2014 Toyota Prius Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Oct 5, 2026 · 208 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Prius years
More complaints than other years 11th of 27 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
4 out of 5 stars

Owners have filed 208 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014 Toyota Prius. That ranks 11th out of 27 Prius model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes (94 complaints, 45%), typically at around 21,000 miles. Complaints mention 25 crashes, 1 fire, 15 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.

Toyota Prius
2023 Toyota Prius Z HEV. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: TTTNIS, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2014 Toyota Prius problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Service Brakes94 · ~21,000 mi
Electrical System33 · ~19,483 mi
Unknown or Other25 · ~51,551 mi
Engine17 · ~63,000 mi
Air Bags14 · ~16,255 mi
Vehicle Speed Control14 · ~11,687 mi
Structure9 · ~38,250 mi
Visibility/wiper9 · ~8,490 mi
Electronic Stability Control (esc)8 · ~76,551 mi
Service Brakes, Hydraulic8 · ~133,000 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Service Brakes problems9445%21,000“brake booster” (41%)$3,800
Electrical System3316%19,483——
Unknown or Other2512%51,551——
Engine178%63,000——
Air Bags147%16,255——
Vehicle Speed Control147%11,687——
Structure94%38,250——
Visibility/wiper94%8,490——
Electronic Stability Control (esc)84%76,551——
Service Brakes, Hydraulic84%133,000——
Steering84%14,000——
Exterior Lighting63%29,000——
Power Train63%10,750——
Forward Collision Avoidance52%———
Fuel/propulsion System52%37,200——
Hybrid Propulsion System52%65,375——
Seats42%25,000——
Visibility42%41,500——
Seat Belts21%81,500——
Tires21%21,842——
Equipment10%1,500——
Service Brakes, Air10%———
Suspension10%57,900——
Traction Control System10%150,000——
Wheels10%2,990——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2024, with 27 complaints
2014: 252014252015: 202015202016: 6201662017: 142017142018: 172018172019: 152019152020: 9202092021: 6202162022: 9202292023: 112023112024: 272024272025: 242025242026: 25202625

n = 208 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2014 Toyota Prius recalls (3)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Hybrid propulsion system: inverterJun 24, 2020 · NHTSA campaign 20V369000 · 266,638 vehicles

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 systemOct 4, 2018 · NHTSA campaign 18V684000 · 807,329 vehicles

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:softwareFeb 12, 2014 · NHTSA campaign 14V053000 · 698,457 vehicles

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.

Facing brake booster/accumulator leak at ~105,000 miles diagnosed and confirmed by a mechanic at an independent service center. Problem is characterized by a hissing and chirping sound from the brakes. No warning lights appear on the dash, but this is a known problem with the 2014 Prius. Brake…

Service Brakes · received Oct 5, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11768891

ABS and brake light are on. was on the freeway and when i pressed the brake the wheels got locked and the car made a 360 spin, it almost flipped over

Service Brakes · received Sep 12, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11763835

While driving my 2014 Toyota Prius, the BRAKE, ABS, and vehicle stability/traction control warning lights illuminated. There was no crash, injury, or noticeable loss of braking before the warnings appeared, and there were no preceding symptoms. The vehicle was evaluated by Mac Haik Toyota in League…

Service Brakes · received Sep 4, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11762180

I am submitting this complaint regarding a serious safety concern involving the brake actuator/booster assembly on my 2014 Toyota Prius. My vehicle has experienced failure of this critical braking component and has been unable to be properly repaired since November due to difficulty obtaining the…

Service Brakes · received Aug 3, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11754349

My car experienced a failing brake actuator/accumulator. The first sign was the ABS and break lights accompanied by a whoosing sound. The issue causes intermittent system wide break failure and renders the car undriveable. Toyota had an extended warranty for this issue but that offer was closed by…

Service Brakes · received Jul 17, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11751206

Other Toyota Prius years

← 2013 Prius · 2015 Prius →

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 2014 Toyota Prius?

Owners most often report service brakes, electrical system, unknown or other problems. The top one, service brakes, accounts for 94 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2014 Toyota Prius?

Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2014 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 2014 has more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 4 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.