2016 Toyota Prius V Owner Complaints

On [XXX] at [XXX] I was backing out of a driveway when my 2016 Prius V5 accelerated on its own. When I applied the brakes, nothing happened. I hit a curb, which flattened the front passenger tire. In order to get the car to stop, I took it out of gear and put it in neutral. The car finally came to a stop. My speed while backing out of the driveway was less than 5 mph. It accelerated to about 15 mph. I was told that because the tire flattened due to the force of impact with the curb, Toyota considered it an accident. Toyota had me complete an "Unintended Acceleration" form so they could investigate the situation. A case number ([XXX]) was assigned. I was also told that I needed to contact Toyota's Brand Engagement Center at (800) 331-4331. Toyota assigned Engineering Analysis Associates (EAA) to perform a thorough inspection and read out the Event Data Recorder (EDR) of my vehicle at Findlay Toyota. Anne Chapman with EAA did the inspection and sent a copy of the report to me on 09/15/25, the day of the inspection. She suggested that I keep the copy because I may need it if I needed to contact an attorney. My insurance company, USAA, sent an adjuster to examine the extent of the damage. Findlay Collision Center completed the repairs on 09/26/25, which cost $3,433.92. The accelerator nor the brakes were addressed. On 10/09/25, Toyota provided a response to the incident: they were not at fault. They claimed operator error. Unintended acceleration and unresponsive brakes have been an issue with Toyota's in the past. At that time, instead of fixing the problem, they told dealerships to educate their buyers on how to take the car out of gear. Approximately one week after picking up my car from the repair shop, the vehicle accelerated on its own again. Fortunately, the brakes worked this time. Because I felt very unsafe, I got rid of the car shortly after that incident. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11704813

Incident

Sep 9, 2025

Car was driving fine one day and then while driving down the interstate I had the Pre collision system malfunction error, Brake light came on, Cruise will not operate, ABS light is on. After much research it seems Prius V has a common issue with brake booster faulting.

NHTSA ID

11657666

Incident

Apr 28, 2025

Driving on the freeway the car stalled and was unable to accelerate. The issue seems identical to the 2020 recall. 2020-06-23 Recall no. 20V369000 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. I was told by the service center that my car is not on the recall list so they are unable to work it as a recall.

NHTSA ID

11618479

Incident

Oct 5, 2024

While traveling on NHS CA 99 about 80 miles before taking exit 97, there were pieces of tire debri on the center lane. It couldn’t be spotted and my vehicle drove over it making a big thud sound. It shaked my vehicle and left my family scared. It could have been really dangerous if there was a vehicle right ahead or behind my car. This incident broke the front bumper and caused big dent on my right door. This is a big monetary hole in my pocket. This is big concern and should be immediately addressed to avoid incidents further. Kindly let me know if there is a way to file a claim with NHST

NHTSA ID

11590827

Incident

May 24, 2024

Driving on freeway my prius V started shaking violently from what appeared to be overheating of water pump failure or the coolant invertor pump. I believe this to be a known issue Toyota is aware of when I took my Prius into Camelback Toyota in Phoenix they said they could not recreate the issues. I know this was powertrain failure that could have caused me to crash on the freeway.

NHTSA ID

11515500

Incident

Apr 2, 2023

While going 70 MPH, I hid a feral hog. Although the front end of my car crumpled up, and we came to a sudden stop, the air bags did not deploy.

NHTSA ID

11461252

Incident

Jan 15, 2022

Airbags failed to deploy upon impact with guardrail. Drivers side front corner hit the guardrail at approx. 45% angle at 50-60mph. The vehicle was inspected by an insurance rep. and was deemed a total loss. The car is available for inspection.

NHTSA ID

11418913

Incident

Apr 25, 2021

WHILE SLOWING AND PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, IN FRONT OF THE DENTIST OFFICE WHERE MY WIFE HAD AN APPOINTMENT, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. IT JUMPED THE CURB, AND SHE STEERED HARD RIGHT TO AVOID THE BUILDING DIRECTLY IN FRONT OH THE PARKING SPACE. SHE SIDESWIPED THE FRONT OF 2 VEHICLES PARKED NEXT TO THE SPACE SHE WAS MOVING INTO, AND THE CAR CONTINUED TOWARD THE STREET. IT HIT THE CURB GOING OUT OF THE PARKING LOT AND THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED. A PERSON CAME TO THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE CAR AND ASKED MY WIFE IF SHE WAS OK, AND SAID SHE SHOULD TURN THE CAR OFF - WHICH SHE DID.

NHTSA ID

11413018

Incident

Apr 20, 2021

Mileage

70,000 mi

I PREVIOUSLY SENT IN A COMPLAINT BUT THERE HAVE BEEN DEVELOPMENTS AND I NEEDED TO EXPLAIN MORE CLEARLY. OUR TOYOTA HAS LESS THAN 18,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN VERY WELL TAKEN CARE OF. DESPITE THIS, OUR VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN IN OPERATION SINCE EARLIER THIS MONTH. IT STARTED BY FLASHING WARNING LIGHTS 2 WEEKS AGO AND THEN WOULDN'T START UP. SATURDAY WHEN I OPENED THE DRIVER DOOR TO GET SOMETHING OUT OF THE INOPERABLE VEHICLE, THIS INITIATED A VERY LENGTHY TERRIBLE SOUND COMING FROM UNDER HOOD ON DRIVER'S SIDE. IT SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING WOULD EXPLODE UNDER THE HOOD. THIS HORRIBLE PROCESS APPEARANTLY DRAINED THE WHOLE BATTERY. IT HAS ABSOLUTELY NO SIGNS OF LIFE NOW. ALL OF THIS HAPPENED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY.

NHTSA ID

11377389

Incident

Nov 28, 2020

Mileage

17,801 mi

OUR VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY INOPERABLE. THE BATTERY WORKS BUT THE VEHICLE FLASHES ALL KINDS OF WARNING LIGHTS AND WILL NOT START UP. WE BELIEVE THAT IT MAY BE DUE TO RODENTS AS TOYOTA DEALERSHIP POINTED OUT RODENT ISSUE IN CABIN AIR FILTER LAST TIME WE WENT THERE FOR SOME SAFETY RECALL. IT SEEMS TO BE A HUGE ISSUE WITH PRIUS AND WE WOULD HAVE NEVER BOUGHT ONE HAD TOYOTA BEEN UPFRONT WITH THE RODENT ISSUES THAT THEY HAVE WITH THEIR VEHICLES. ARE THERE ANY RECALLS OR CLASS ACTION SUIT RELATED TO THIS RODENT ISSUE AND THEIR USING SOY BASED WIRING AND FAILING TO CLOSE UP RODENT ACCESS TO CABIN AIR FILTER ETC.? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME!

NHTSA ID

11376721

Incident

Nov 16, 2020

I HAVE OWNED SEVERAL TOYOTA VEHICLES OVER THE YEARS - A TERCEL, A RAV4, A TACOMA AND A PRIUS V. RECENTLY I WAS HIT WITH A $1680 + REPAIR TO MY 2016 PRIUS V DUE TO 'RODENT DAMAGE' TO MY WIRING. THIS INCLUDED DAMAGE TO 3 OUT 4 BRAKE LINES, AN O2 SENSOR LINE, A FUEL LINE SENSOR AND POSSIBLY A FUEL PUMP WIRING HARNESS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING AT 60MPH. I WAS DRIVING ON 1 WORKING BRAKE LINE!! MY CAR WAS IN THE TOYOTA SHOP FOR 3 DAYS. I'VE READ THAT TOYOTA DENIES RESPONSIBILITY FOR USING WIRING THAT ATTRACTS RODENT CHEWING. I HAVE BEEN FORCED TO TAKE THIS LOSS OF USE AND DAMAGE TO MY AUTO INSURANCE POLICY AND AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED THAT I WILL FACE THIS TYPE OF DAMAGE IN THE FUTURE WITH MORE CATASTROPHIC RESULTS LIKE AN ACCIDENT. THIS POSSIBILITY MAKES THE OWNERSHIP OF A MY PRIUS FINANCIALLY AND PRACTICALLY UNTENABLE!!! I CAN'T DEPEND ON MY PRIUS TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE ME TO MY WORK OR AND ANY OTHER DESTINATION SAFELY IF THE DESIGN OF THIS VEHICLE MAKES THE WIRING ACCESSIBLE TO RODENTS. I CAN'T KILL EVERY RODENT THAT MAY ENCOUNTER MY CAR IN EVERY LOCATION I PARK OR DRIVE MY CAR!! SINCE THIS HAS HAPPENED NOT ONLY TO ME BUT ALSO OTHER TOYOTA OWNERS, I WANT TO KNOW WHAT TOYOTA IS DOING TO PREVENT AND/OR CORRECT THIS PROBLEM? I'M HAVING TO PAY FOR INSTALLING NEW WIRING, WHICH UNLESS THE TOYOTA SERVICE CENTER DOING THE REPAIR DOES SOMETHING TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN, THE WIRING WILL STILL BE SUBJECT TO THE SAME DESTRUCTION DUE TO TOYOTA'S BAD DESIGN AND/OR INFERIOR MATERIALS THAT PERMIT RODENT DAMAGE.

NHTSA ID

11242980

Incident

Aug 3, 2019

Mileage

27,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA PRIUS V. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V085000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. AVONDALE TOYOTA (10005 PAPAGO FWY, AVONDALE, AZ 85323) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. *BF

NHTSA ID

11229029

Incident

Jan 31, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED AND TOWED TO A BODY SHOP WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CALLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 37,000.

NHTSA ID

11154354

Incident

May 26, 2017

Mileage

37,000 mi

WHILE PARKING MY VEHICLE AND SLOWING DOWN TO ENTER A PARKING SPACE, I EASED OFF THE BRAKE TO PULL INTO THE SPACE WHEN I HEARD THE ENGINE REV LOUDLY AND THEN THE CAR ACCELERATED AND CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE DESPITE ATTEMPTS TO PUMP THE BRAKES, RELEASE THE BRAKES WITHOUT TOUCHING ANY PEDAL AND ALSO TRYING TO PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO PARK. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP AT ALL. I WAS AFRAID FOR MY LIFE AND TRIED EVERYTHING TO AVOID OTHER VEHICLES AND PEDESTRIANS AS THE CAR ACCELERATED GREATLY. I STEERED THE CAR TO TRY AND AVOID A SLIGHT EMBANKMENT AND CURVE BUT WITH THE RAPID SPEED OF THE CAR, IT BECAME HARD TO MANEUVER THE CAR. THE VEHICLE JUMPED THE CURB STRIKING A TREE AND THEN A CONCRETE POST. THE CAR CAME TO REST ON ITS SIDE AFTER IMPACT. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS.

NHTSA ID

11154115

Incident

Oct 1, 2018

A STONE STRIKE CAUSED A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD. REPLACED IT AND SOON AFTER WE HAD SOME HAIL WHICH PITTED THE NEW WINDSHIELD AS WELL AS CAUSED A HUGE CRACK. ANOTHER PEBBLE STRIKE CAUSED ANOTHER IMMEDIATE LONG CRACK. ALL THESE HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING. THERE HAVE BEEN A TOTAL OF MORE THAN 4 CRACKS ON THIS VEHICLE WHICH WE HAVE HAD A TOTAL OF 12 MONTHS. WE HAVE NEVER HAD THIS KIND OF PROBLEM BEFORE.

NHTSA ID

10985954

Incident

Mar 15, 2017

Mileage

15,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING CITY STREETS AT A MAXIMUM SPEED OF 55,ON SUNDAY 4/2/17, MY WINDSHIELD MUST HAVE BEEN HIT BY A SMALL STONE. I DID NOT NOTICE WHEN IT HAPPENED. ON MONDAY, 4/3/16, I NOTICED A SMALL MARK ON THE WINDSHIELD WHICH I MISTOOK FOR A BUG. I LATER NOTICED A SMALL LINE COMING FROM THE "BUG" WHICH I MISTOOK FOR FLUID. BY TUESDAY, 4/4/17, THERE WERE "LINES" IN BOTH DIRECTIONS AND I REALIZED THAT I HAD A CRACKED WINDSHIELD. BY WEDNESDAY, THE CRACK WAS 16" IN LENGTH. I TOOK MY CAR TO TOYOTA SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE UNDER WARRANTY; THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS CAUSED BY "IMPACT". THE CAR HAS 8400 MILES ON IT. MY CONCERN IS WITH THE QUALITY OF THAT WINDSHIELD. IF A SMALL PEBBLE CAN CAUSE THAT MUCH DAMAGE, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS AN INFERIOR PRODUCT. I HAVE DRIVEN FOR 49 YRS IN DIFFERENT CLIMATES, THROUGH BLIZZARDS, HAILSTORMS, AND HAD FLYING DEBRIS HIT MY WINDSHIELDS. I HAVE HAD FENDER BENDERS AND BEEN REAR-ENDED. NEVER HAVE I HAD A BROKEN WINDSHIELD. A WINDSHIELD THAT IS THIS DELICATE IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IT SEEMS TO ME, THAT IN THIS WORLD OF PROFIT-DRIVEN CHOICES, THAT THE WINDSHIELDS ARE BEING MADE CHEAPER, AND THEREFORE LESS EFFECTIVE IN TERMS OF PROTECTION. I WONDER WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF IT WERE MORE THAN A PEBBLE THAT FLEW AT MY CAR. IN CA, IT IS ILLEGAL TO DRIVE WITH A CRACKED WINDSHIELD. SO NOW I AM IN THE PREDICAMENT OF GETTING THIS FIXED IMMEDIATELY. HANDILY FOR TOYOTA, THEY WON'T REPLACE IT GRATIS, SO IT IS A NICE $1,300.00 REPAIR JOB FOR THEM. THEY PLEASANTLY ADVISED ME THAT MY INSURANCE WOULD COVER THE $800.00 OVERAGE OF MY $500 DEDUCTIBLE. WITH THE ISSUE AT HAND BEING MY SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAW, I HAVE LITTLE CHOICE. CHEAP WINDSHIELDS MUST CREATE A REGULAR BASE OF REPAIR WORK FOR ALL THE AUTOMAKERS WHO USE THIS PARTICULAR AUTO GLASS. THIS SHOULD BE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED IN TERMS OF VEHICLE SAFETY.

NHTSA ID

10970999

Incident

Apr 2, 2017

Mileage

8,350 mi