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 2010 Toyota Prius owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving 60-65 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and went into LIMP Mode. The coolant temperature and several unknown warning lights were illuminated, and the message "Check Hybrid System" was displayed. The contact pulled to the side of the road, where he disconnected and reconnected the battery to reset the Hybrid system. The contact was able to drive to the residence; however, the failure recurred. The contact used an OBD reader to retrieve diagnostic test code: P261B. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V684000 (Hybrid Propulsion System) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 148,469.
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle suddenly stalled. The contact stated that the power steering and power brakes failed. The contact stated that the "check hybrid system" and "check battery" warning lights were illuminated. The contact steered off the roadway safely; however, he was unable to restart the vehicle. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the inverter needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V684000 (Hybrid Propulsion System). The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 387,000.
I was driving in my neighboorhood and as I went up the wall bridge my acceleration stalled and my ABS light, Check engine light, and check hybrid system light came on simultaneously and started beeping. At the same time, I lost my braking ability completely. I had to swerve off to the grass in the hopes of not hitting turning traffic at the stop sign. Luckily, it stopped before doing any major damage to anything. Thankfully, I was close to home and was able to put it in my driveway safely. The check engine light then cut itself off, but my brakes remained completely nonfunctional. If this had happened on the highway or a busy road I'm sure it would've been much worse.
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light and the check hybrid warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The contact was unaware whether the vehicle was diagnosed. The vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V684000 (Hybrid Propulsion System). The contact stated that after the vehicle was repaired the failure recurred. The contact stated that the vehicle had not been repaired as the recall repair stated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 152,000.
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Hybrid Malfunction" was displayed, and the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to restart after detaching and reconnecting the rear battery. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start up. The contact stated that the hybrid system warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an unknown dealer where it was diagnosed with the inverter needing to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V684000 (Hybrid propulsion system) for which the VIN was included. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 133,000.
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving 65 mph, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated the check hybrid system warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not drivable. The vehicle was towed to her residence. The vehicle was pushed to an independent mechanic nearby her residence however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 282,000.
Traveling at freeway speed just after midnight, the "check engine" light came on. Less than one minute later, the "check hybrid system" alert came on, with an exclamation mark inside of a yellow triangle symbol displayed. The vehicle instantly had no power when the accelerator was depressed. The vehicle coasted to a stop and would not shift into drive. The vehicle was towed to our home. Upon delivering the vehicle to our home, the tow driver used an emergency battery jump start device and the vehicle was able to shift into drive and be driven into the garage. The 12 volt battery was replaced the next day and the vehicle no longer exhibited any disfunction. This was an unexpected event with no warning that the 12 volt battery was in need of replacement. …
The ABS, VSC/traction control, and brake system warning lights all came on at the same time in my 2010 Toyota Prius. I almost lost control of my car's braking ability. Afterwards, the hybrid system does not perform its regenerative braking/recharging any longer. And the cruise control mode doesn't work also. The DTC from the OBD2 port is C1391 - abnormal leak in the brake fluid accumulator. I found out that this issue is widespread among Gen 3 Priuses, but Toyota has not made this officially a recall campaign, but classifies it as a "customer support bulletin." But the issue is dangerous enough that it should be a recall item. I moved homes in fall of 2018, and Toyota says it mailed out a letter about this brake issue and resulting campaign, but I never received the letter. …
A number of things have failed on this car. 1. The hybrid battery pack system shut down and warned that I needed to see a mechanic. My mechanic diagnosed that the hybrid invert was defective and causing the battery pack to fail. 2. When braking at both low and high speeds, the car increasingly struggles to come to a stop. When applying foot pressure, you can hear the pump winding - this occurs while at rest as well as when trying to slow the car down. There are times when applying the brake that the floor pedal will lock and cause the car to skid while barely reducing the speed of the car. I have had multiple near accident incidences as a result and put myself and others at risk. 3. …
Related recalls
Hybrid propulsion system
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Toyota Prius and 2012-2014 Toyota Prius V vehicles. 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 update the software for the motor/generator control electronic control unit (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 22, 2019.
Fuel System complaints in other Prius years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 2010 Toyota Prius?
NHTSA has 99 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2010 Toyota Prius, 4% of the model year's 2,823 complaints. The component named most often is inverter (16 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2010 Toyota Prius fuel system problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 18V-684 (hybrid propulsion system, Oct 4, 2018). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2010 Toyota Prius fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 106,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 2 fires and 1 injury 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.