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 V. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle stalled inadvertently. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to respond. The contact veered to the side of the road and intentionally struck the curb to stop the vehicle. The vehicle failed to restart. The contact stated that the vehicle later restarted and was driven to the dealer. The dealer diagnosed that the ABS actuator had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist because an unknown Toyota Courtesy Program issued for the failure had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius V. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the temperature gauge and check engine warning lights illuminated. The vehicle then stalled. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.
Had blown gasket repair last year (which was fixed by my local Toyota Dealership and all cost paid for by myself). Dealership acknowledged that there were known issues with failures due to clogged EGR's and out-dated manifolds. Was never recalled and did not know about the issue until after the incident. Wanted to report issues since it appears countless other have been in the same situation with gen 3 Prius. Toyota needs to be offering EGR cleanings and updated manifolds at no cost and reimbursing customer's for previous repairs.
the car was serviced regularly and for unknown reason the engine started running rough. I took it the mechanic and after completing a diagnostic test he said i have a blown had gasket in the engine. After reading online about the issue i discovered this year and model of toyota are notorious for having a blown head gasket issue. My mechanic recommended the engine be replaced. This is an expensive repair and toyota is denying any accountability about the issue
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. …
Driving down the highway, the engine suddenly threw a rod, causing a terrible jolt, after which the engine burst into flames. There had been no warning lights.
I am having issues with my Toyota I was never contacted NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 18V684000. My car has failed numerous times.
The ABS brake pump experienced an "internal failure" at mileage of 113K. There is a customer service notice that covers 2012 Toyota Prius and Prius plug in for the same issue regardless of mileage until 2019, and then up to 150K miles after that. However, my 2012 Prius v was not covered. This ABS brake pump just suddenly failed, there weren't any leading indicators. Toyota knows it supplied defective parts for the ABS brake pump. There is already a lawsuit of other 2012 Prius v owners complaining of the same. However, Toyota has not corrected their service notice. They won't release the details of how they can justify coverage to all other 2012 Prius, and Prius plug-in, but not Prius v. The repair is significant ~ $3,500. Also, last year my engine block was cracked and needed to be replaced. Thankfully, this happened ~ 80K miles, so it was still under extended warranty. …
Approximately 2 months ago I started having problems when starting the car in the mornings or after the vehicle sat for a while. When starting the vehicle it would shake and run rough but would run good after it warmed up. I took it to my local Toyota dealer and a manifold and a sensor was ordered by the dealer. The next day I went back to the dealer to have the parts installed. I sat in the waiting area for over 2 hours only to be told it was not the manifold and sensor. After a scope was used to diagnose the problem. This time I was told I either had a leaking gasket or a cracked engine head. This Prius v only has 94245 miles on the engine. It has always had regular maintenance at the Toyota dealer. The dealership quoted me to replace the engine at $6000.00. I have never had a vehicle with less than 100,000 miles usage to need a new rebuilt engine especially a Toyota product. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius v. While driving various speeds, the air conditioner was activated and there was a strong odor in the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer (Toyota of renton, located at 150 sw 7th st, renton, wa 98057; [phone]) where it was diagnosed that the odor was due to mold. The dealer cleaned the vents and the vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred several other times. The vehicle was taken to the same dealer, but they used the solution to clean the vent the second time. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure still occurred. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.
Engine complaints in other Prius v years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2012 Toyota Prius v?
NHTSA has 37 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2012 Toyota Prius v, 17% of the model year's 218 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2012 Toyota Prius v engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling 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 engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 120,000 miles, and 16% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 1 fire and 0 injuries to engine & cooling 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.