If you are considering buying a used Toyota Prius, there are several major reliability issues worth knowing about first. Our garage database tracks 11 known faults for this model, 9 of them rated high severity. Every one below is a repair bill a seller has good reason not to mention.
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Generation 1 of 35 known faults · 1 owner report · 7 good notes
Toyota Prius Gen 2 (2003 to 2009) problems
ElectricalMedium severity📝 Editorial
High Voltage (HV) hybrid battery pack cellular degradation due to age and mileage
Rough guide
£800-1500
Typical symptoms
'Red Triangle of Death' on dashboard
rapid charging and discharging on the energy monitor display
poor fuel economy (engine runs constantly)
Affected vehicles
Engines:
1.5 Hybrid
Typical mileage:
120000-200000 miles
2 more owner reports back this up
June 2018A 2006 Prius with 108,000 miles required a replacement hybrid battery, costing £1,250 plus VAT at a Toyota dealer.
June 2014The hybrid drive battery failed on a 10-year-old Prius, with a Toyota dealer quoting £1,400 for replacement.
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ElectricalHigh severity💬 2 owner reports, 2011
Damage to hybrid system circuits (potentially ECU) due to incorrect jump-starting procedures. Hybrids should be trickle charged, not jump started directly to the hybrid battery.
Rough guide
£1000-3000
Typical symptoms
Warning lights on dashboard (e.g., 'red triangle')
Hybrid system malfunction
Car fails to start or operate correctly
Reduced power or erratic behaviour
Affected vehicles
Engines:
All Hybrid
Typical mileage:
Any miles
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Engine/EmissionsHigh severity💬 4 owner reports, 2011 to 2015
Failure of the electrically driven water pump that circulates coolant through the hybrid components. This is a known problem that Toyota dealers look for during services.
Rough guide
£400-800
Typical symptoms
Warning light illuminated on the dashboard (indicating hybrid system issue)
Overheating of hybrid components
Reduced hybrid system performance
Affected vehicles
Engines:
All Hybrid
Typical mileage:
60000-100000 miles
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SecurityHigh severity💬 5 owner reports, 2018 to 2019
High incidence of catalytic converter theft due to the high amount of precious metals and ease of removal. Prius II models are particularly vulnerable.
Rough guide
£1000-2000
Typical symptoms
Extremely loud exhaust noise after starting
Engine warning light illuminated
Car fails MOT due to emissions
Affected vehicles
Engines:
All Hybrid
Typical mileage:
Any miles
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SuspensionMedium severity💬 3 owner reports, 2014 to 2018
The 'Top Intermediate' steering column shafts of early Prius models are prone to failure, causing a knocking noise. A modified part was released, but some cars may have slipped through recall actions.
Rough guide
£300-600
Typical symptoms
Tapping or knocking noise from the steering column
Noise stops or changes when steering wheel is turned left or right over bumps
Loose feeling in the steering
Affected vehicles
Engines:
All
Typical mileage:
40000-80000 miles
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What owners report on the Gen 2
1 single report, unconfirmed
One owner each, in their own words rewritten as a line, and not counted in our risk scoring. A fault joins the list above once a second report or an editorial source backs it.
Suspension and steering · May 2012A 2005 Prius with 48,000 miles experienced a power steering system failure, with a repair bill of £1,274.
What owners like about the Gen 2
7 notes
February 2018A 2008 Prius 1.5 T-Spirit maintained good fuel economy over seven years, averaging 49mpg in city driving.
The car achieved a 5-star NCAP occupant safety rating, alongside 2 stars for pedestrian protection.
The model received high satisfaction scores in the 2008 UK Customer Satisfaction Index Study, particularly for quality and reliability.
Prius taxis have achieved over 400,000 miles with minimal issues, attributed to the Atkinson cycle engine and simple drivetrain.
The November 2003 model offered improved size, speed, fuel efficiency, and reduced emissions, with an excellent digital instrument layout.
Improvements from May 2005 included better ride, handling, and reduced noise, vibration, and harshness.
The 2006 model received adjustments to the rear hip point, new upholstery colours, and a soft-touch dashboard finish.
Generation 2 of 35 known faults · 7 owner reports · 2 good notes
Toyota Prius Gen 3 (2009 to 2015) problems
Engine/EmissionsHigh severity📝 Editorial
EGR cooler blockage leading to localized overheating and head gasket failure
Rough guide
£1200-2500
Typical symptoms
loud metallic 'death rattle' or shaking on cold start
unexplained coolant loss
misfire fault codes (P0300 series)
Affected vehicles
Engines:
1.8 Hybrid (2ZR-FXE)
Typical mileage:
100000-150000 miles
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ElectricalHigh severity🏛️ Official recall
Intelligent Power Module (IPM) inside the inverter fails, causing the hybrid system to shut down
Rough guide
£2000-3000
Typical symptoms
'Check Hybrid System' warning on dash
sudden loss of motive power while driving
car enters limp mode
Affected vehicles
Engines:
1.8 Hybrid
Typical mileage:
80000-150000 miles
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ElectricalHigh severity💬 2 owner reports, 2014 to 2018
Software issue in the hybrid system's boost converter, part of the inverter assembly, leading to higher thermal stress and potential loss of motive power. This was subject to a recall.
Rough guide
£0 (free recall software update)
Typical symptoms
Warning lights and messages illuminate
Reduced power or complete loss of motive power
Hybrid system shuts down
Affected vehicles
Engines:
All Hybrid
Typical mileage:
Any miles
1 more owner report backs this up
February 2018A 2013 Prius experienced a 5 miles per gallon drop in city fuel economy after a recall fix for its hybrid electrical system.
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Fuel SystemHigh severity💬 1 owner report, 2016
A crack can develop in the resin channel of the fuel evaporative emission control unit (canister) assembled to the fuel tank. This crack can expand over time, leading to fuel leakage when the tank is full, posing a fire risk. This was subject to a recall.
Rough guide
£0 (free recall repair)
Typical symptoms
Smell of fuel, especially when the tank is full
Visible fuel leak under the car
Fuel warning lights
Affected vehicles
Engines:
All Hybrid
Typical mileage:
Any miles
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ElectricalHigh severity💬 2 owner reports, 2017
The Electric Vehicle (EV) fuse may malfunction if the vehicle is repeatedly operated by the electric motor under high-load driving conditions (e.g., long hill climbs). This can lead to warning lights, reduced power, or loss of motive power. This was subject to a recall.
Rough guide
£0 (free recall repair)
Typical symptoms
Warning lights and messages illuminate on the dashboard
Reduced power in EV mode
Hybrid system could shut down, resulting in loss of motive power
Affected vehicles
Engines:
All Plug-in Hybrid
Typical mileage:
Any miles
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What owners report on the Gen 3
7 single reports, unconfirmed
One owner each, in their own words rewritten as a line, and not counted in our risk scoring. A fault joins the list above once a second report or an editorial source backs it.
Exhaust · October 2019A Toyota Prius experienced catalytic converter theft twice, once from a car park and again from outside the owner's home.
Exhaust · September 2019There is a reported shortage of replacement catalytic converters and protective clamps for Toyota models.
Exhaust · July 2019A 2010 Toyota Prius 3 had its catalytic converter stolen, highlighting the need for protective devices.
Brakes · February 2016A 2012 Prius was reported to have corroded rear brake discs, with the dealer recommending replacement of discs and pads.
Electrics · August 2015A Toyota sat-nav with Software Version 2.8.4al gave incorrect directions in the UK, France, or Spain, requiring a free software upgrade.
Brakes · July 2015A five-year-old Prius had a brake actuator fault (code C1214) that cost £2,757 to repair at a Toyota dealer.
Electrics · March 2015A November 2014 Prius Plug-in experienced a decrease in EV range, dropping from 11.2 to 9 miles in four months.
What owners like about the Gen 3
2 notes
The car achieved a 5-Star NCAP Crash Safety score, with high percentages for adult, child, and pedestrian protection.
The Prius III model is less susceptible to catalytic converter theft due to lower precious metal content and harder access.
A portion of the engine wire harness, connected to the hybrid vehicle power control unit, may lack a protector and contact the connector cover. This can cause wear over time, potentially leading to an electrical short circuit. This was subject to a recall.
Rough guide
£0 (free recall repair)
Typical symptoms
Warning lights on dashboard
Loss of motive power
Engine stalling
Affected vehicles
Engines:
All Hybrid
Typical mileage:
Any miles
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What owners like about the Gen 4
5 notes
The 2016 model achieved a five-star Euro NCAP rating, with high scores for adult, child, and pedestrian safety.
This 2016 Prius offers a generous level of standard equipment, including advanced driver assistance features like adaptive cruise control and road sign recognition.
The cabin is spacious, providing ample room for four adults to travel comfortably.
The car is exceptionally easy and relaxing to drive, contributing to a pleasant driving experience.
This model has a towing capacity of 725kg, suitable for pulling small trailers or micro caravans.
Toyota Prius service intervals: cambelt, chain and gearbox oil
An overdue cambelt is the most expensive thing a seller can fail to mention on a used Prius. These are the figures UK specialists work to.
Timing chainChain
1.8 HYBRID, 2ZR-FXE
No fixed replacement interval
The 1.8 hybrid (2ZR-FXE) is chain driven and famously durable, with no scheduled replacement interval. Wear follows neglected oil rather than mileage and failure is exceptionally rare. This engine family's known issue is EGR cooler blockage, which can cause head gasket failure, not the timing gear.
Hybrid transaxle (eCVT) fluid
60,000 miles
Toyota officially treats the WS transaxle fluid as sealed for life with inspection only and no scheduled change, but Toyota dealers and hybrid specialists both recommend a proactive drain and fill at 60,000 miles, within a 60,000-100,000 mile range, roughly halved for taxi or heavy stop-start use. It is about 4 litres of Toyota WS fluid and is cheap insurance for the motor-generators on a high-mileage hybrid. The absence of any fluid change on a 100,000-mile-plus example is worth noting, not treating as a fault.
Always confirm against the vehicle handbook. Intervals vary by engine, and several manufacturers revised theirs after failures in service.
Repair costs are typical UK ranges, not quotes. Actual cost depends on condition and garage.Data last verified: September 2026
Toyota Prius buying questions
Is a used Toyota Prius reliable?
The Toyota Prius has 11 known faults in our database across 3 generations, 9 of them rated high severity. The most serious are electrics (high incidence of catalytic converter theft due to the high amount of precious metals) and engine (failure of the electrically driven water pump that circulates coolant through the hybrid). None of them makes the car a bad buy on its own; the risk is a seller who knows and says nothing.
What are the most common Toyota Prius problems?
Three stand out. Electrics: high incidence of catalytic converter theft due to the high amount of precious metals. Engine: failure of the electrically driven water pump that circulates coolant through the hybrid components (typically 60000 to 100000 miles). Electrics: damage to hybrid system circuits (potentially ECU) due to incorrect jump-starting procedures. The full list above is grouped by generation, with typical mileage and a rough repair cost for each.
Which Toyota Prius years should I avoid?
No Toyota Prius year is a write-off, but the Gen 3 (2009 to 2015) carries the most serious faults: electrics, fuel system and engine. The Gen 2 (2003 to 2009) and Gen 4 (2016 to 2022) have high-severity faults on record too. Year matters less than whether the specific car has had the known fixes, so check the history for them.
What should I check when viewing a used Toyota Prius?
Ask the seller about the electrics and engine faults on this page and whether they have been fixed, with invoices. On the test drive watch for extremely loud exhaust noise after starting, warning light illuminated on the dashboard (indicating hybrid system issue) and warning lights on dashboard (e.g., 'red triangle'). Read the MOT history for repeat advisories, then paste the advert into the free check, which reads it against all 11 known faults before you travel. Check a Toyota Prius advert →
What is the real MPG of a Toyota Prius?
Owners report 59.5 mpg on average across the Toyota Prius engines with data, about 70% of the official combined figure. The gap between official and real-world economy varies a lot by engine, so the Real MPG page lists every engine and generation separately, from 1,346 owner submissions. Toyota Prius Real MPG by engine →
If you used to check the Honest John “Good & Bad” section before the site closed in 2026, this page is where that information now lives. We rebuilt the Toyota Prius owner-report history from the archived Honest John dataset, added our own research, specialist and owner-club sources and DVSA recall data, and we keep it free. Each fault above is badged with its source. The same data feeds our free advert check, which reads a listing against every known fault for the exact engine and year.
Knowing what a Toyota Prius goes wrong with is half of it. The rest is reading the advert and checking the car's history before you hand any money over.