2013 Toyota Prius Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Prius years
- Far more complaints than other years 10th of 27 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 412 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Toyota Prius. That ranks 10th out of 27 Prius model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes (231 complaints, 56%), typically at around 83,500 miles. Complaints mention 39 crashes, 4 fires, 24 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 412owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 39complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2013 Toyota Prius 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 | 231 | 56% | 83,500 | “brake booster” (35%) | $3,550 |
| Electrical System problems | 52 | 13% | 65,000 | “brake abs” (12%) | — |
| Unknown or Other | 49 | 12% | 54,425 | — | — |
| Engine | 37 | 9% | 76,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 22 | 5% | 9,750 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 18 | 4% | 18,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 16 | 4% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 14 | 3% | 42,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 13 | 3% | 40,500 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 12 | 3% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 12 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 9 | 2% | 5,500 | — | — |
| Hybrid Propulsion System | 8 | 2% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 8 | 2% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 8 | 2% | 24,250 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 7 | 2% | 59,075 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 6 | 1% | 19,900 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 6 | 1% | 550 | — | — |
| Suspension | 5 | 1% | 127,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 5 | 1% | 12,231 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 1% | 2,876 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 0% | 50 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 2 | 0% | 121,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 0% | 23,675 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2013 Toyota Prius recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Hybrid propulsion system: inverter
Problem: 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 while being driven.
Risk: An unexpected hybrid power system shut down may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will perform a software update for the hybrid system. If the vehicle has experienced an inverter failure with certain hybrid system faults related to this condition, the inverter assembly will be repaired or replaced, prior to software update. All repairs will be performed free of charge. This recall began July 24, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB10 / 20TA10.
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; electrical system:software
Problem: 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.
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 both the motor/generator control electronic control unit (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU, free of charge. If an owner experiences a failure of the inverter before the vehicle receives updated software, the dealer will repair or replace the inverter assembly with a new one at no charge. The recall began on March 21, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Brake Actuator Valve Wear (DP23005) — opened Nov 22, 2023, still open.
- Pedestrian alert sounds (DP22005) — opened Jan 27, 2023, closed Aug 7, 2023, led to recall 22V063000.
- Brake Actuator Valve Wear (DP19004) — opened Sep 30, 2019, closed Jan 21, 2021.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
While driving our 2013 Toyota Prius, the vehicle experienced a sudden and severe loss of braking effectiveness while the vehicle was in motion. This created an immediate safety risk because the vehicle did not respond to braking as expected. After the incident, the vehicle displayed the red BRAKE…
While driving, my brake pedal would randomly lose power assist. The pedal would get hard and I couldn't press it down normally, and I had to push as hard as I could just to get the car to slow down. This happened more than once while driving and I almost crashed because I couldn't stop the car in…
The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving and pulling into a parking lot, there was a burning odor coming from the vehicle. The contact exited the vehicle but saw no fault with the vehicle. The contact was then notified by another person that the vehicle had caught…
The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the ABS warning light illuminated. Minutes later, the vehicle started to brake and lurch forward with the accelerator pedal depressed. The contact stated that the vehicle spun out and crashed into the median. The…
My 2013 Prius has 86,500 miles on it. It has been regularly maintained. A routine state inspection revealed a severely rusted rear axle beam and a front axle that is heading in that direction. Other Prius' in [XXX] have had this issue, and in some cases, the wheels have detached from the axle while…
Other Toyota Prius years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Prius | 6 | 1 |
| 2025 Prius | 16 | 2 |
| 2024 Prius | 27 | 4 |
| 2023 Prius | 20 | 4 |
| 2022 Prius | 24 | 1 |
| 2021 Prius | 6 | 0 |
| 2020 Prius | 14 | 0 |
| 2019 Prius | 30 | 3 |
| 2018 Prius | 37 | 1 |
| 2017 Prius | 91 | 3 |
| 2016 Prius | 155 | 5 |
| 2015 Prius | 166 | 1 |
| 2014 Prius | 208 | 3 |
| 2013 | 412 | 3 |
| 2012 Prius | 424 | 6 |
| 2011 Prius | 521 | 6 |
| 2010 Prius | 2,823 | 10 |
| 2009 Prius | 502 | 6 |
| 2008 Prius | 1,497 | 4 |
| 2007 Prius | 2,003 | 4 |
| 2006 Prius | 1,439 | 6 |
| 2005 Prius | 1,051 | 6 |
| 2004 Prius | 610 | 6 |
| 2003 Prius | 99 | 1 |
| 2002 Prius | 167 | 2 |
| 2001 Prius | 165 | 3 |
| 2000 Prius | 4 | 0 |
See all Toyota Prius problems by year, every Toyota model, or the Toyota VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Toyota Prius?
Owners most often report service brakes, electrical system, unknown or other problems. The top one, service brakes, accounts for 231 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2013 Toyota Prius?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2013 Toyota Prius a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Prius 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.