Toyota Prius 2016–2022
4th generation (XW50)
NHTSA data through 13 August 2026505 complaints, 301 with mileageMethod
- Reports with mileage
- 301
- Median of reported failures
- 15,000 mi
- Most-reported system
- Visibility/wiper (12.9%)
- Recalls
- 10
Before-you-buy checklist ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
On this generation, 44% of complaints that record mileage fall within the first 12,000 miles, against 2 reports per 1,000 miles between 20,000 and 80,000.
Figure 1 · Toyota Prius 2016–2022 · 301 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 10,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 120 complaints.
- First 12,000 miles — 44% of all failures
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 4 complaints (1.3%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 500
- 25%
- 4,500
- Median
- 15,140
- 75%
- 29,000
- 90%
- 70,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 120 | 39.9% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 64 | 21.3% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 44 | 14.6% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 20 | 6.6% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 13 | 4.3% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 4 | 1.3% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 4 | 1.3% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 9 | 3.0% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 7 | 2.3% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 3 | 1.0% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 2 | 0.7% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 1 | 0.3% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 3 | 1.0% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 1 | 0.3% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 1 | 0.3% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 1 | 0.3% |
| 200,000+ | 4 | 1.3% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 505 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016–2022 Toyota Prius, and 301 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
44% of complaints that record mileage fall within the first 12,000 miles, against 2 reports per 1,000 miles between 20,000 and 80,000. Failures clustered that early usually indicate a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear.
The most-reported areas are visibility/wiper (12.9% of complaints, typically around 17,000 miles), problems owners could not categorise (12.9% of complaints, typically around 5,500 miles), the brakes (10.5% of complaints, typically around 9,000 miles).
10 recall campaigns cover this generation.
If you arrived asking “is it reliable?” — this page answers the version of that question the data can support: which problems owners reported, and at what mileage.
How many miles does a 2016–2022 Toyota Prius last?
Half of the failure reports on the 2016–2022 Toyota Prius were filed by 15,000 miles and 90% by 70,000 miles — figures drawn from 301 NHTSA complaints that record an odometer reading, so they time reported failures, not the cars whose owners never filed one.
4 reports (1.3%) came in past 200,000 miles — each one proof a Prius reached that mileage, not that it died there.
Before you buy a 2016–2022 Prius: the 3-minute check
Generated from 301 mileage-tagged complaints, 10 recall campaigns, 3 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 10 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Ask for problems owners could not categorise repair records. This area fails at a median of 5,500 miles — on any car this age it already happened or never will; the question is whether it was fixed under warranty.
- Ask for brakes repair records. This area fails at a median of 9,000 miles — on any car this age it already happened or never will; the question is whether it was fixed under warranty.
- Check wiring harness (engine compartment) on 2016–2018 cars. Engine-compartment wire harness connected to the hybrid power control unit can chafe against the housing, wear through insulation and short, producing smoke or fire; large Toyota recall covering the early years of the…
- Check parking brake on 2016–2018 cars. Parking brake cable can fail to engage properly, allowing the vehicle to roll away when parked without the transmission in Park; NHTSA recall.
- Check inverter / hybrid control on 2016–2018 cars. Inverter and hybrid system control software fault could cause the hybrid system to shut down and the vehicle to lose power while driving; recall issued.
- Complaint reports are not spread evenly across model years here — see the by-model-year table below before you settle on a year.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, an early-failure pattern is comparatively good news on a used example: 44% of the reported failures occur in the first 12,000 miles, which on a car of this age means they have already happened or they were never going to. Service history matters more than mileage here.
On inspection, visibility/wiper and problems owners could not categorise are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Problems owners could not categorise in particular shows a median failure mileage of 5,500, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
What fails, and when
Figure 2 · Toyota Prius 2016–2022
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Problems owners could not categorise65 reports5,5001,000–18,000Problems owners could not categorise: 65 reports, median 5,500 miles, middle half 1,000 to 18,000 miles.
- Brakes53 reports9,0001,500–17,000Brakes: 53 reports, median 9,000 miles, middle half 1,500 to 17,000 miles.
- Throttle and speed control37 reports14,0007,500–28,000Throttle and speed control: 37 reports, median 14,000 miles, middle half 7,500 to 28,000 miles.
- Visibility/wiper65 reports17,0009,500–26,000Visibility/wiper: 65 reports, median 17,000 miles, middle half 9,500 to 26,000 miles.
- Engine41 reports17,0005,000–71,000Engine: 41 reports, median 17,000 miles, middle half 5,000 to 71,000 miles.
- Electrical system46 reports18,0002,000–55,000Electrical system: 46 reports, median 18,000 miles, middle half 2,000 to 55,000 miles.
- Transmission and driveline24 reports23,00015,000–40,000Transmission and driveline: 24 reports, median 23,000 miles, middle half 15,000 to 40,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility/wiper | 65 | 12.9% | 17,000 | 9,500–26,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 65 | 12.9% | 5,500 | 1,000–18,000 |
| Brakes | 53 | 10.5% | 9,000 | 1,500–17,000 |
| Electrical system | 46 | 9.1% | 18,000 | 2,000–55,000 |
| Engine | 41 | 8.1% | 17,000 | 5,000–71,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 37 | 7.3% | 14,000 | 7,500–28,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 24 | 4.8% | 23,000 | 15,000–40,000 |
| Body structure | 23 | 4.6% | 10,000 | 5,000–20,000 |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 23 | 4.6% | 18,000 | 5,000–40,000 |
| Airbag system | 22 | 4.4% | 16,000 | 4,000–45,000 |
Where your car sits
Failure reports by the odometer reading they were filed at. Pick the anchor nearest your car — or type the exact mileage: your marker lands on this curve and on the timing chart above.
Figure 3 · Toyota Prius 2016–2022 · 301 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 88% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 95% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 96% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it below
The staircase tops out at 99%: the remaining 1.3% of reports (4) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
At 60,000 miles
88% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Visibility/wiper — median 17,000 mi
- Problems owners could not categorise — median 5,500 mi
- Brakes — median 9,000 mi
- Electrical system — median 18,000 mi
- Throttle and speed control — median 14,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — median 23,000 mi
In the reporting window
- Engine — middle half 5,000–71,000 mi
At 90,000 miles
95% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Visibility/wiper — median 17,000 mi
- Problems owners could not categorise — median 5,500 mi
- Brakes — median 9,000 mi
- Electrical system — median 18,000 mi
- Engine — median 17,000 mi
- Throttle and speed control — median 14,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — median 23,000 mi
At 120,000 miles
96% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Visibility/wiper — median 17,000 mi
- Problems owners could not categorise — median 5,500 mi
- Brakes — median 9,000 mi
- Electrical system — median 18,000 mi
- Engine — median 17,000 mi
- Throttle and speed control — median 14,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — median 23,000 mi
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 15,140 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
Visibility/wiper accounts for 12.9% of complaints (65 reports, 54 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 17,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 9,500 and 26,000 miles.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 12.9% of complaints (65 reports, 32 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 5,500 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 1,000 and 18,000 miles.
The brakes account for 10.5% of complaints (53 reports, 35 of them with a mileage figure), and they fail early — a median of 9,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 1,500 and 17,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 9.1% of complaints (46 reports, 24 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 18,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 2,000 and 55,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 8.1% of complaints (41 reports, 16 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 17,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 5,000 and 71,000 miles.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 7.3% of complaints (37 reports, 28 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 14,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 7,500 and 28,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2016 model year drew the most — 215 complaints — while 2020 drew the fewest at 23. The median year sits at 49.
That makes 2016 an outlier: roughly 4.4 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 10 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the electrical system (2), the airbag system (2), the engine and its cooling system (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 505 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 78 (15.4%)
- Fires
- 6
- Injury reports
- 32
- Fatality reports
- 0
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Documented problems
Wiring Harness (engine Compartment) 2016–2018
Engine-compartment wire harness connected to the hybrid power control unit can chafe against the housing, wear through insulation and short, producing smoke or fire; large Toyota recall covering the early years of the generation.
Parking Brake 2016–2018
Parking brake cable can fail to engage properly, allowing the vehicle to roll away when parked without the transmission in Park; NHTSA recall.
Inverter / Hybrid Control 2016–2018
Inverter and hybrid system control software fault could cause the hybrid system to shut down and the vehicle to lose power while driving; recall issued.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 215 | 135 |
| 2017 | 127 | 94 |
| 2018 | 45 | 32 |
| 2019 | 53 | 22 |
| 2020 | 23 | 6 |
| 2021 | 11 | 5 |
| 2022 | 31 | 7 |
Recalls (10) — is your car included?
Nov 2021 · 2022 · Engine and Engine CoolingA loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
The defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022 Prius and Prius Prime vehicles. The Engine Control Unit (ECU) software may falsely detect an error and shut down the hybrid system, causing a loss of drive power.
What can happen. A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will update the ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2021. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 21TB07/21TA07.
Feb 2020 · 2019 · Electrical SystemA blank main display will not show important information like vehicle speed or fuel level.
The defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019 Prius vehicles. An electrical short circuit in the combination meter could occur, causing the speedometer, the odometer, and the fuel gauge to go blank. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 101, "Controls and Displays."
What can happen. A blank main display will not show important information like vehicle speed or fuel level. Driving with an inoperative display can increase the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the flash memory chip (ROM) production date, and if necessary, replace it along with the combination meter circuit board, free of charge. The recall began February 7, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 19TA21 and 19TB21.
Sep 2019 · 2019 · Service BrakesDeactivation of the vehicle stability control system or a loss of braking assist increases the risk of a…
The defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019 Lexus LS500, LC500, ES300h, UX250h, LS500h, Toyota Prius, RAV4 HV, 2019-2020 Toyota Prius Prime, and 2020 Corolla HV vehicles. The brake booster pump may fail causing a deactivation of the Vehicle Stability Control system and a loss of braking assist. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
What can happen. Deactivation of the vehicle stability control system or a loss of braking assist increases the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the brake booster pump, free of charge. The recall began September 20, 2019. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 and Lexus owners may contact Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are K1L/K0L. Lexus' numbers for this recall are K2F/KLF.
May 2019 · 2019 · EquipmentIf the driver cannot read the label, they may unknowingly overload the vehicle, increasing the risk of a…
The defect. Gulf States Toyota (GST) is recalling certain 2019 C-HR, 4Runner, Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Highlander, Land Cruiser, Prius, RAV4, Sequoia, Tacoma, Sienna, Tundra and Yaris vehicles. The text on the load capacity label may become illegible. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
What can happen. If the driver cannot read the label, they may unknowingly overload the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. GST will notify owners, and dealers will provide corrected load carrying capacity modification labels, free of charge. The recall began May 24, 2019. Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074. GST's number for this recall is 19R1.
Oct 2018 · 2016–2018 · Electrical SystemAn electrical short can increase the risk of a fire.
The defect. 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.
What can happen. An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire.
The free fix. 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.
Mar 2018 · 2016 · Air BagsIf the air bags fail to deploy in a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
The defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016 Toyota Prius and Lexus RX 350, RX 350 F Sport, RX 450h F Sport and RX 450h vehicles and 2015-2016 Lexus NX 200T, NX Turbo and NX 300h vehicles. The air bag pressure sensors and/or the acceleration sensors may fail causing the side/curtain shield air bags and/or the front air bags to not deploy in the event of a crash.
What can happen. If the air bags fail to deploy in a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
The free fix. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the sensors as necessary based on their serial numbers, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 12, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are JLA, J0F.
Dec 2017 · 2016 · Hybrid Propulsion SystemIf the capacitor was not properly secured, vibrations from driving the vehicle may damage the capacitor…
The defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016 Prius vehicles. A capacitor within the hybrid system may not have been properly bolted to the inverter housing.
What can happen. If the capacitor was not properly secured, vibrations from driving the vehicle may damage the capacitor, shutting down the hybrid system, causing a loss of motive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inverter, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin by early December 2017. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is H0U.
Jun 2017 · 2017 · TiresA spare tire that is not inflated to the proper value may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of a…
The defect. Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (Gulf States) is recalling certain 2017 4Runner , 86, Avalon, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Corolla, Corolla iM, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Prius, Prius C, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Sienna and Yaris vehicles. The spare tire air pressure was not adjusted to the proper pressure as stated on the Tire Pressure Label.
What can happen. A spare tire that is not inflated to the proper value may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Gulf States will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the spare tires, adjusting their pressure as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 15, 2017. Owners may contact Gulf States customer service at 1-800-444-1074. Toyota's number for this recall is 17R2.
Nov 2016 · 2016–2017 · Parking BrakeIf the parking brake cable disengages from the mechanism and the transmission is left in a gear other than…
The defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Prius vehicles manufactured August 6, 2015, to October 3, 2016. The affected vehicles are equipped with a foot-operated parking brake system that has a parking brake cable that may disengage.
What can happen. If the parking brake cable disengages from the mechanism and the transmission is left in a gear other than 'Park' while the ignition is on and the driver leaves the vehicle, the vehicle may roll unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install a clip at the parking brake cable end to prevent the cable from disengaging, free of charge. The recall began November 10, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is G01.
Nov 2016 · 2016 · Air BagsA front passenger air bag that unintentionally inflates can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The defect. Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Prius vehicles manufactured November 30, 2015, to June 14, 2016. An air bag inflator manufacturing error may result in the inadvertent partial inflation of the front passenger air bag.
What can happen. A front passenger air bag that unintentionally inflates can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The free fix. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began November 10, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G0W.
What owners reported
Vehicle feels like it wants to go forward as soon as the gas engine turns on to charge the hybrid battery when it is stationary, is in park gear with the foot parking brake fully on and on a flat surface. When the car is running off of battery mode and the battery becomes depleted the gas engine turns on to charge the…
2016 · 2 miles · Brakes
There is an ongoing issue with the head rests on this vehicle. The default setting is much too far forward, causing a forward head and neck posture, resulting in headaches, neck pain, etc., And make it very uncomfortable to drive, and difficult to check blind spots. It also forces the driver's head very close the…
2016 · 12 miles · Seats
the contact owns a 2015 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that the driver's head rest positioning in the vehicle was too forward making it impossible to drive for long periods of time without severe discomfort. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The…
2016 · 50 miles · Seats
I purchased a new 2016 Prius four on february 16, 2016. The literature on the Toyota factory website says my Prius is equipped to switch from english to metric units. Unfortunately, Toyota failed to disclose that any Prius manufactured in january and february and delivered to the united states did not have this…
2016 · 97 miles · Electrical system
Built from 301 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-18 · open data · reproduce this page