Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2012 Toyota Prius v owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
.The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the ABS, brake lights, and traction control warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle had exceeded the 150,000 warranty. The failure mileage was 152,900.
Bought the car from a dealership in january 2022 with 158,000 miles and heard buzzing noise that I was told was normal with hybrid cars.no codes showing on car and passed dealer inspection.Driving down a highway and heading to a stop brakes are hard to mash and caused skidding. No brake lights or abs lights are on. Couple days later brake lights and traction lights come on and then went back off. Take to Tires Plus and I am told I have to schedule appointment with toyota dealer as they do not have the software to diagnose. Take to toyota dealership to see codes 1391c for brake system. After searching issue there was a recall/customer warranty extension for replacement of this part for 150,000 miles /march 19,2022 whichever comes first. …
Faulty brake and ECU assembly failure. A safety issue when driving. Was told by mechanic NOT to drive car as it could suddenly stop. Took car in 9/11/15 for software update for motor generator ECU and power management ECU as recall letter suggested. This is apparently common and needs to be corrected without cost to driver.
Found car tampered with cut in carpet under driver seat to check battery maintenance per Toyota owner manual where hybrid battery was not receiving charge , was running hot Unknown person impersonated me registered my VIN to enroll with Toyota upgraded software app Entune version not with purchase is a 2021 software version with parental like controls, I took to Toyota dealerships below for assistance , new battery and hybrid faulting losing charge, car does not provide hybrid fault notice , loses charge , uses little gas , I researched on side of road to rest throttle and work around as I was driving it could have lost all power and stalled per recall notice needed hybrid software update Ran dr Prius app and finding recalls serviced at Toyota chambers burg pa are coding J0V issue w/inverter not completed and additional engine & battery codes almost causing my car to not enter fail safe …
In September 2022, my car, a 2012 Toyota Prius V with 79, 056 miles, began making noises in the engine area and the brakes became loose, meaning it took more pressure on the brake pedal to engage the brakes. In November 2022 the following warning lamps on the dashboard came on: Master Warning Light, Brake System Warning Light and Warning Buzzer, Brake System Warning Light, ABS Warning Light and SLIP Indicator. I took it to the Toyota Dealership near me: Lipton Toyota in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and they diagnosed car with the trouble code of C1391-Abnormal Leak of Accumulator, Internal ABS Actuator Failure. To fix this problem, Lipton Toyota will charge $3124.29 for the repair. Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. issued a customer support program notification that would cover this repair if the malfunctions happened before coverage ended. …
My 2008 Toyota Prius's dashboard indicators (odometer, warning signs and everything) showed symptoms of disappearing momentarily during second half of the year 2016. Upon restarting, it used to come back. However, on February 18, 2017, the dashboard light won't come back even after multiple time restarting. Drove to work in that condition hoping the dashboard indicators will come back but they didn't. Made an appointment with dealership to check it out on Monday. Before the appointment, the indicators came back so I cancelled the appointments. When discussing the problem with a friend, I was told that Toyota is aware of this problem and have extended the warranty for such repairs. Upon hearing this, I called Toyota customer service to inquire and was told that the extended warranty is expired and can't fix the problem under warranty. …
Toyota Prius v 2012 lost power as I was driving out of the parking lot. I had to make emergency stop on the side of the road because inverter/electric motor failed. Mechanic ran computer test and found that problem codes indeed pointed to failure of inverter.I called local dealer mccord Toyota and was told my car does not fall to extended warranty of inverter and did not offer any help. Same day I called Toyota customer care at [phone] and they told me that my car does not fall under inverter warranty based on my VIN number, and gave me case number 2005072419. I was able to call my insurance company to arrange towing from my location to repair shop. Repair shop completed work and vehicle is now in operable condition. I feel lucky that I was not on freeway and did not have my children with me when it happened.
On June 5th, 2019, I took my car in to round rock Toyota and they performed the 2018 Toyota Prius v recall fix. Since then, my mpg has gone from an average of 41 miles per gallon, which has stayed consistent since I purchased the car brand new in June 2012, down to 32 mpg. I took the car back to round rock Toyota for a diagnosis on sept 30, 2019 and they said that they cannot find anything wrong, there are no error codes, and that my now greatly reduced 32 mpg fell within Toyota standards. I am writing to file a complaint that their 2018 recall for the Toyota Prius v has a problem and needs to be revisited or the vehicles should be taken off the road. I am co-filing a complaint with the epa as well.
My 2012 Prius v started showing the warning lights for brakes, ABS, anti-skid and engine lights. This happened while driving on a regular road. Brakes still work but feel spongy. Scanned for codes and it says c1391 which requires replacing all the main brake components. The cost is over $3000 because so many parts involved. There's seems to have been a recall for other models of Prius but the 'v' not included. Many v owners have experienced this problem. All the parts shown in the attached picture need to be replace cause Toyota doesn't know or can't figure out where the problem is. Car only has 68,000 miles on it
The navigation, Bluetooth & radio system was turned off on it own and became corrupted when the car dealership tried to update the systems software. The hardware was then rendered inoperable and the systems computer was then replaced, the warranty did not cover the defects in the system. The estimated repair exceeded $1000us. Due to the dealerships actions in trying to run a software update, the repair costs were paid by the dealership. The failure of the computer system seemed to be known by the car dealer. Toyota was never directly contacted by car owner as only the car dealer handled the repair issues.
Electrical complaints in other Prius v years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2012 Toyota Prius v?
NHTSA has 24 complaints about the electrical system of the 2012 Toyota Prius v, 11% of the model year's 218 complaints. The component named most often is instrument cluster/panel (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2012 Toyota Prius v electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2012 Toyota Prius v, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2012 Toyota Prius v electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 84,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.