SkipThatYearREAL DATA. SMARTER CAR DECISIONS.
← New search

2013 Toyota Prius V

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Prius V years

Owner complaints for the 2013 Toyota Prius V are substantially higher than the model-year median of 20.

About this comparison →
124Owner complaints

Model-year median: 20

2Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
1
2011216
2012124
201382
201424
201516
2016
Compare all Prius V years →

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

What owners reported most

Service Brakes
64Electrical System
15Engine
15Fuel/propulsion System
9Unknown Or Other
8
All reported categories
Exterior Lighting
7Power Train
7Vehicle Speed Control
6Air Bags
5Forward Collision Avoidance
4Service Brakes, Hydraulic
4Suspension
4Hybrid Propulsion System
3Structure
3Electronic Stability Control (esc)
2Seat Belts
2Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness
1Engine And Engine Cooling
1Equipment
1Equipment Adaptive/mobility
1Parking Brake
1Seats
1Steering
1

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

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

67 reports with mileage · 57 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.

  • Service Brakes. Review the 64 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

9 crash reports1 fire reports6 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

1 reports
Clear category filter
85,000 miles · Oct 12, 2014
Engine And Engine Cooling

THERE WAS A LOAD BANG, WHICH I THOUGHT CAME FROM THE TIRES, I REALIZED IT WASN'T THE TIRES BUT SMOKE COMING OUT FROM THE ENGINE. I OPENED THE HOOD OF THE CAR THERE WAS SMOKE AND ODOR COMING FROM THE ENGINE. I THAN WENT BACK TO THE VEHICLE AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND STARTED TO STARTED IT AGAIN. THE SMOKE STOPPED AND I TURNED I…

Read full complaint

THERE WAS A LOAD BANG, WHICH I THOUGHT CAME FROM THE TIRES, I REALIZED IT WASN'T THE TIRES BUT SMOKE COMING OUT FROM THE ENGINE. I OPENED THE HOOD OF THE CAR THERE WAS SMOKE AND ODOR COMING FROM THE ENGINE. I THAN WENT BACK TO THE VEHICLE AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND STARTED TO STARTED IT AGAIN. THE SMOKE STOPPED AND I TURNED IT BACK ON, EVERYTHING LOOKED NORMAL SO I STARTED TO DRIVE. AFTER 5 MILES OF DRIVING THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. I PULLED OVER TO A GAS STATION THINKING IT WAS A LEAK OF WATER. I CHECKED THE EVERYTHING I HAD ENOUGH WATER BUT DECIDE TO BUT MORE ANYWAYS. THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ON, I DECIDED TO DRIVE IT HOME SO I CAN DEALER TOMORROW, BUT WHILE DRIVING HOME THE CAR TURNED ITSELF OFF. I COULDN'T STARTED IT BACK ON. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10644187

Official recalls

2

18V684000 · Hybrid Propulsion System

Oct 4, 2018

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the hybrid system shuts down unexpectedly, it can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: 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.

15V449000 · Hybrid Propulsion System: Inverter

Jul 15, 2015

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Prius V vehicles manufactured August 22, 2011, to June 30, 2014. A component within the hybrid inverter assembly may overheat, causing the hybrid system to reduce output power allowing the vehicle to only drive a short distance. In some circumstances, the hybrid system may shut down causing the vehicle to stop while being driven.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the motor/generator control electronic control unti (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU, free of charge. The recall began on July 30, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.