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2016 Toyota Prius C

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

About this comparison →
12Owner complaints

Model-year median: 14.5

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
57
201332
201417
201512
20162
20176
20180
2019
Compare all Prius C years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Unknown Or Other
4Service Brakes
3Tires
3Electrical System
2Exterior Lighting
1
All reported categories
Hybrid Propulsion System
1Vehicle Speed Control
1Visibility/wiper
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 6 of 12 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

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.

  • Service Brakes. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Tires. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

12 reports
7,000 miles · Dec 15, 2016
Electrical SystemHybrid Propulsion System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA PRIUS C. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, A RUBBER ODOR EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT NO FAILURE WAS DETERMINED. SEVERAL DAYS LATER, THE "HYBRID COOLANT SYSTEM NEEDS SERVICE" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSE…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA PRIUS C. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, A RUBBER ODOR EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT NO FAILURE WAS DETERMINED. SEVERAL DAYS LATER, THE "HYBRID COOLANT SYSTEM NEEDS SERVICE" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A SAFETY HAZARD. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN AND THAT THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT FILTER SYSTEM NEEDED CLEANING TO PREVENT THE BATTERIES FROM OVERHEATING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000.

NHTSA ODI #10935533

11,000 miles · Aug 19, 2016
Service Brakes

BRAKES, I HAVE ANTI LOCK BRAKES, BUT IF I HAVE TO PRESS THE BRAKE THE LEAST BIT HARD IT LOCKS UP. I HAVE TALKED TO THE DEALER ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HE SAYS ITS NORMAL. THEY ALSO GRAB WHEN I PUT THEM ON. THIS IS MY THIRD PRIUS AND I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. I THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO.IT MAKES THE CAR SKID . THAN…

Read full complaint

BRAKES, I HAVE ANTI LOCK BRAKES, BUT IF I HAVE TO PRESS THE BRAKE THE LEAST BIT HARD IT LOCKS UP. I HAVE TALKED TO THE DEALER ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HE SAYS ITS NORMAL. THEY ALSO GRAB WHEN I PUT THEM ON. THIS IS MY THIRD PRIUS AND I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. I THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO.IT MAKES THE CAR SKID . THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ODI #10897152

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.