2013 Toyota Prius V Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Prius V years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 8 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 125 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Toyota Prius V. That ranks 2nd out of 8 Prius V model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes (64 complaints, 51%), typically at around 72,000 miles. Complaints mention 9 crashes, 1 fire, 8 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 125owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 9complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2013 Toyota Prius V problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes problems | 64 | 51% | 72,000 | “brake booster” (33%) | $4,150 |
| Electrical System | 16 | 13% | 68,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 15 | 12% | 112,500 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 9 | 7% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 9 | 7% | 55,500 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 7 | 6% | 82,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 7 | 6% | 87,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 6 | 5% | 53,099 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 5% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 4 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 3% | 125,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 3% | 38,000 | — | — |
| Hybrid Propulsion System | 3 | 2% | 77,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 2% | 12,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 2% | 55,500 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 2% | 58,500 | — | — |
| Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 1% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | 79,000 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 1% | 79,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 1% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | 88,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2013 Toyota Prius V recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Hybrid propulsion system
Problem: 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.
Risk: If the hybrid system shuts down unexpectedly, it can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the motor/generator control electronic control unit (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 22, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J0V. Note: The software updates in this recall are needed even if the vehicle had the software previously updated under recalls 14V-053 or 15V-449.
Hybrid propulsion system: inverter
Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Prius V vehicles manufactured August 22, 2011, to June 30, 2014. A component within the hybrid inverter assembly may overheat, causing the hybrid system to reduce output power allowing the vehicle to only drive a short distance. In some circumstances, the hybrid system may shut down causing the vehicle to stop while being driven.
Risk: The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle. The hybrid system could also shut down completely resulting in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the motor/generator control electronic control unti (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU, free of charge. The recall began on July 30, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Airbag light remains on and horn has also stopped working.
My Prius had brake warning lights come on around December 2025. Turns out the brake accumulator had an internal leak. After doing some research, I discovered this was a known brake booster issue that Toyota has not issued a recall on. They do have an extended warranty program, but my vehicle did…
Suddenly Cars Brakes failed with vehicle almost lunged forward. I had to slam the brakes heavily for it to stop; Took the vehicle to Toyota Service and clearly its a QUALITY issue toyota acknowledged as a know problem with error code C1391. They even had customer support program 20TE07…
The harness webbing/strap on the Evenflo Revolve360 Slim tore without any known incident or accident causing the damage. The defect was discovered on April 15, 2026 when the seat was temporarily removed from the vehicle. Upon inspection, the harness strap was found to be nearly completely torn…
The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius V. The contact stated that while pulling out of a parking space at approximately 15 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the brake pedal felt spongy, but the vehicle responded as intended. The brake, the ABS, the traction control warning lights, and an unknown…
Other Toyota Prius V years
← 2012 Prius V · 2014 Prius V →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 Prius V | 1 | 0 |
| 2017 Prius V | 12 | 1 |
| 2016 Prius V | 16 | 1 |
| 2015 Prius V | 24 | 2 |
| 2014 Prius V | 82 | 4 |
| 2013 | 125 | 2 |
| 2012 Prius V | 218 | 3 |
| 2011 Prius V | 1 | 0 |
See all Toyota Prius V problems by year, every Toyota model, or the Toyota VIN decoder.
Similar Toyota models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Toyota Prius V?
Owners most often report service brakes, electrical system, engine problems. The top one, service brakes, accounts for 64 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2013 Toyota Prius V?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2013 Toyota Prius V a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Prius V model years, the 2013 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.