repaired · 2020 Q1
Electrical system: wiring
Risk. An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire.
2018 Toyota PriusProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 37 owner complaints about the 2018 Toyota Prius, most often about the visibility/wiper. It is covered by 1 safety recall, and for recall 18V-579 the manufacturer reports only 90% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 2, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2018 Toyota Prius has problems
37 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
5Visibility/wiper
5Exterior lighting
4Vehicle speed control2 crash/fire/injury
3Air bags1 crash/fire/injury
3Engine and engine cooling
3Service brakes1 crash/fire/injury
3Structure1 crash/fire/injury
3Engine
2Seats
118 other systems2 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility/wiper | 5 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 5 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 2 |
| Air bags | 3 | 1 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 3 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 1 |
| Structure | 3 | 1 |
| Engine | 3 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 1 |
| 8 other systems | 11 | 2 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
2018 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.
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.
Best & worst years
2018 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
2018 Toyota Prius safety ratings
2018 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 (10.7% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: Standard
- Lane departure warning: Standard
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2018 Toyota Prius, and the recalls they led to.
- Pedestrian alert soundsLed to recall 22V-063
In owners' words
What Prius owners report
Recent visibility/wiper complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
MY WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED TWICE WITHOUT BEING STRUCK BY AN OBJECT AND WITHOUT BEING NEAR ANOTHER VEHICLE. BOTH INCIDENTS OCCURRED DURING NORMAL HIGHWAY DRIVING. I WAS NOT SPEEDING OR DRIVING RECKLESSLY. BOTH TIMES REQUIRED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD AS THE CRACK QUICKLY SPREAD AND AFFECTED A…
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'S…
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 AHEAD…
Own a 2018 Prius?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.