Worst 2011 Toyota Prius Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Brakes
Electrical Faults
Headlight/Taillight Failures
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2011 Toyota Prius.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 252 | 16 | — | 82,950 mi | |
| Electrical Faults | 61 | 3 | 4 | 85,459 mi | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 48 | — | 1 | 72,554 mi | |
| Engine Problems | 46 | 1 | 2 | 112,680 mi | |
| Airbags | 45 | 18 | — | 124,049 mi | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 26 | 3 | — | 49,582 mi | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 17 | — | — | 85,718 mi | |
| Electronic Stability Control | 16 | 1 | — | 66,215 mi | |
| Fuel System | 11 | — | — | 96,004 mi | |
| Hydraulic Brakes | 11 | — | — | 91,760 mi | |
| Body Structure | 8 | 3 | — | 65,894 mi | |
| Hybrid Propulsion System | 7 | 1 | — | 114,497 mi | |
| Steering Defects | 7 | — | — | 93,923 mi | |
| Tire Defects | 7 | 2 | — | 63,360 mi | |
| Seat-Related Issues | 5 | 1 | 1 | 16,214 mi | |
| Visibility | 5 | — | — | 426 mi | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 4 | 3 | — | — | |
| Engine & Cooling | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Hybrid Propulsion System: Inverter | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Suspension Failures | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Sunroof/Moonroof | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Wheel Issues | 3 | 2 | — | — | |
| Instrument Cluster | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Traction Control System | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Wipers & Visibility | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Clockspring/Spiral Cassette | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery | 1 | — | — | — |
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2011 Toyota Prius. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Recalls for 2011 Toyota Prius
6 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~2,002,005 vehicles.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Other Toyota Prius Years
2011 Toyota Prius — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2011 Toyota Prius reliable?
What are common problems with the 2011 Toyota Prius?
At what mileage do problems start on the 2011 Toyota Prius?
How safe is the 2011 Toyota Prius?
Does the 2011 Toyota Prius have any recalls?
Should I buy a 2011 Toyota Prius?
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.
Wider context: See the full Toyota Prius reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 2011 Toyota Prius
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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