2013 Toyota Prius

Defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Prius and 2014-2017 Prius V vehicles not included in recall 18V-684. 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.

Risk. An unexpected hybrid power system shut down may increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will perform a software update for the hybrid system. If the vehicle has experienced an inverter failure with certain hybrid system faults related to this condition, the inverter assembly will be repaired or replaced, prior to software update. All repairs will be performed free of charge. This recall began July 24, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB10 / 20TA10.

Defect. 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.

Risk. 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.

Defect. Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 through 2014 Prius vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) inside the inverter module (a component of the hybrid system) contains transistors that may become damaged from high operating temperatures. If this occurs, various warning lamps will be illuminated on the instrument panel and the vehicle will have reduced power allowing it to only drive a short distance.

Risk. 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 both the motor/generator control electronic control unit (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU, free of charge. If an owner experiences a failure of the inverter before the vehicle receives updated software, the dealer will repair or replace the inverter assembly with a new one at no charge. The recall began on March 21, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the ABS warning light illuminated. Minutes later, the vehicle started to brake and lurch forward with the accelerator pedal depressed. The contact stated that the vehicle spun out and crashed into the median. The contact’s chest struck the steering wheel, causing bruising and chest pain. The contact was managing the pain with analgesics. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot and was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. A Police report was filed, but the report number was not provided. The manufacturer was contacted and was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

My 2013 Prius has 86,500 miles on it. It has been regularly maintained. A routine state inspection revealed a severely rusted rear axle beam and a front axle that is heading in that direction. Other Prius' in [XXX] have had this issue, and in some cases, the wheels have detached from the axle while the car is in motion. That is documented. That is a major safety concern, as who would expect to see an axle issue, especially in a low mileage car. I found a similar NHTSA complaint, XXX, on a 2013 Prius in [XXX], as well as issues in [XXX] with 2010 and 2012 Prius vehicles. The Toyota dealership that found this issue deemed it to be "a major safety concern" as the beam is "rusted apart". There were no warning signs, no issues, until the visual inspection. My concern is not simply the cost of repairing an older vehicle. I am concerned that a structural component has corroded to the point of being describe as "rusted apart", creating a major safety concern on a vehicle with limited mileage. The threat of a wheel separation or loss of vehicle control is a serious risk that needs exploration. I called Toyota Headquarters and they indicated that the car was out of warranty and there had been no recalls. The case number for that contact is: [XXX]. Toyota has previously recognized that corrosion of structural rear components in salt-belt vehicles can create a safety problem, but I do not know if that commentary has been applied to Gen-3 Prius'. I respectfully request the NHTSA review it

The break pump for my 2013 prius is going out and is a known issue with Toyota. I contacted toyota and they have stated because it is past the extended warranty they can not repair it and aren't liable for it. I bought the car used and was unaware that it has been a known issue for years. The previous owner did not have it replaced as they were probably unaware as well. It is a highly unsafe issue and has caused my breaks to suddenly go our while driving recently with my toddler. It is also $3000-$5000 to fix it and is almost more than the cars value. I need help resolving this as it isn't "normal wear and tear" or a mileage issue. It is a known, very public defect that toyota has admitted and I have been able to easily find information on all over Google. The warning lights came on out of no where on the freeway today.

I purchased a 2013 Toyota Prius from a reputable dealership in Omaha (O'Daniel Honda). 5 days after purchase the ABS, BRAKE, and Traction Control lights came on in the evening. When I took it to the dealership the next day they had cycled off and the dealership couldn't find anything wrong. A few days later it happened again so I got into the dealer right away and they said Toyota had issued a service bulletin C1391 in 2019, and that I would have to replace the brake booster, brake cylinder, and brake pump assembly. I'm still fighting with the dealership to make this right, because they should have caught this during their inspection before putting the car for sale on their lot. The indicator lights keep cycling on and off. Something that effects the braking system should be a recall and not a service bulletin.

Brake actuator failed

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the ABS, traction control, and BRAKE warning lights were illuminated. The contact pulled off on the off-ramp and became aware that extra effort was needed to depress the brake pedal. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and was diagnosed with brake booster and accumulator failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

My vehicle has 105492 miles and ABS light, Trackion and Brake light went on. I could hear a buzzing sound from the brake actuator every 5 seconds. The brake actuator and master cylinder was failing. According to the dealership failure of brake actuator and master cylinder is a common safety issue with Toyota Prius. The failure of the actuator can lead to failure in the braking system and a crash. Online research shows that several customers have reported this issue. The Claremont Toyota quoted me $3646 to fix this issue. I contacted Toyota of America and they informed that they cannot cover these repairs case number 260515002576.I took my vehicle to a private mechanic. I paid $2312 for parts and labor to fix this safety issue. I would like to file a complaint against Toyota for not addressing this critical safety issue.

I am the first owner of a Toyota 2013 Prius that I purchased in Baltimore, MD, in 2013. I moved Georgia in 2014. The car currently has 130000 miles. I heard there were recalls on this vehicle type few years ago, but I was never notified. The brake has failed recently with code C1391. I spent $3,500 recently and the car is still in the repair shop.

While driving straight on smooth paved road, car began to shake and right rear passenger wheel came completely separated from car. After skidding off the road and being able to visually inspect, it was clear the sub-frame had broken and the wheel had come off in its entirety. The rotor, the lugs, and calipers were all still attached to the wheel.

Code 1391 / power brake booster failure. Know defect by Toyota in which they extended warranty, vehicle is within mileage warranty but past the date warranty. Therefore Toyota will not assist in repairing. Very troubling in that this is a high risk recall or safety issue well known and instead of repairing extended. Repairs cost more than half the value of the vehicle and we are heavily reliant on this car and cannot afford 4k repair nor would sell knowing the saftey issue. Apparently there was notices sent for voluntary repairs in which I never received, had I received and reviewed I would have had repaired. My car had been to Toyota dealership and was never notified of this recall. Toyota offered voluntary programs (such as ZJB or model-specific extensions like 21TE01 for certain 2012–2014 Prius c vehicles) to replace failing brake boosters and pump assemblies.

The brake light, abs light, and traction control light is on. This was a known issue with Toyota Prius. They extended the warranty but failed to adequately notify user. I believe this is a serious safety issue and should be a recall as it affects the adequate stopping of a car, not just an extended warranty.

I am filing a formal safety complaint regarding a catastrophic brake component failure on my 2013 Toyota Prius, occurring at less than 83,000 miles. The vehicle’s Brake Master Cylinder/Actuator Assembly has suffered an internal hydraulic pressure leak, causing the electric booster pump to run continuously to prevent a total loss of braking assist. This is a well-documented manufacturing defect that directly compromises passenger safety, drastically increases stopping distances, and threatens a complete loss of power assist while driving. Toyota explicitly acknowledged this inherent design flaw through its Customer Support Program (ZJB). However, they limited coverage to a strict 10-year expiration date from the first date of use. Because my vehicle has exceptionally low mileage and was driven gently, the component took longer to degrade, causing it to fail just outside Toyota's arbitrary time limit. Limiting safety coverage based on time rather than mileage penalizes owners of low-mileage vehicles for an engineered factory defect.

On June 20, 2026 while driving the Toyota Prius I experienced a sudden brake failure. Initially I thought I might have pressed the accelerator instead of the brake. But then pressing the brake I found the car did not stop and the ABS brake, brake lights, and other lights lit up on the dash board. The car had only 61,150 on the odometer. I called on Toyota for their warranty coverage but they declined saying that the vehicle is no longer covered. This brake failure should have been under Recall. AAA auto service has pulled C1391 vehicle code - requiring removing and replacing brake booster pump assembly with master cylinder, etc.

There have been several reports of this matter and a ton of recalls due to the Brake Booster issues with all Prius makes and models from 2010 on. The recall was issued and ended before I purchased this vehicle and never fixed. The brake booster has recently began having trouble in my vehicle. I purchased it in February of 2024, the recalls all show they quit honoring them in 2023.

See attached document for complaint.

Brake booster went out, car only has 78,000 miles

Brake pedal is going all the way to the floor the car barely stops. The ABS and brake lights show up on the dashboard and won't go away; when I used a diagnostic scanner to find the problem, three malfunction codes involving the brake system showed up. This has been going on for five days now, and I am going to take it to the manufacturer for further inspection.

Actuator needs replacing, currently at 127k miles and displaying traction control, brake and ABS warning lights. The repair will be a few thousand dollars, the cars market value is only around $6k. This is a known Toyota defect for this generation of Prius but Toyota hasn’t recalled these vehicles. I think Toyota should have to pay. The vehicle is out of warranty at 127k miles and it’s a 2013

Year/Make/Model: 2013 Toyota Prius • Component: Brake Booster Assembly with Master Cylinder (Part #47070-47060) Description of the Defect: After approximately 30–40 minutes of driving, my dashboard illuminates with the Brake, ABS, and VSC warning lights simultaneously. The brake pedal becomes inconsistent and requires significantly more effort to stop the vehicle. This is a known internal fluid leak within the brake booster assembly that causes the accumulator pump to run continuously and ultimately reduces braking performance — a direct safety hazard. Why This Requires Federal Attention: This is not an isolated incident. Hundreds of 2013 Prius owners have reported identical symptoms, with associated diagnostic trouble codes C1391, C1252, C1256, and C1253. Toyota acknowledged this defect by issuing Technical Service Bulletin TSB-0089-20 and a Customer Support Program (ZJB) providing limited extended warranty coverage. However, that program was not well publicized . I was never informed as a vehicle owner . And it has now expired, leaving thousands of owners with a dangerous defect and repair bills costing thousands . A safety defect of this magnitude — one that can result in sudden, significant loss of braking ability — should not have an expiration date on its remedy. Toyota has not issued a mandatory recall, and owners continue to unknowingly drive vehicles with compromised brake systems. Requested Action: I respectfully urge NHTSA to: 1.Open a formal investigation into thi

THE ABS brake system is now making a noise that is directly related to the failure of the brake pump booster and associated parts. I only know about this as I was able to look up other people that have heard a noise coming from it and I was able to directly compare my sound to video recordings of other priuses that make that noise just before the system fully fails. Mine has not yet completely failed and there are no warning lights yet, nor are there any "recalls" out for my VIN number. My car is also outside of the 10 year "extension" that toyota issued for he part, but is well under the 150,000 mile marker that toyota chose. It's at around 113,000 miles currently. I listed the date of the incident as the first date that I began hearing this noise. Please help.