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2013 Toyota Prius C

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

27 reports with mileage · 30 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

8 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

23 reports
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110 miles · Apr 9, 2015
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA PRIUS C. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS MOISTURE WITHIN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL THAT CAUSED MOLD TO GROW INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110.

NHTSA ODI #10704787

35,000 miles · Feb 27, 2015
Electrical SystemSteering

I HAVE HAD MY TOYOTA PRIUS C FOR 1.5 YEARS. I WAS ASSURED IT WAS A SAFE CAR. HOWEVER THIS CAR IS DANGEROUS. THE CAR HAS AN AUTO TRACTION CONTROL THAT WILL TURN ON DURING FLURRIES OR IF THERE ARE WET LEAVES OR RAIN. WHEN THE TRACTION CONTROL (A SAFETY FEATURE) TURNS ON MY WHEELS STOP,MY BRAKES STOP, I CANNOT CONTROL MY STEERI…

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I HAVE HAD MY TOYOTA PRIUS C FOR 1.5 YEARS. I WAS ASSURED IT WAS A SAFE CAR. HOWEVER THIS CAR IS DANGEROUS. THE CAR HAS AN AUTO TRACTION CONTROL THAT WILL TURN ON DURING FLURRIES OR IF THERE ARE WET LEAVES OR RAIN. WHEN THE TRACTION CONTROL (A SAFETY FEATURE) TURNS ON MY WHEELS STOP,MY BRAKES STOP, I CANNOT CONTROL MY STEERING AND I AM BASICALLY AT THE MERCY OF THE CAR. I HAVE BEEN IN SEVERAL NEAR ACCIDENTS ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS 55-65 MPH, AND ON BACK ROADS 25MPH+ AND ON TURNS WHERE I AM GOING 2-4 MPH AT A GLIDE, OR ON HILLS, BECAUSE THE CAR WILL TURN ON THE AUTO TRACTION AND I LOSE COMPLETE CONTROL. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS BASED ON THIS FEATURE OF THE CAR (WHICH OTHER CARS HAVE A FEATURE TO TURN OFF THE TRACTION) YET TOYOTA HAS DONE NOTHING. PEOPLE HAVE FOUND A WAY TO SHUT OFF THE TRACTION THEMSELVES IN NEWER MODELS THROUGH A SET OF STEPS THAT COULD BLOW THE ENGINE, YET THEY SAY THE RISK IS THE SAFER OPTION. A GOOGLE SEARCH WILL SHOW THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO FEEL LIKE THEIR LIFE IS IN DANGER BECAUSE OF HOW BAD THIS FEATURE IS IN BAD WEATHER. THIS CAR CANNOT HANDLE ANY TYPE OF BAD WEATHER. I TRIED TO GO TO A TOYOTA MECHANIC (JONES JUNCTION IN BEL AIR MARYLAND) AND WAS TOLD I WAS OUT OF LUCK AND I WOULD JUST HAVE TO CRASH MY CAR IN A POTENTIALLY FATAL ACCIDENT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO BE LIABLE. I FEEL LIKE MY LIFE AND THOSE AROUND ME ARE IN DANGER BECAUSE THE CAR SO EASILY GOES OUT OF CONTROL. I CAN'T EVEN GET IN MY OWN DRIVEWAY OR MOVE IF THERE IS 1 INCH OF SNOW BECAUSE EVERYTHING SHUTS OFF AND I GET STUCK IN THE STREET. I'M SCARED IN THIS CAR BUT I CANNOT RETURN IT BECAUSE I WOULD LOSE SO MUCH MONEY. THIS "SAFETY FEATURE" PUTS LIVES IN DANGER AND THERE IS NO OPTION TO TURN IT OFF UNLIKE OTHER BETTER CAR MODELS. TOYOTA NEEDS TO RECALL THEIR PRIUS AND PRIUS C AND PRIUS V CARS SO OWNERS CAN HAVE THE OPTION OF TURNING ON OR OFF THE TRACTION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10691187

Mileage unknown · Jul 15, 2013
Electrical System

WHEN I PULLED UP OUTSIDE OF MY HOUSE AND WENT TO OPEN THE BACK HATCH, I ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE LOCK BUTTON. THE CAR THEN LOCKED - BUT WITH MY SMART KEY FOB AND MY 10-MONTH-OLD DAUGHTER INSIDE OF THE CAR. IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE IMPOSSIBLE TO LOCK THE CAR WITH THE KEY FOB INSIDE. I HAD NO WAY OF GETTING INTO THE CAR TO GET MY DAUGHTER…

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WHEN I PULLED UP OUTSIDE OF MY HOUSE AND WENT TO OPEN THE BACK HATCH, I ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE LOCK BUTTON. THE CAR THEN LOCKED - BUT WITH MY SMART KEY FOB AND MY 10-MONTH-OLD DAUGHTER INSIDE OF THE CAR. IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE IMPOSSIBLE TO LOCK THE CAR WITH THE KEY FOB INSIDE. I HAD NO WAY OF GETTING INTO THE CAR TO GET MY DAUGHTER OUT - I HAD TO CALL THE POLICE AND HAVE THEM BREAK INTO THE CAR FOR ME. AS THE CAR STARTED AND DROVE TWICE - FROM WORK TO MY SITTER'S, FROM MY SITTER'S TO MY HOUSE - THE KEY WAS DETECTABLE FROM ITS LOCATION IN MY CAR. THERE IS NO WAY IT SHOULD HAVE LOCKED WITH THE KEY FOB STILL INSIDE. AND I CAN'T EMPHASIZE HOW MUCH OF A SAFETY HAZARD THIS IS - MY 10-MONTH-OLD DAUGHTER WAS IN THE CAR. WHAT IF IT HAD BEEN A REALLY HOT DAY? WHAT IF I HAD BEEN SOMEWHERE WHERE IT TOOK THE POLICE TIME TO GET TO ME? WHAT IF MY PHONE HAD BEEN LOCKED IN THE CAR? WHILE IT ALL TURNED OUT FINE, IT COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. AND THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE. THE SMART KEY SYSTEM ON MY CAR SHOULD NEVER ALLOW THE KEY TO BE LOCKED INSIDE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10524829

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

DP22005 · Pedestrian Alert Sounds

Opened Jan 27, 2023 · Closed Aug 7, 2023

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:propulsion System

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.