Toyota Prius Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 415 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the Toyota Prius across 24 model years. The 2010 model year has the most (79). The words owners use most often: “gear shift” (8% of reports).
- 415power train complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 40mention a crash
- 17mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $6,900typical repair cost reported by owners
- 29%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Gear shift: mentioned in 34 of 415 complaints (8%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the Toyota Prius at $6,900, and half of them between $770 and $8,000.
Based on 11 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2008–2019), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 338 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 415 complaints, 40 mention a crash, 3 a fire, 17 an injury.
Toyota Prius power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Prius | 2 | 13% | — |
| 2024 Prius | 1 | 4% | — |
| 2023 Prius | 3 | 15% | 35,050 |
| 2022 Prius | 1 | 4% | — |
| 2020 Prius | 1 | 7% | — |
| 2019 Prius | 2 | 7% | 4,500 |
| 2018 Prius | 2 | 5% | 590 |
| 2017 Prius | 4 | 4% | 24,000 |
| 2016 Prius | 15 | 10% | 24,000 |
| 2015 Prius | 13 | 8% | 22,267 |
| 2014 Prius | 6 | 3% | 10,750 |
| 2013 Prius | 14 | 3% | 42,000 |
| 2012 Prius | 21 | 5% | 25,300 |
| 2011 Prius | 18 | 3% | 60,000 |
| 2010 Prius | 79 | 3% | 9,800 |
| 2009 Prius | 22 | 4% | 19,985 |
| 2008 Prius | 54 | 4% | 66,500 |
| 2007 Prius | 41 | 2% | 54,317 |
| 2006 Prius | 22 | 2% | 75,845 |
| 2005 Prius | 41 | 4% | 76,063 |
| 2004 Prius | 34 | 6% | 73,318 |
| 2003 Prius | 5 | 5% | 85,000 |
| 2002 Prius | 9 | 5% | 68,500 |
| 2001 Prius | 5 | 3% | 106,272 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists power train for the Toyota Prius. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I turned on my car in a flat parking lot, reversed out of my spot, and drove up to a traffic light to exit the parking lot. When the light turned green, I took my foot off the brake and tried to accelerate, but nothing happened. After a few seconds, my car lurched forward with a sudden jerk, and I…
I purchased my 2023 Prius new which comes with a 5 year 60k mile powertrain warranty. My car, at 42.2k miles, has developed a clicking sound when the steering wheel is fully turned to the left and the vehicle is moving slowly. I brought it to the dealer today Oct 2, 2026 and their technician was…
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle lost motive power. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was…
I am submitting this complaint to report an unexpected transmission shift event that occurred while operating my 2025 Toyota Prius at highway speed which created an immediate and obvious safety risk. The event occurred on XXX. While driving my Prius at approximately 75mph on Interstate [XXX], I…
I was driving my car and suddenly the traction , hand brake and ABS sign started showing up. I usually apply only 10% of force on brake pedal but after this I have to apply almost 60% of force to even slow down the car. Almost 90% force to stop the car It has threatened safety of my family. When…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Toyota Priuss have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 415 owner complaints about power train for the Toyota Prius. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Toyota Prius power train?
No recall currently lists power train for this vehicle.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the Toyota Prius?
Owners report a typical cost of $6,900 (half paid between $770 and $8,000), from 11 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the Toyota Prius?
The most frequent phrase is “gear shift”, in 34 of 415 complaints.
Other Toyota Prius problems
- Exterior Lighting problems (3,505)
- Service Brakes problems (2,039)
- Electrical System problems (1,595)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (1,594)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (1,050)
- Service Brakes, Electric problems (817)
- Engine problems (479)
- Structure problems (428)
See all Toyota Prius problems.