERY LOUD, BUT DID CREATE A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD WITH A FEW MINUTES. WITHIN A FEW DAYS THE CRACK HAS SPREAD ACROSS THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: THE GEAR WOULD SHIFT EITHER FROM 'DRIVE TO NEUTRAL' OR 'REVERSE TO NEUTRAL' THIS HAPPENED MORE THAN 10 TIMES WHEN I HAD MY SISTER, MOTHER, AND FATHER IN THE CAR. 1) IT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS PULLING OUT OF THE GARAGE (ABOUT 20 DEGREE ANGEL) GOING UP THE HILL. I WENT TO PICK THEM UP, ALL 3 PF THEM WEN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
LIGHTING: AUTOMATIC HIGH BEAMS DIM AND THEN FAIL TO BRIGHTEN INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN DRIVING, AUTOMATIC HIGH BEAMS FUNCTION AS INTENDED THEN THE DASH INDICATOR SPONTANEOUSLY TURNS OFF AND THE HEADLIGHTS FAIL TO BRIGHTEN. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT TWICE FOR THIS. THE SECOND TIME , TH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: THIS IS A BRAND NEW CAR I PURCHASED. THERE IS A HIGH-PITCHED NOISE THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL MAKES WHEN YOU DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL. I THOUGHT THIS WAS PART OF THE BEEPS THE CAR MAKES, BUT IT'S NOT. THE BRAKE BOOSTER WAS REPLACED, BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL CONTINUES TO MAKE A HIGH-PITCHED CHIRPING NOISE. I
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)