2010 Toyota Prius Problems

Severe Issues

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2010 Toyota Prius.

20092011
Complaints
3,478
Crashes
255
Fires
22
Injuries
111
Fatalities
2
Recalls
12

Worst 2010 Toyota Prius Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#1751 complaints

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Avg mileage:7,674 mi
Crash-related:49
#2588 complaints

SERVICE BRAKES

Avg mileage:101,035 mi
Crash-related:44
#3502 complaints

SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC

Avg mileage:4,112 mi
Crash-related:20
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2010 Toyota Prius.

ComponentComplaintsCrashesFiresAvg MileageVolume
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC751497,674 mi
SERVICE BRAKES58844101,035 mi
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC502204,112 mi
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL28634116,541 mi
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1824676,407 mi
EXTERIOR LIGHTING1453381,712 mi
ENGINE14034106,840 mi
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE12284,723 mi
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1084482,553 mi
AIR BAGS832770,349 mi
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM6011119,854 mi
POWER TRAIN599158,598 mi
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)58572,788 mi
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM40320,508 mi
STEERING29749,232 mi
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING2621259,136 mi
STRUCTURE:BODY24747,572 mi
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR20117,744 mi
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION175,434 mi
WHEELS17354,877 mi
HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER16103,838 mi
SEAT BELTS15631,860 mi
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP15118,410 mi
TIRES15232,284 mi
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING14134,000 mi
HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM1411137,404 mi
EQUIPMENT109,262 mi
SUSPENSION8254,526 mi
VISIBILITY/WIPER868,631 mi
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:ABS WARNING LIGHT7155,500 mi

Recalls for 2010 Toyota Prius

12 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~3,364,141 vehicles.

18V684000HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM
~807,329 affected

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.

16V487000AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
~482,002 affected

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Toyota Prius, 2010 and 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid, and 2011-2012 Lexus CT200h vehicles. A weld in the curtain shield air bag inflator may crack causing one or both portions of the inflator to eject into the passenger cabin.

16V396000SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER
~7,749 affected

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010 Camry, and 1989 and 2009-2010 Corolla vehicles equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters with a copper strand heating element. The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.

14V743000SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER
~3,233 affected

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4, and 2007-2011 Rav4 and 4Runner. The affected vehicles may experience compression of the seat cushion which may damage the seat heater wiring.

14V053000HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER
~698,457 affected

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 warning lamps will be illuminated on the instrument panel and the vehicle will have reduced power allowing it to only drive a short distance.

14V053000ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
~698,457 affected

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 warning lamps will be illuminated on the instrument panel and the vehicle will have reduced power allowing it to only drive a short distance.

13V235000SERVICE BRAKES
~87,060 affected

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 Prius vehicles manufactured March 31, 2009, through October 9, 2009; and model year 2010 Lexus HS250h vehicles manufactured June 19, 2009, through October 9, 2009. Nitrogen gas from a component of the brake booster pump assembly could leak into the brake fluid.

13V014000SEATS
~3,235 affected

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.

13V014000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE
~3,235 affected

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.

10V039000SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
~148,549 affected

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS AND LEXUS HS250H PASSENGER VEHICLES. CUSTOMERS HAVE EXPERIENCED INCONSISTENT BRAKE FEEL AFTER ABS ACTUATION DURING SLOW AND STEADY APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES ON ROUGH OR SLICK ROAD SURFACES. STOPPING DISTANCES MAY BE INCREASED COMPARED WITH A CUSTOMER'S EXPECTATION FOR A GIVEN PEDAL FORCE.

+ 2 more recalls

Other Toyota Prius Years

Wider context: See the full Toyota Prius reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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