Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2007 Toyota Prius owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while at a stop light, she attempted to drive however, the vehicle failed to exceed 25 MPH. The HC battery, ECU, and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the vehicle displayed DTC code: P3190 (Engine Failure). The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the hybrid battery was severely drained, and the mechanic retrieved DTC codes: P3000 and P0A80 for the hybrid battery pack. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to another independent mechanic, who replaced the battery, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000. …
2007 Toyota Prius touring edition WILL NOT TAKE ANY FUEL PROPERLY AND WILL OVERFILL AND "BURP" CAUSING GAS TO FLOW EXPLOSIVELY OUT OF THE FILLER NECK AND HOLE. Tank will not fill, at all, causing risk of running out of gas while on highway. FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. FUEL TANK will not fill properly, if at all, overfills and burps causing fuel to blow out of the filler hole with force. THIS IS A FIRE HAZARD as gas can spill all over near the filler area and possibly catch fire. Stopping the filler hose will not help, as the tank refuses to take any gas, even when close to empty. People need to put gas in, not guess. The car will ONLY TAKE BARELY 2 gallons in winter without overflowing. THIS IS A LIFE SAFETY AND FIRE HAZARD AS THIS OVERFLOWING GAS AND REVERSE FUEL FLOW CAN IGNITE, or catch fire. …
I have owned two 2007 Toyota Prius. Both have been totaled due to what I believe is a failure of the hybrid drivetrain to disengage during emergency braking. First 2007 Prius, purchased new in 2007. On dec 9, 2009, to avoid a collision, I fully pressed the brakes with full force however the Prius continued to propel forward. I should easily have been able to stop the vehicle in time. As it continued to propel forward, I collided with the other car. The speed at the moment of impact was approx 25 MPH. No airbags were deployed. The vehicle was deemed a total loss due to the extensive cost of repairing the hybrid system. I have the photographs of the accident and the police report. Second Toyota Prius: I purchased an exact replacement used 2007 Prius in dec 2009. On October 17, 2015, a car stopped abruptly in front of my wife who was driving at approx 40 MPH. …
I have owned two 2007 Toyota Prius. Both have been totaled due to what I believe is a failure of the hybrid drivetrain to disengage during emergency braking. This report is regarding the first vehicle. I have filed a separate report for the second vehicle which I still have in my possession. First 2007 Prius, purchased new in 2007. On dec 9, 2009, to avoid a collision, I fully pressed the brakes with full force however the Prius continued to propel forward. I should easily have been able to stop the vehicle in time. As it continued to propel forward, I collided with the other car. The speed at the moment of impact was approx 25 MPH. No airbags were deployed. The vehicle was deemed a total loss due to the extensive cost of repairing the hybrid system. I have the photographs of the accident and the police report. …
I'm the original owner and do my own regular oil changes at the manufacture specified intervals of 5000 miles. This last time I noticed not much oil coming out of the drain pan, poured it back into an empty oil jug to measure and yes only 1.5 quarts drained out. I haven't seen any smoke or smelled any oil burning and no obvious leaks. I don't run the engine hard or at high speeds (less than half my driving is interstate) but can't figure out why it's all of a sudden started using oil. When I searched online it seems to be a common failure with Prius over 100K miles. I want to add my other Toyota and Honda vehicles have lasted well over 200K and 180K miles with no engine troubles at all (I also do the maintenance on them)
Tl contact owns a 2007 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle would suddenly shut off without warning. The contact discovered that the vehicle was out of fuel although the fuel gauge indicated that 1/2 tank of fuel was present. The contact indicated that the failure had occurred on multiple occasions. The cause of the failure was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 100,000.
Fuel gauge not reading properly in car. Car label states 11.9 gallon capacity in fuel tank. Gas gauge shows one bar of gas left in car, but it takes only six gallons of gas to fill up automobile. This misleading gas gauge means drivers do not know what the true reading of gas is remaining in their fuel tanks which could lead to the car running out of fuel in the wrong place at the wrong time. This occurs when the car is moving.
Vehicle only has 110K miles on it. Check engine starting going on when accelerating on uphill. Full up gas tank & light would go off. Then check engine would go on when low gas level. Told to change gascap. Did not resolve issue. Filling pulled codes it was catalytic converter. Part cost $1700.00 for part alone for a part that is suppose to last lifetime of car.
Our daughter was driving our 2007 Toyota Prius to work in the dark in rush hour on the highway, driving straight, at highway speed, in los angeles, and the instrument panel instantly blacked out, with the car completely dead and halted. It could not even be shifted into neutral! The car stopped right in the middle of the highway. She called 911, and a wrecker was dispatched to lift the car off the freeway. Thankfully she was not injured or killed! I then researched the likely cause and diagnosed it exactly. It was the "hybrid water pump" also known as the "inverter pump," part #g9020-47031. That part was recalled in 2012, NHTSA recall # 12V536000. I had it towed to a nearby Toyota dealer, north hollywood Toyota, to have it repaired. That dealer looked up the vehicle's records and said the recall had been performed in 2013. Was it really? …
Ran out of gas in an '07 Honda Prius . Emergency vehicle supplied 2 gallons and we went on our way. Two tanks of gas later following a regular service visit to dealer, I ran out again just minutes after leaving service while the gauge indicated that I should have about 3 gallons remaining. I coasted into a station and put 2 gallons in tank. Car started but only died after several tries. Towed back to dealer. They reported the car was out of gas. I told them I'd already added gas. They put in 5 gallons and said the gauge indicated "full." 3+2+5 does not equal the 11.9 gallons that the tank is supposed to hold. These cars feature a bladder tank which is monitored by computer and if the computer decides that the tank is empty, it will shut the car down. This is not a safe situation under any circumstances. …
Related recalls
Hybrid propulsion system › Inverter
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2009 Prius vehicles manufactured August 6, 2003, through March 30, 2009 and FCHV-adv vehicles manufactured December 12, 2008, through September 13, 2011. During manufacturing, a scratch may have occurred inside of the electrically driven water pump at the coil wire.
Remedy: Toyota will notify its owners, and dealers will replace the electric water pump, free of charge. The recall began on January 17, 2013.
Fuel System complaints in other Prius years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 2007 Toyota Prius?
NHTSA has 30 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2007 Toyota Prius, 1% of the model year's 2,003 complaints. The component named most often is storage (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2007 Toyota Prius fuel system problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 12V-536 (inverter, Nov 14, 2012). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2007 Toyota Prius fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 45,000 miles, and 28% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to fuel & propulsion 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.