Page 2 of 2 · complaints 51–64 of 64

2012 Toyota Prius C complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2012 record →

Service Brakes
Filed Jan 11, 201640,000 milesNC

BRAKES ARE VERY SENSITIVE DURING WET WEATHER. IT TAKES GREAT EFFORT TO AVOID A SKID. ONCE THE BRAKES WARM UP THE PERFORMANCE IS NORMAL. THE DEALER RESURFACED THE FRONT ROTORS WHICH FIXED THE PROBLEM IN THE SHORT TERM. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM IS RETURNING.

Air BagsCrashFire2 injured
Filed Jan 5, 201660,000 milesTX

CAR WAS INVOLVED IN A 18+ CAR ACCIDENT. TRAVELING AT APPROX 55MPH ALL TRAFFIC CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP. THE CAR DID STOP BEFORE IMPACT. DRIVER PRESSED HIMSELF TO THE SEAT WHILE SLAMMING ON BREAKS. A CAR SLAMMED INTO THE BACK OF THE PRIUS WHICH SHOT THE PRIUS FORWARD, WEDGING IT BETWEEN THE 2 VEHICLES IN FRONT OF IT. UPON IMPACT WITH THE CARS IT WAS SLAMMED INTO THE DRIVER'S SEATBELT DID NOT LOCK. DRIVER FLEW FORWARD BREAKING BONES IN HIS FACE AND OBTAINED INJURIES TO A KNEE FROM IMPACTING THE CONSOLE, AND WHIPLASH. A CHILD PASSENGER IN THE BACK SEAT OBTAINED A KNOT ON HEAD AND WHIPLASH. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE BELT ELR DID NOT ENGAGE. THE CAR WAS DEEMED TOTALED.

Air Bags
Filed Aug 17, 2015VA

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

Service Brakes
Filed Nov 10, 201435,000 milesWA

BRAKING OFTEN BECOMES EXTREMELY AGGRESSIVE WHEN MOISTURE IS PREVALENT. INITIAL APPLICATION IS NORMAL, UNTIL DEEPER INTO THE BRAKING CYCLE. ONCE VEHICLE IS COMMITTED TO STOPPING AN ADDITIONAL (HARD BRAKE) SURGE THEN RENDERS SYSTEM INTO BECOMING FAR TOO AGGRESSIVE. THIS IS UNDER NORMAL BRAKING SCENARIOS REQUIRING ACTIVE OPERATOR ADJUSTMENTS TO STOP NORMALLY. *TR

Seats
Filed Oct 15, 2014IN

METAL COMING THRU RIGHT SIDE OF SEAT. *TR

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Sep 12, 201420,000 milesAR

WHILE WAITING AT A STOP LIGHT BEHIND TRAFFIC, MY CAR SUDDENLY SURGED. I WAS JUST SITTING THERE WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. I THOUGHT SOMEONE HAD HIT ME FROM BEHIND, BUT WHEN I LOOKED UP THERE WAS NO CAR BEHIND ME. LUCKILY, I DID NOT HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND HAD PUSHED HARDER ON THE BRAKE WHEN I FELT THE SURGE. I DID REPORT THIS WHEN I TOOK MY CAR IN TO BE SERVICED, ORR TOYOTA, SEARCY, ARKANSAS. THEY TOLD ME TO TELL THEM IF THIS HAPPENS AGAIN. SO FAR IT HAS NEVER HAPPENED AGAIN. *TR

Service Brakes
Filed Apr 30, 2014WI

BRAKES ARE EXTREMELY TOUCHY AND GRAB WHENEVER IT IS DAMP OUTSIDE. *JS

Service Brakes
Filed Apr 20, 2014DC

WHEN STEPPING ON THE BRAKES DURING WEST WEATHER (MOISTURE IN THE BRAKES) THE REAR WHEELS LOCK UP FOR A SPLIT SECOND EVERY TIME. WHEN IT IS DRY IT DOESN'T LOCK UP BUT STILL HITS HARD.

Air BagsCrash
Filed Apr 11, 201425,000 milesAZ

CAR IN FRONT SLOWED THEN STOPPED QUICKLY AS THE CAR AHEAD OF IT ATTEMPTED TO USE THE MIDDLE LANE IMPROPERLY (NOT A TURN LANE AT THAT TIME), NOT MOVING FULLY NOR QUICKLY INTO THE LANE. CAR IN FRONT STOPPED. APPLIED BRAKES IMMEDIATELY TO THE PRIUS C TO SLOW, THEN ADDED ONE RAPID PUMP, AND ULTIMATELY PUSHED THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR. THE PRIUS DID LITTLE MORE THAN SLOW (WITHOUT EVEN A JOLT FROM THE FIRM APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES), CAUSING A CRASH INTO THE REAR OF THE CAR IN FRONT AND SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE ENTIRE FRONT END. NO AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. *JS

Visibility › Windshield
Filed Oct 9, 201322,000 milesCA

WINDSHIELD WAS CHIPPED BY SOME DEBRIS WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT 55 MPH, THE SIZE WAS HALF A CENTIMETER, IF THAT. THE NEXT MORNING IT TURNED INTO A 6 INCH CRACK AND HAS GROWN EVEN BIGGER IN THE PAST COUPLE WEEKS TO WHERE IT HAS COME TO BLOCK MY VISION. OTHER CARS THAT I HAVE OWNED HAD CHIPS IN THE WINDSHIELD, BUT NEVER DEVELOPED INTO A CRACK. I AM THINKING THE WINDSHIELD IS TOO, TOO, THIN FOR IT TO BE PRACTICAL FOR A VEHICLE TRAVELING HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND HAVE READ THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE AMONG OTHER OWNERS. MY BIGGEST CONCERN, IF THE DEBRIS IS A LITTLE LARGER, WILL THE WINDSHIELD PREVENT PENETRATION INTO THE DRIVER AND/OR PASSENGER COMPARTMENT SO AS NO ONE WILL BE HARMED DUE TO A THIN WINDSHIELD? *TR

Visibility/Wiper
Filed Jul 18, 201336,000 milesNJ

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS C. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE REAR WINDSHIELD SHATTERED WITHOUT WARRANT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000. *TR

Engine
Filed Jul 15, 20135,240 milesVA

MY 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS C FOUR MODEL (PURCHASED NEW IN AUGUST, 2012) WITH APPROXIMATELY 5,200 ORIGINAL MILES EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER AND TOTAL FAILURE (ENGINE STALLED RIGHT AFTER THE HYBRID MOTOR WARNING LIGHT APPEARED) OF THE 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS C HYBRID INVERTER ENGINE DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL PANEL DEFECT WHILE EXITING I 495 IN ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA ON THE LATE EVENING OF JULY 6, 2013. TOYOTA CORPORATE (1-800-331-4331) OPENED CASE FILE # 1307101143 AND OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN ALEXANDRIA, VA. WAS VERY HELPFUL AND PROACTIVE IN REPLACING THE ENTIRE HYBRID INVERTER MOTOR COMPONENT ON THE 2012 PRIUS C UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY AND AT NO CHARGE TO ME AS THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. TOYOTA CORPORATE ALSO ADVISED ME THAT THEY ARE UNAWARE OF ANY RECALLS OR OTHER REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH THE 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS C HYBRID INVERTER MOTOR SO OUR SITUATION WAS, HOPEFULLY, AN ANOMALY. *TR

Air BagsCrash2 injured
Filed May 28, 20135,000 milesCA

THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED GENTLY AS THE CAR WAS APPROACHING A STOPPED CAR. THE PRIUS C THEN ACCELERATED, AT WHICH TIME THE BRAKES WERE FIRMLY APPLIED, THE ABS SYSTEM ENGAGED, BUT NOT IN ENOUGH TIME FOR THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THE PRIUS REAR ENDED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT, ALL AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED CAUSING INJURY TO THE DRIVER, AND THE FRONT END OF THE PRIUS WAS DESTROYED. IT CANNOT BE FIXED AND WILL NEED TO BE SCRAPPED. *TR

Air BagsCrash
Filed Apr 8, 20135,527 milesCA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS C. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE EXITING A RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE AND ALL OF THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,527. *TR

Reading these

NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Full record for the 2012 Toyota Prius C → · Every Prius C year → · How the figures are calculated →