Owners have filed 408 safety complaints about the 2013 Toyota Prius with U.S. regulators. Here's what the federal data shows, system by system.
Complaints for this vehicle report 38 crashes, 3 fires, 22 injuries. No deaths have been reported.
Complaints filed with NHTSA name the vehicle system involved. For the 2013 Toyota Prius, brakes & stability issues stand far above everything else.
"I am the first owner of a Toyota 2013 Prius that I purchased in Baltimore, MD, in 2013. I moved Georgia in 2014. The car currently has 130000 miles. I heard there were recalls on this vehicle type few years ago, but I was never notified. The brake has failed recently with code C1391. I spent $3,500 recently and the car is still in the repair shop."
"The brake light, abs light, and traction control light is on. This was a known issue with Toyota Prius. They extended the warranty but failed to adequately notify user. I believe this is a serious safety issue and should be a recall as it affects the adequate stopping of a car, not just an extended warranty."
For most vehicles, complaint volume spikes early and tapers off. The 2013 Toyota Prius inverts that curve — filings peaked in 2025, 12 years after the model year.
Across the Toyota Prius model years we track, the 2010 has the most complaints on file (2,821); the 2013 ranks 4 of 4.
3 recalls apply to some or all 2013 Toyota Prius vehicles. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit.
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 through 2014 Prius vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) inside the inverter module (a component of the hybrid system) contains transistors that may become damaged from high operating temperatures. If this occurs, various w…
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Toyota Prius and 2012-2014 Toyota Prius V vehicles. Excessive voltage in the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) within the inverter may cause the hybrid system to shut down, causing the vehicle to stall while being driven.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Prius and 2014-2017 Prius V vehicles not included in recall 18V-684. Excessive voltage in the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) within the inverter may cause the hybrid system to shut down, causing the vehicle to stall whi…
Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit. Look up your 17-character VIN on the official NHTSA site to see open recalls for your specific vehicle. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov →
NHTSA crash ratings measure how the car protects occupants in a crash — a separate question from the reliability complaints above. A vehicle can be both crashworthy and trouble-prone.
As of September 7, 2026, owners have filed 408 complaints about the 2013 Toyota Prius with NHTSA. The most-reported system is brakes & stability.
The 2013 Toyota Prius has 3 NHTSA recalls on file. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.
NHTSA gives the 2013 Toyota Prius an overall crash rating of 5 out of 5 stars. Crash ratings measure occupant protection in a collision; they do not measure reliability, which is what the complaint data above reflects.
All figures come from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public APIs: the Office of Defects Investigation complaint database, the recalls database, and NCAP safety ratings, retrieved September 7, 2026.
Complaints are self-reported by consumers and are not verified by NHTSA or by this site. A single complaint may cite multiple vehicle systems, so system mentions can sum to more than the complaint total. Complaint volume is influenced by fleet size, media attention, and recall notices, and is not by itself a measure of defect rates.
This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. Nothing here is repair, purchase, or legal advice. For your specific vehicle, use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and consult a qualified technician.