2015 Toyota Prius Electrical Problems

Pulling out of a parking stall, when put vehicle in drive, the engine revved up and accelerated - vehicle crashed, the brakes did not work- there was skid marks. Floor mats are factory OEM were installed properly. I did not hit the accelerator and I am in good health and mind. I have driving for over 30 years, never had and accident nor a ticket! - A county officer was at the seen and left me with vehicle that had to be towed away. The Vehicle is a total loss. I have insurance but felt that this incident need to be reported, There is no safety recalls and the vehicle was always property maintained

NHTSA ID

11750516

Incident

Jun 28, 2026

The incident involved having to press extremely hard on the brake pedal to stop the car, while it was uphill in the middle of the road. The car started going backward and was throwing ABS, Master Warning Light, Brake System Warning Light and Warning Buzzer, Brake System Warning Light, and SLIP Indicator signals. This was a highly distraughtful situation on the road. Diagnostics showed C1391 Diagnostic Trouble Code on the 2015 Toyota Prius: brake booster and brake booster pump problem. When pressing the brake pedal there is a high pitched metal scraping noise. Toyota coverage program is only applicable for 10 years from the date of first use or 150,000 miles, whichever occurs first. Many cars run well for over 10 years with good care, so the 10 year cap barely covers anything. This is highly unfair and borderline scamming for an issue so severe, which can cause big accidents on the road. In all honesty, this is a life or death situation when it comes to not being able to properly brake while driving. This should be a full recall!!

NHTSA ID

11742921

Incident

Mar 28, 2026

The brake pump and actuator on my 2015 prius has been faulty and the repair was apparently covered under the customer support program but it expired in December. I had no knowledge of it and when I took my car in to a toyota dealership, no one told me about about the profram but told me that they needed to be replaced. I did not get the repair because of the hefty cost and I missed the deadline. My safety and the safety of other drivers were put at risk for not allowing me to be notified by it and my car being at risk for my brakes failing at any time. Their were absolutely no warning lights on my vehicle as well.

NHTSA ID

11741829

Incident

Dec 17, 2025

I was driving from Las Vegas to my home in Los Angeles. An alarming message began flashing on the dashboard telling me to pull over. The vehicle became hard to control. I somehow managed to get it off an exit. I was "lucky" enough to get it towed to a nearby Toyota dealership where I was told the inverter had failed and that that inverter and associated parts had to be replaced. On my 2015 Prius with only 50,000 miles on it. I SPECIFICALLY asked if there had been a recall on the electrical system of any 2015 Priuses, and they flatly said no. I also CALLED TOYOTA, and they also said there were no recalls involving the electrical system or inverters. The Barstow Toyota dealership said it would cost over $5,000 to repair AND that they wouldn't have the parts they needed for a WEEK. As it was, I had been stranded in the desert at a hotel for two days. I then had to pay $1,100 to be towed back to LA and took it to a hybrid mechanic I trust and paid them to do the work. But this cost me THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS. In a month where a friend of mine died (which was the reason I was driving from city to city). To have to replace this on a car with only 50,000 miles is preposterous. To NOW find out there actually IS a recall on the 2015 Prius FOR the electrical system involving the inverter is so far beyond frustrating, I don't have the correct word for it.

NHTSA ID

11695550

Incident

Mar 20, 2025

Got the warning code for C1391 for the brake booster. It failed at 140k miles but because it failed past the 10 year mark did not qualify for the Toyota extended warranty program. I don't think the warranty program is good enough and should be addressed as a recall. I had sudden total brake failure on the highway which could have been extremely deadly.

NHTSA ID

11688952

Incident

Sep 19, 2025

The headlight bulbs keep going out. I have replaced the bulbs at least 2-3 times a year for the past few years. I have asked dealers about this and they tell me there is no recall or tsb. This is a hazard to night driving because of decreased illumination, especially in dark roads with not enough lighting. Please recall/fix this issue!!

NHTSA ID

11642400

Incident

Feb 12, 2025

When I parked my car and stopped the engine after driving for 90 min/62 miles on June 22, 2023, I found that I couldn't lock my car's door, through my remote, door handle or the switch inside the door. Upon further examination, I saw complete loss of the power: no light, no audio, no other accessory power, no start of engine. Foot press on the brake feels heavy/less responsive. One hr after the incident I went back (because I had some business to attend) to the car, everything looked normal (with full functions recovered) as if nothing happened before. 6 hrs later the car still behaved fine. I measured 12-v battery and it registered 12.3 v (I bought the car new 8 years ago and I haven't changed the battery yet). I noticed that my the clock in the car lost 10 mins (behind correct time) and I concluded the complete loss of battery power lasted about 10 mins. By the time of this report, I have started the engine 5 times without any problem but this loss of power gravely concerns me. I saw recalls for similar problems affecting similar prius models/years however my car is not on the list.

NHTSA ID

11528465

Incident

Jun 22, 2023

I bought this vehicle on July 3, 2015. When I took it in for an oil change in Dec. 2015, I was informed that there was a mice infestation and that the electrical wires and other systems were damaged, resulting in about $2,800 in repairs due to the mice chewing the wiring. I just took this vehicle back in on 29 Nov. 2021 because some of the systems weren't working properly, and they confirmed that a mouse has again chewed up the electrical system, again costing about $5,000 in repairs. I've just been informed by my exterminator that Toyota uses a wiring harness coated with a soybean based coating which is causing reports of mice damage in a lot of Toyota vehicles. We have 2 other vehicles which are not Toyota vehicles and have never had a single problem with mice chewing the wiring harnesses of those vehicles, although all are parked in the same area. The vehicle is currently pending repairs at Fred Haas Toyota Country in Houston, TX and will be there for at least a couple of weeks pending availability of parts. Electrical issues of this type can cause serious failure of safety features. Toyota has never told me that they use soy based elements in their vehicles that would entice rodents to chew the wiring or otherwise entice them into the vehicle. I do not have a report from insurance yet, but I have filed a claim.

NHTSA ID

11442485

Incident

Nov 29, 2021

Window buttons on drivers side master power window switch failed. Felt warm on door. There have been recalls of other models of Toyota cars including Prius C.

NHTSA ID

11438744

Incident

Aug 2, 2021

As stated from 5 months after we bought it, and the first prius, the car won't start. No matter if parked flat, keys in or out over night, or the temp, when the break is pushed it is squishy and makes draining noise and won't start. As a dr on call i have LOST patients because I could not leave my house. i carry and use the charger daily ever since. Taken in lots. they say, "you don't drive enough..or some other bogus excuse, like don't leave keys in car, which is how priuses start and run!. the car is driven in all ways a lot. also we buy headlights and headlamps on both about every 2 months. also it looses power and has shut off while driving. the worst is when it would start on its own in the locked garage. at that point my wife just quit driving all together. nothing but nightmares. She almsot crashed on fw when power went out.

NHTSA ID

11434322

Incident

Sep 25, 2021

The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, there were several unknown warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the Hybrid System failure message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the inverter to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired but was pending the repair. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V369000 (Hybrid Propulsion System) however, the Vin was not included. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

NHTSA ID

11424551

Incident

Jul 9, 2021

Mileage

110,000 mi

During routine low speed suburban driving, a fire started under the hood in the right front of the car. The smoke was first noticed by a pedestrian so I pulled over, got out of the car, and called 911. I had no prior warning of any sort. The fire completely destroyed the car. This is being investigated by Toyota. I have photos and would be happy to provide more details.

NHTSA ID

11420093

Incident

Mar 13, 2021

When I looked up my car on Kelly Blue Book for pricing, it said that it has been recalled as of 2020. I was not aware of this at all and could have got into a serious accident. I recently purchased a 2015 Toyota Prius Hybrid in February and not even my saleswoman told me that it has been recalled. It has a sleuth of issues that came with it.

NHTSA ID

11418762

Incident

May 27, 2021

ANYTIME I CHANGE ELEVATIONS THE ENGINE SEEMS TO REV WHEN IT IS IDLING ON CRUISE CONTROL. ON THE DOWNHILL, THE CAR WILL ACCELLERATE TO IGNORE THE SPEED ON CRUISECONTROL TO DANGEROUS HIGH VELOCITY. I REPORTED THIS TO TOYOTA OF NORTH HOLLYWOOD THREE TIMES... IT WAS NEVER ADDRESSED.

NHTSA ID

11351905

Incident

Dec 24, 2015

Mileage

2,000 mi

105K MILAGE. DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 45MPH AND CAR SUDDENLY JERK AND SLOWED TO ABOUT 10/15MPH. LOST ELECTRIC POWER, ABLE TO ONLY CONTINUE DRIVING ON GAS 10/15MPH. TOYOTA HAD TO REPLACE THE FOLLOWING WHICH THEY INDICATE WAS NOT UNDER WARRENTLY WHICH COST $2642. TRANSISTER KIT, POWE PLUE KIT, INVERTER D GREASE SUPER LONG LIFE COOL GASKET

NHTSA ID

11337953

Incident

May 15, 2020

Mileage

100,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT INFORMED HIS DAUGHTER TO CHECK UNDER THE HOOD FOR POSSIBLE LOW BRAKE FLUID. WHEN EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT, THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE WARNING INDICATOR TURNED OFF. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM NOTIFICATION (ZJB) REGARDING A DEFECT WITH THE BRAKE BOOSTER OR BRAKE BOOSTER PUMP, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE BRAKE LAMP WARNING INDICATOR TO ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED FRONTIER TOYOTA (23621 CREEKSIDE RD, VALENCIA, CA 91355, 661-255-7575) OF THE NOTIFICATION AND WAS INFORMED THAT A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WOULD NEED TO BE PERFORMED BEFORE THEY COULD MAKE ANY REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO NOTIFIED OF THE NOTIFICATION AND PROVIDED THE SAME INFORMATION AS THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 1909041948. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

NHTSA ID

11253199

Incident

Nov 1, 2018

Mileage

35,000 mi

VEHICLE JERKED VIOLENTLY AND HAD LOSS OF POWER ON HIGHWAY AT SPEED OF 65MPH GOING STRAIGHT. TOYOTA EVALUATED AND DETERMINED THE INVERTER WAS BURNT DUE TO OVERHEATING CAUSING HYBRID SYSTEM TO FAIL. TOYOTA STATED WAS NOT COVERED BY VIN FOR EXISTING RECALL.

NHTSA ID

11194080

Incident

Mar 19, 2019

Mileage

89,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING, LEFT SIDE OF INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT DARK. NO SPEED INDICATION AND CRUISE CONTROL TRIPPED OFF. STARTED CAR NEXT DAY AND INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS NORMAL. WHILE SITTING IN DRIVEWAY WITH ENGINE RUNNING, ENGINE STOPPED AS NORMAL FOR THE HYBRID PRIUS, WHEN THE ENGINE TURNED OFF, THE LEFT SIDE OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AGAIN WENT DARK. DIMMER SWITCH AT FULL BRIGHT AND NOTHING BLOCKING MIRROR FOR COMBINATION PANEL (INSTRUMENT CLUSTER).

NHTSA ID

11163999

Incident

Dec 28, 2018

Mileage

40,000 mi

I BACKED OUT OF A CARPORT AND PLACED MY CAR IN ACCELERATION AND IT PICKED UP SPEED AND THEN HIT A WALL AT AN APARTMENT COMPLEX.

NHTSA ID

11013735

Incident

May 1, 2017

Mileage

3,000 mi

TOYOTA SOY WIRING CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT! THE WIRE HARNESS CONTAIN SOY WIRING MATERIALS THAT ARE VERY ATTRACTIVE TO RODENTS, RESULTING IN COSTLY REPAIRS. PARKED MY CAR AT WORK (ON JANUARY 18 2017) IN A FULL PARKING LOT AT A DEALERSHIP WITH DOZENS OF OTHER CARS BUT ONLY MY CAR HAD THE WIRE HARNESS CHEWED BY RODENTS, AND OF DOZENS OF CARS AROUND MY CAR, THE RODENTS CHOSE MY CAR, THE 2015 PRIUS BECAUSE THE WIRING IN THE ENGINE BAY ARE MADE OF SOY WHICH ATTRACTS RODENTS. HTTP://WWW.WTHR.COM/ARTICLE/13-INVESTIGATES-LAWSUIT-SAYS-TOYOTA-VEHICLES-ATTRACT-RODENTS-CAUSING-COSTLY-REPAIRS%C2%A0

NHTSA ID

10946260

Incident

Jan 18, 2017

Mileage

31,070 mi

I WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT OF THE CAR WHILE IT WAS PARALLEL PARKED. I PRESSED THE PUSH TO START BUTTON TO TURN ON THE BATTERY SO I COULD CHARGE MY PHONE. THERE WAS NO ONE IN THE DRIVER SEAT. THE CAR TURNED COMPLETELY ON WHEN I REACHED OVER TO PRESS THE BUTTON. NOT ONLY DID THE ENGINE START, BUT WITHOUT ANYONE PRESSING ON THE BREAKS THE CAR RELEASED ITSELF FROM BEING PARKED. THE CAR STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS INTO THE CAR PARKED BEHIND ME. I HAVE NO EXPLANATION ABOUT HOW THIS HAPPENED. I HAVE BEEN READING INTO IT AND APPARENTLY IT'S A DEFECT OF THE 2015 AND OLDER MODELS. WHEN THE CAR STARTED ROLLING BACK I ALSO STARTED PRESSING BOTH THE PARK AND PUSH TO START BUTTONS TO TURN IT OFF AGAIN. I'VE NEVER FELT SO UNSAFE IN A VEHICLE AND GOES TO CONFIRM THAT PARK AND PUSH TO START SHOULD NOT BE BUTTONS!!! IT MAKES THE VEHICLE MUCH MORE DANGEROUS NOT BEING ABLE TO OVERRIDE THOSE COMMANDS WHEN IT CHOOSES TO GO ON ITS OWN.

NHTSA ID

10889298

Incident

Jul 24, 2016

Mileage

21,000 mi

RANDOM ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS STARTED HAPPENING. BLUETOOTH WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO ANSWER INCOMING PHONE. I COULD NOT CALL OUT. UNABLE TO CHANGE RADIO STATION, TURN ON/OFF RADIO. UNABLE TO TURN ON CD, OR EJECT DISK. THEN RADIO WILL START WORKING AND AM ABLE TO USE BLUETOOTH IF I DIAL FROM MY CELL PHONE. ALL WITHIN A WEEK. LAST NIGHT ,I DROVE IN SILENCE. NO RADIO, CD, BLUETOOTH. HAVE MAINTENANCE APPT. TUES., AND STATED PROBLEMS W/ ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. DIDN'T MATTER IF CAR WAS MOVING OR STOPPED.

NHTSA ID

10824682

Incident

Feb 5, 2016

Mileage

33,888 mi

CAR WAS STATIONARY IN DRIVEWAY CAR WOULD NOT START AND MASTER WARNING LIGHT WAS ON IN ADDITION TO A WARNING SAYING "SHIFT MALFUNCTION. WHEN PARKING, PARK IN FLAT PLACE AND APPLY PARKING BRAKE SECURELY" A BUZZER WAS SOUNDING. THIS INDICATES A SHIFT CONTROL SYSTEM ERROR. THE CAR WOULD NOT START. NOTIFIED DEALER AND THE CAR WAS TOWED. NO ERROR CODES WERE FOUND. THE CAR STARTED FOR THE DEALER.

NHTSA ID

10820084

Incident

Jan 11, 2016

Mileage

4,580 mi

WITHIN A 6 DAY PERIOD, THE MAIN 12 VOLT BATTERY DIED AND THE CAR WHICH WAS ONLY 3 WEEKS OLD WOULD NOT START. ALSO THE CABLE USED TO CHARGE THE HYBRID BATTERY TRIPS THE CIRCUIT BREAKER IN MY HOUSE EACH TIME EVEN THOUGH IT IS A GROUND FAULT OUTLET AND A 20 AMP BREAKER. I HAD TO CALL OUT A TOW TRUCK TO JUMPSTART THE BATTERY BOTH TIMES. CAR WAS PARKED AND DIRECTIONS WERE FOLLOWED EXACTLY FOR CHARGING IT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO FOUND NOTHING WRONG AND WAS TOLD I SHOULD HAVE A DEDICATED LINE TO CHARGE THE CAR, EVEN THOUGH I WASN'T TOLD THIS BY THE SALESMAN. THE ELECTRIC SERVICE IN MY GARAGE IN BRAND NEW. THIS IS RIDICULOUS TO GO TO THIS EXPENSE AND NOT BE TOLD IN ADVANCE, AND TO HAVE A NEW BATTERY NEED CHARGING. IT HAD TO BE CHARGED BEFORE I COULD EVEN TEST DRIVE THE CAR BUT THAT DID NOT MATTER. I WAS TOLD I COULD NOT GET A NEW BATTERY AS IT TESTED "GOOD".

NHTSA ID

10781478

Incident

Oct 4, 2015

Mileage

575 mi

THE NAVIGATION AND AUDIO SCREENS ARE MOSTLY UNREADABLE IN BRIGHT SUNLIGHT. IN ORDER TO ATTEMPT TO SEE THE SCREENS IN THESE CONDITIONS SOME OPERATORS MAY BE DISTRACTED FROM THE ROADWAY IN ORDER TO READ THE SCREEN INFORMATION. THESE DISTRACTIONS MAY INCLUDE MOVING HEADS AWAY FROM THE WHEEL AREA IN ORDER TO GET A BETTER VIEW OF THE SCREEN OR ATTEMPTING TO HOLD OBJECTS ABOVE THE SCREEN IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE THE GLARE FROM THE SUNLIGHT. COMPLAINANT HAS OWNED PREVIOUS MODELS OF TOYOTA PRIUS WHICH DID NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10761548

Incident

Sep 4, 2015

Mileage

2,000 mi