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2018 Toyota Prius

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2018 Toyota Prius do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 164.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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

What owners reported most

All reported categories

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

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

25 reports with mileage · 11 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.

  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility/wiper. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

Visibility/wiper complaints

5 reports
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29,500 miles · Mar 4, 2021
Visibility/wiper

MY WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED TWICE WITHOUT BEING STRUCK BY AN OBJECT AND WITHOUT BEING NEAR ANOTHER VEHICLE. BOTH INCIDENTS OCCURRED DURING NORMAL HIGHWAY DRIVING. I WAS NOT SPEEDING OR DRIVING RECKLESSLY. BOTH TIMES REQUIRED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD AS THE CRACK QUICKLY SPREAD AND AFFECTED A GOOD PORTION OF THE WINDSHIELD…

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MY WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED TWICE WITHOUT BEING STRUCK BY AN OBJECT AND WITHOUT BEING NEAR ANOTHER VEHICLE. BOTH INCIDENTS OCCURRED DURING NORMAL HIGHWAY DRIVING. I WAS NOT SPEEDING OR DRIVING RECKLESSLY. BOTH TIMES REQUIRED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD AS THE CRACK QUICKLY SPREAD AND AFFECTED A GOOD PORTION OF THE WINDSHIELD. I AM REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COST OF REPLACING THE WINDSHIELD (TWICE). THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED JUST A FEW DAYS AFTER PURCHASE. THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED TODAY, MARCH 4, 2021.

NHTSA ODI #11399109

26,000 miles · Nov 8, 2019
Exterior LightingVisibility/wiper

THE CAR IS INADEQUATE IN THE WINTER. WHEN IT SNOWS I CAN'T KEEP THE WINDOWS CLEAN. THEY CHANGED THE FITTINGS AND I CAN'T EVEN PUT WINTER BLADES ON THE CAR. ALSO, AND THIS APPLIES TO ALMOST ALL NEW CARS AS WELL, THE LED LIGHTS FREEZE OVER. IT'S A SAFETY HAZARD NOT TO HAVE LIGHTS THAT WORK. AND IT'S A SAFETY HAZARD TO HAVE TO …

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THE CAR IS INADEQUATE IN THE WINTER. WHEN IT SNOWS I CAN'T KEEP THE WINDOWS CLEAN. THEY CHANGED THE FITTINGS AND I CAN'T EVEN PUT WINTER BLADES ON THE CAR. ALSO, AND THIS APPLIES TO ALMOST ALL NEW CARS AS WELL, THE LED LIGHTS FREEZE OVER. IT'S A SAFETY HAZARD NOT TO HAVE LIGHTS THAT WORK. AND IT'S A SAFETY HAZARD TO HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR IN DANGEROUS CONDITIONS TO TRY AND SCRAPE ICE OFF THE WINDOWS AND LIGHTS. THE FRONT AND REAR LIGHTS GET CAKED WITH ICE AND SNOW. THIS PICTURE IS OF MY WINDSHIELD AFTER AN HOUR OF WARMING UP. THE WIPERS STAY CAKED WITH ICE. AND WHEN I TURN THEM ON, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS. THEY SMEAR THE WINDSHIELD WITH ICE. THEY SMEAR IT WITH WATER TOO. I CAN'T SQUEEGEE WATER WITH ICE. I'D LOVE TO TRADE IT IN, BUT EVERYONE HAS LED LIGHTS. THEY'RE A SAFETY HAZARD. AND THESE ISSUES ARE KEEPING ME FROM BUYING A NEW CAR. I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU ADDRESSED THESE ISSUES. THE CAR COMPANIES WON'T LISTEN TO ME. THANK YOU HAVE A GREAT DAY

NHTSA ODI #11278866

10,000 miles · Apr 20, 2019
Visibility/wiper

I OWNED A 2008 PRIUS WITH 273,453 MILES WHEN I TRADED IT FOR A 2018 PRIUS ON 3/15/18. MY 2008 NEVER HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED; MEANWHILE, THE 2018 HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE AND THE 2ND IS NOW CRACKED WITHIN 2 MONTHS OF REPLACEMENT. ON 8/7/18 I WAS DRIVING IN A SINGLE LANE ROAD WITH NO VEHICLES AHEAD OR IN THE ONCOMING DIRECTION…

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I OWNED A 2008 PRIUS WITH 273,453 MILES WHEN I TRADED IT FOR A 2018 PRIUS ON 3/15/18. MY 2008 NEVER HAD THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED; MEANWHILE, THE 2018 HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE AND THE 2ND IS NOW CRACKED WITHIN 2 MONTHS OF REPLACEMENT. ON 8/7/18 I WAS DRIVING IN A SINGLE LANE ROAD WITH NO VEHICLES AHEAD OR IN THE ONCOMING DIRECTION WHEN I HEARD A POP. WITHIN 5 MINUTES A CRACK BEGAN AT THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND EXTENDED ABOUT 9' UPWARDS AND TOWARDS THE PASSENGER SIDE BY THE END OF THE DAY. NEXT MORNING THE CRACK WAS 17' LONG, AND BY THE 3RD DAY THE CRACK WAS 26'. AFTER THAT THE CRACK SEEMS TO STABILIZE. ON 10/9/18 I WAS DRIVING ON I-95N HEARD ANOTHER POP AND A 2ND CRACK BEGAN TO FORM. THERE WERE NO VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME WHEN I HEARD A POP. AN ADDITIONAL CRACK STARTED THAT CURVED FROM THE DRIVER SIDE AND EXTENDED 14' FROM THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD 3' FROM THE OLD CRACK TOWARDS THE DRIVER SIDE. THE 2ND CRACK AFFECTED MY VISION SO I HAD HAVE IT REPLACED IMMEDIATELY. ON 11/2/18 I HAD THE OEM WINDSHIELD REPLACED FOR $250 (DEDUCTIBLE) PLUS $477 (TOYOTA CAMERA RECALIBRATION). ON 12/19/18 I HEARD A POP WHILE AT A STOP SIGN AND THE NEW WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A CRACK FROM THE BASE OF THE GLASS EXTENDING UPWARDS 4' THEN CURVED TOWARDS THE PASSENGER SIDE FOR ANOTHER 7.5' BY THE END OF THE DAY. THE NEXT DAY THE CRACK CURVED UP AND TO THE RIGHT SIDE FOR ANOTHER 7.25'. BY THE 3RD DAY, IT GREW ANOTHER 12' UPWARDS. ON 1/29/19 A SECOND CRACK FORMED NEAR THE INITIAL CRACK AT 3' HIGHER FROM THE BASE. THIS CRACK EXTENDED FOR 12' TOWARDS THE DRIVER SIDE. SO NOW I AM FACED WITH REPLACING THE WINDSHIELD AGAIN; INCURRING THE COSTS AND INCONVENIENCE. GIVEN THE FACT THERE WERE NO VEHICLE AROUND WHEN THE CRACKS HAVE REPEATED APPEARED I FEEL THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT AND NOT A FACTOR OF MY DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI #11202667

22,000 miles · Oct 6, 2018
Visibility/wiper

LAST YEAR,JUNE 2017, WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED WE NOTICED THERE WAS A HAIRLINE CRACK ON THE WINDSHIELD. WE RECEIVED SOME QUOTES SAYING IT WOULD BE ABOUT $900 TO FIX. SO WE DECIDED TO GO WITH AN ADHESIVE INJECTION AND PAID ABOUT $50 FOR SOMEONE TO COME FIX IT. HOWEVER, AFTER A MONTH, IT SPREAD. WE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO REPLACE T…

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LAST YEAR,JUNE 2017, WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED WE NOTICED THERE WAS A HAIRLINE CRACK ON THE WINDSHIELD. WE RECEIVED SOME QUOTES SAYING IT WOULD BE ABOUT $900 TO FIX. SO WE DECIDED TO GO WITH AN ADHESIVE INJECTION AND PAID ABOUT $50 FOR SOMEONE TO COME FIX IT. HOWEVER, AFTER A MONTH, IT SPREAD. WE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD. LAST MONTH, SAME THING HAPPENED. CAR WAS PARKED, NOTHING HIT IT. SAME HAIRLINE CRACK. I HAVEN'T FIXED IT BECAUSE OF THE HEAVY EXPENSE. BUT IT HAS SPREAD. CHECKED ONLINE TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAS THE SAME ISSUE AND FOUND THERE'S A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FOR THIS BUT IT'S FOR 2014-2016 TOYOTA PRIUS. APPARENTLY THEY HAVE NOT FIXED THIS PROBLEM FOR THE 2017 PRIUS. ALSO, THERE'S A RECALL FOR MY CAR FOR ANOTHER ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI #11138822

127 miles · Jul 22, 2018
Visibility/wiper

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE RAIN AT 55MPH A VERY SMALL PEBBLE/BUG STRUCK THE LOWER RIGHT WINDSHIELD BELOW THE WIPER. IT WAS NOT VERY LOUD, BUT DID CREATE A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD WITH A FEW MINUTES. WITHIN A FEW DAYS THE CRACK HAS SPREAD ACROSS THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA ODI #11112886

Official recalls

1

18V579000 · Electrical System:wiring

Sep 5, 2018

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Toyota Prius vehicles. A portion of the engine wire harness connected to the hybrid Power Control Unit (PCU), could contact the cover at this connection and wear, causing an electrical short circuit.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine wire harness assembly and replace it if damage is found. A protective sleeve or protective tape will be included to prevent any future damage. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began October 30, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J0T.

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.