repaired · 2020 Q2
Hybrid propulsion system
Risk. If the hybrid system shuts down unexpectedly, it can increase the risk of a crash.
2012 Toyota Prius VProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 219 owner complaints about the 2012 Toyota Prius V, most often about the service brakes. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 18V-684 the manufacturer reports only 65% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 7, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2012 Toyota Prius V has problems
219 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
124Service brakes10 crash/fire/injury
36Engine2 crash/fire/injury
24Electrical system1 crash/fire/injury
15Vehicle speed control
11Steering
8Air bags
7Electronic stability control (ESC)
7Power train
7Service brakes, hydraulic
3714 other systems8 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 124 | 10 |
| Engine | 36 | 2 |
| Electrical system | 24 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 15 | 5 |
| Steering | 11 | 2 |
| Air bags | 8 | 4 |
| Electronic stability control (ESC) | 7 | 0 |
| Power train | 7 | 1 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 7 | 0 |
| 14 other systems | 37 | 8 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
3 recalls
2012 Toyota Prius V recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2016 Q4
Hybrid propulsion system: inverter
Risk. The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle.
no report yet
Frontal: sensor/control module-inactive
Risk. If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for…
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Toyota.
Mileage at failure
When do service brakes problems start?
68kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 61 service brakes complaints. 61% were reported before 100,000 miles.
22under 30k miles37under 100k miles24100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Service brakes
29 owners mentioned a cost$3,500median
Middle half: $3,000 – $4,300
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2012 vs. every other Prius V year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Prius V median. How we score
'12'13'14'15'16'17'18
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2012 Toyota Prius V safety ratings
2012 Toyota Prius V SW FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2012 Toyota Prius V, and the recalls they led to.
- Brake Actuator Valve WearOpen
In owners' words
What Prius V owners report
Recent service brakes complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
2012 Toyota Prius v with 89,662 miles. Multiple brake warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle stored diagnostic trouble code C1391, “Abnormal Leak in Accumulator.” The brake booster/accumulator pump is also cycling about every 13 seconds, even when the brake pedal is not being applied. The…
Brake actuator assembly failure on a vehicle with 99,818 miles. Whirring sound when braking followed by lighting of several brake alert lights on dash including PCS and ABS and others. The whirring noise has occured for several weeks, but the light indicators happened on 6/28/26. Toyota has an…
The ABS system has failed. All brake related warning lights have appeared on the dash board and the ABS no longer works. The car will brake for now, but the pedal is mushy. The issue was diagnosed by a dealer. The diagnosis from the dealer, based on diagnostic trouble codes they did not provide, is…
Own a 2012 Prius V?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.