Toyota Prius Vehicle Speed Control Problems
Owners have filed 1,050 complaints with NHTSA about vehicle speed control problems on the Toyota Prius across 24 model years. The 2010 model year has the most (287). The words owners use most often: “foot brake” (7% of reports).
- 1,050vehicle speed control complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 277mention a crash
- 87mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $2,900typical repair cost reported by owners
- 27%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.
- Foot brake: mentioned in 74 of 1,050 complaints (7%)
- Unintended acceleration: mentioned in 67 of 1,050 complaints (6%)
- Suddenly accelerated: mentioned in 67 of 1,050 complaints (6%)
- Floor mat: mentioned in 54 of 1,050 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical vehicle speed control repair on the Toyota Prius at $2,900, and half of them between $1,250 and $7,400.
Based on 8 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2004–2021), 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 vehicle speed control problems happen?
Based on 847 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 1,050 complaints, 277 mention a crash, 7 a fire, 87 an injury.
Toyota Prius vehicle speed control complaints by model year
| Model year | Vehicle Speed Control complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Prius | 1 | 6% | — |
| 2024 Prius | 2 | 7% | 3,000 |
| 2022 Prius | 1 | 4% | 25,000 |
| 2021 Prius | 1 | 17% | 56,000 |
| 2020 Prius | 1 | 7% | 15,670 |
| 2019 Prius | 4 | 13% | 1,495 |
| 2018 Prius | 4 | 11% | 7,500 |
| 2017 Prius | 13 | 14% | 14,000 |
| 2016 Prius | 14 | 9% | 13,250 |
| 2015 Prius | 7 | 4% | 3,000 |
| 2014 Prius | 14 | 7% | 11,687 |
| 2013 Prius | 22 | 5% | 9,750 |
| 2012 Prius | 13 | 3% | 21,000 |
| 2011 Prius | 28 | 5% | 21,000 |
| 2010 Prius | 287 | 10% | 4,300 |
| 2009 Prius | 71 | 14% | 10,000 |
| 2008 Prius | 156 | 10% | 28,500 |
| 2007 Prius | 124 | 6% | 36,600 |
| 2006 Prius | 84 | 6% | 45,000 |
| 2005 Prius | 109 | 10% | 50,000 |
| 2004 Prius | 52 | 9% | 59,384 |
| 2003 Prius | 5 | 5% | 41,873 |
| 2002 Prius | 12 | 7% | 42,240 |
| 2001 Prius | 25 | 15% | 60,189 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal
Model years: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Problem: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2010 passenger vehicles. The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat.
Risk: A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death.
Fix: Toyota filed an amended defect report on november 25, 2009, stating that dealers will modify the accelerator pedal and, on certain vehicles, alter the shape of the floor surface under the pedal. These changes address the risk of pedal entrapment due to interference with the floor mat. Redesigned accelerator pedals will become available beginning in april 2010 and dealers will replace any modified pedal with the new pedal if desired. Also, dealers will replace any genuine toyota or lexus all-weather floor mats with redesigned all-weather mats, or repurchase the previous mats from owners who do not want the new ones. Additionally, software modifications will be installed on camry, avalon and lexus es 350, is 350 and is 250 models that will ensure that the brake overrides the accelerator in the event both brake and accelerator pedals are applied. Toyota will begin mailing letters to owners on december 31, 2009. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331, lexus at 1-800-255-3987.
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…
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…
Unknown. There were a multitude of codes that appeared on the diagnostics causing problems with engine. The temperature, brake, tire sensor lights are all on. The cruise control is not working. White smoke emitting from tail pipe and engine. Main engine coolant leaking. Car overheating rapidly.
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…
The way the accelerator pedal sensor is positioned allows for water infiltration from wet carpet / tracked in snow and water. The component is available for inspection upon request. Once sufficiently saturated the sensor fails, and ceases function DURING VEHICLE MOVEMENT. The problem is…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Toyota Priuss have vehicle speed control problems?
No. NHTSA has 1,050 owner complaints about vehicle speed control 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 vehicle speed control?
Yes: 1 safety recall list vehicle speed control. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix vehicle speed control problems on the Toyota Prius?
Owners report a typical cost of $2,900 (half paid between $1,250 and $7,400), from 8 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about vehicle speed control problems on the Toyota Prius?
The most frequent phrase is “foot brake”, in 74 of 1,050 complaints, followed by “unintended acceleration” (67).
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)
- Service Brakes, Electric problems (817)
- Engine problems (479)
- Structure problems (428)
- Air Bags problems (426)
See all Toyota Prius problems.