Toyota Prius V Problems And Common Complaints

When it comes to compact multi-purpose vehicles, you can’t go wrong with a Prius V. It’s spacious, fuel-efficient, and affordable. Whether you’re in the market for a Prius v or already a Prius v owner looking for effective preventative measures, this master list of the most common Prius v problems is just what you need. 

Note: The list of problems below is organized by year. Scroll down to find your model year.

2016-2017 Prius V - Common Problems

A 2017 Toyota Prius V - the last year the model was offered.

Good news: there's nothing to report so far! Be sure to check back once in a while because we update the information on this page regularly. Since Toyota has discontinued the Prius V as of 2017, there shouldn't be a whole lot more news here.

2014-2015 Prius V - Common Problems

The interior of a 2015 Toyota Prius v

Weak Internal Connection: When Toyota designed the 2015 Prius v model, they gave it several new parts, including an all-new display. Prius v owners started reporting issues with it, the main one being that it would freeze up frequently, usually in extreme temperatures. Upon further investigation, Toyota discovered the culprit: a circuit board connection that wasn’t soldered correctly during production. Owners have found that replacing the display system (part no. 86804-47231) or hiring an experienced technician to solder the internal connection will fix the problem.

Miscalibrated Passenger Seat Occupant Detection System Sensors: The purpose of the sensors in the passenger seat is to detect occupancy in the seat in order to determine whether the passenger airbag should be deployed in a crash. The sensors in 2014 and 2015 Prius v models were not properly calibrated, resulting in the airbag’s failure to deploy. As soon as Toyota found out about this issue, they issued a recall and had dealers re-calibrate the sensors free of charge.

Overheated Hybrid Inverter Assembly: The hybrid inverter assembly, which is the part responsible for supplying power from the battery to the engine, is prone to overheating. When it overheats, the engine will either get reduced power or shut down completely. Toyota issued a recall in 2015 and released a software update for the motor/generator control electronic and the hybrid control units for free.

2012-2013 Prius V - Common Problems

A 2013 Toyota Prius v

Overheated Hybrid Inverter Assembly: As mentioned in the '2014 Prius v Common Problems' entry above, the hybrid inverter assembly, which is the part responsible for supplying power from the battery to the engine, is prone to overheating. When it overheats, the engine will either get reduced power or shut down completely. Toyota issued a recall in 2015 and released a software update for the motor/generator control electronic and the hybrid control units for free.

Cracked Brake Pressure Accumulator: The brakes in 2013 Prius v models come with a brake pressure accumulator that’s prone to cracks from excessive vibration. The most common time this issue rears its head is when the vehicle is traveling over bumpy roads. Once the brake pressure accumulator cracks, the driver will experience a loss of braking power, which can prevent the vehicle from responding in time. Affected Prius v owners have found that replacing the brake pressure accumulator does the trick.

2012-2017 Toyota Prius V TSBs

To find these TSBs, you can try Googling the TSB ID #, the name of the TSB, or some combination. You can also go to https://www.safercar.gov and search for the TSB by entering your VIN.