repaired · 2020 Q2
Hybrid propulsion system
Risk. If the hybrid system shuts down unexpectedly, it can increase the risk of a crash.
2012 Toyota PriusProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 425 owner complaints about the 2012 Toyota Prius, most often about the service brakes. It is covered by 6 safety recalls, and for recall 16V-396 the manufacturer reports only 24% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 1, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2012 Toyota Prius has problems
425 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
185Service brakes14 crash/fire/injury
52Electrical system3 crash/fire/injury
36Exterior lighting1 crash/fire/injury
31Engine1 crash/fire/injury
28Visibility/wiper
28Air bags
23Structure
21Power train
13Steering
9920 other systems21 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 185 | 14 |
| Electrical system | 52 | 3 |
| Exterior lighting | 36 | 1 |
| Engine | 31 | 1 |
| Visibility/wiper | 28 | 1 |
| Air bags | 28 | 23 |
| Structure | 23 | 9 |
| Power train | 21 | 5 |
| Steering | 13 | 2 |
| 20 other systems | 99 | 21 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
6 recalls
2012 Toyota Prius 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 · 2018 Q1
Air bags: side/window
Risk. If either portion of the curtain shield air bag inflator ejects into the passenger cabin, there is an increased risk of injury to vehicle occupants.
repaired · 2017 Q4
Front assembly: seat heater/cooler
Risk. If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
repaired · 2015 Q2
Electrical system: software
Risk. The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle.
Show 2 more recalls
no report yet
Other: labels
Risk. An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires.
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?
77kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 62 service brakes complaints. 60% were reported before 100,000 miles.
17under 30k miles37under 100k miles25100k 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
43 owners mentioned a cost$3,200median
Middle half: $3,000 – $3,844
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 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 median. How we score
'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2012 Toyota Prius safety ratings
2012 Toyota Prius 5 HB FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (12.1% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2012 Toyota Prius, and the recalls they led to.
- Brake Actuator Valve WearNo recall
- Pedestrian alert soundsLed to recall 22V-063
- Brake Actuator Valve WearOpen
In owners' words
What Prius owners report
Recent service brakes complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
I own a 2012 Toyota Prius with approximately 132,000 miles. I first experienced problems with the braking system approximately one year ago, in 2025. The ABS, brake, and other warning lights began illuminating intermittently, and I experienced occasional hesitation in braking response. I was…
When I started my car this morning, the red BRAKE light, ABS warning light and anti-slip light were all illuminated. The car does still stop but the brakes are very spongy and there's a clicking noise under the hood. I only moved the car out of the driveway to allow other cars to leave. The brake…
1. My Brake booster failed/malfunctioned. I had to get it repaired/replaced by Toyota so it might be with the dealership or thrown out by now. 2. I had to take it in because I had an incident where I was unable to apply the break on the car. I was lucky enough to be in a not busy street and was…
Own a 2012 Prius?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.