Most common 2015 Toyota Prius v problems
Share of the 24 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Toyota Prius v complaints by model year
Best Prius v years: 2017, 2016, 2015. Years to avoid: 2012, 2013, 2014. Compare all years →
2015 Toyota Prius v recalls (2)
Hybrid propulsion system › Inverter
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.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will perform a software update for the hybrid system. If the vehicle has experienced an inverter failure with certain hybrid system faults related to this condition, the inverter…
Air bags
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Toyota Prius V vehicles manufactured November 7, 2013, to January 7, 2015. The occupant classification system (OCS) that activates or deactivates the passenger seat air bag system may be improperly calibrated.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will re-calibrate of the OCS system, free of charge. The recall began February 12, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.
What 2015 Toyota Prius v owners say
Brakes
I started hearing the whirring sound from the brake booster that normally only comes on at startup almost constantly, about every 15 seconds. Along with this, a puffing sound and a pulsing from the brake pedal when stopped with the car on, such as at a traffic light. Also, when coming to a stop there would be a shudder from the brakes. After about a month I was driving when 3 separate warning lights lit up on the dashboard and the next time I braked the pedal felt very different than normal, very mushy, and the car seemed to not stop as well. I consulted a repair shop and they told me it's a common problem with this model: brake booster/actuator failure resulting in a loss of the ABS system. They quoted me over $2000 to make the repair. …
Emergency Brake, Traction and ABS warning came on and stayed on in addition to a five-second interval cycling on of a motor sound under the hood. O'Reilly Auto Parts and then Toyota dealership confirmed the same code that indicated brake booster assembly needs replacing (C1391) **This is a "known issue" but not yet a recall. Toyota did extend the part warranty to 10 years or 150,000 miles - my vehicle has only gone 85,500 and unfortunately is eight months into the 10th year and Toyota is refusing to cover any portion of the repair. I would like to be part of the effort to have this formally declared a recall because I got the quote today to replace the brake booster assembly and it's going to cost half the value of the vehicle! $4000 is the low estimate Bighorn Toyota gave me to do the repair/replacement. Thank you for your help!
Fuel & propulsion system
My Prius V has slow acceleration and the RPMs seem to go unusually high on acceleration. This makes it dangerous to pull out from a stop sign, etc. in certain situations that would be fine in another car of the same make and model. And recently it has started to throttle up when taking my foot off the gas and even when pressing on the brake. This happens intermittently and randomly. Fortunately no accidents have occurred yet and I'm trying to get the problems resolved with Toyota, but the dealer says it will be hard for them to diagnose when the problem is not occurring and there are no warning lights. Less than 60,000 miles on it.
Prius v3 lunging backwards 1/21/2016 on Thursday 1/21/2016, I was parked in a big lot and after my appointment, got in the car and turned it on. But rather than pull backwards out of the spot, I decided to first make a call using Bluetooth. The call took about 10 minutes. I then hung up, released the emergency brake, and moved the stick shift into reverse with my foot, of course, on the regular brake. As I released that brake, the car lunged hard about 10 feet backward across the parking lot "drive", into where other cars could have been parked but luckily weren't. I automatically and immediately put my foot back on the brake which stopped the car. Needless to say, I was bewildered and scared by what had happened, counting myself very lucky there was no other car parked behind me. …
Transmission & drivetrain
Tl* the contact owned a 2015 Toyota Prius v hybrid. While the vehicle was stationary, the contact shifted into reverse and the vehicle accelerated rapidly between 5-10 MPH. The speed increased to 20 MPH and the vehicle crashed into a fence. The contact applied significant pressure to the brake pedal during the failure, but the vehicle did not stop. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained minor soreness from the impact of the crash, which did not require medical attention. The vehicle was towed to a repair shop and deemed destroyed. Steve landers Toyota (10825 colonel glenn road, little rock, arkansas 72204) was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approxiately 59,100. The VIN was not available.
September 18, 2020, driving on quiet residential street, instrument panel lit up with message "hybrid system failure. Pull over immediately". Before we could find a spot at the side of the road the engine shut off and wouldn't turn back on, blocking traffic. Vehicle towed to local Toyota dealer. Engine turned on at dealership. Dealer ran diagnostic tests and said nothing was wrong with car. Sent us home saying car was fine. November 24, 2020 received notice from Toyota about customer support program for failure of "intelligent power module (ipm) located inside the inverter assembly of the hybrid system". Condition described as "hybrid system warning" showing on instrument panel and vehicle going into "fail-safe driving mode". …
2015 Toyota Prius v engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8L 4-cyl hybrid | CVT | FWD | 43 / 39 / 41 |
EPA ratings. Class: Wagon.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2015 Toyota Prius v a good car?
Based on 24 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2015 Prius v rates better than average: 53% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Prius v at the same age. It is one of the best Prius v years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2015 Toyota Prius v?
The brakes — 12 complaints, 50% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (4) and transmission & drivetrain (3).
How many recalls does the 2015 Toyota Prius v have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2015 Toyota Prius v, the most recent from June 24, 2020 (inverter). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Toyota Prius v?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2017, 2016 and 2015. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2012, 2013 and 2014. See the full Toyota Prius v years comparison.
At what mileage do 2015 Toyota Prius v problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 59,000 miles; 47% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.