Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2012 Toyota Prius owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Weather stripping around the solar sunroof cracked and has come off in sections. This is a very common problem with this specific model, but remains low due to the low numbers the solar sunroof packages was produced. Afraid the sunroof will leak if used, so it stays inoperable in order to not damage broken seals.
On September 8, 2012 my wife was on her way to our rental and was hit as she readied to turn to the house. Our 2012 Toyota Prius 3 was thrown into the air and bounced back to a diagonal position across the road. Upon impact, the steering wheel air bag did not deploy until after impact--her seatbelt did not restrain her from hitting her chest on the steering wheel nor did the knee air bag deploy until after she hit her knees on the lower dash. Fortunately for her and me, she suffered deep bruising but no broken bones etc. As of today, 9/26/2012, her chest still hurts but the pain is diminishing. I contacted Toyota and filed a complaint on 9/8/2012 and was told they would investigate--case #[redacted], my concern since we have heard nothing is that you too will hear nothing and if this issue exists in other Prius cars on the road, someone will suffer more than my wife. …
On July 28, 2017, I was driving along with my three children. I pulled into a driveway to park my vehicle behind a parked vehicle. There was approximately a 2 foot span between the back of the vehicle and the front of my 2012 Toyota Prius. To the right of the parked vehicle was a parked truck. Being that I was pulling into a space to park my vehicle, I was traveling extremely slowly. I began to press on my brake to park the vehicle and instantly knew there was a problem. Upon depressing the brake, several lights began to flash within the dash to include but not limited to the ABS, warning light, and the light with vehicle swerve lines. Other lights were also flashing, but I do not recall each one. The brake pad instantly went straight to the floor with no pressure. The vehicle would not stop and continued to travel forward with acceleration. …
I was driving on my residential street and stepped on the brake to slow down to make a left turn into my driveway. The car failed to slow down or stop, and instead went over the curb, veering to the right and side swiped the left side of my neighbor's car, narrowly missing his garage.the car then side swiped a tree on my left (on property between my and neighbor's property.) the front end of the car crashed into a tree, saving me from rolling about 900 feet to the street below. The entire time of this incident the brakes never engaged (pedal was down to floor) and I frantically tried to steer to avoid hitting anything. A witness, standing on the street, confirmed my brake lights were on. Car was serviced by Toyota (world class inspection) 15 days before the incident. …
I was involved in a front end collision with a bobcat front end loader. I struck the implement broadside going 35 MPH. There was no damage to the implement. My car was totaled and the airbag deployed. After going to the hospital and a chest x-ray, ultrasound, and ct scan, it was diagnosed I had fractured my sternum. I am six feet tall and had my seat all the way back. I am questioning whether there have been any other people sustaining a fractured sternum due to an air bag deployment at 35 MPH?
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that as his vehicle was parked a vehicle crashed into the rear of his vehicle at 10 MPH which caused extensive damage to the frame and bumper. The air bags failed to deploy but the air bags warning lamp illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 81.
Three different door lock actuators (front left, front right, rear left) have failed and been replaced. Symptom is that door does not lock or unlock from key fob or lock control on driver's armrest, also fails to lock automatically when shifting into gear if that option is set. Door must be locked and unlocked manually using the rocker switch in the inside door handle. Clearly there was a batch of defective parts used during manufacturing.
I was getting ready to pull out of a parking space in a parking lot. The car was in park, so I pressed on the brake, started the car and put it in reverse. All of a sudden there was a loud roar and the car shot full speed in reverse, completely out of control. It clipped the bumper of a parked car and some shopping carts, then backed into a wall which stopped the car. Miraculously no one was injured. The car has been totaled.
Turning right from a stop sign stop, the car took off in an unintended acceleration and could not be stopped until it hit a curb. The force broke the ball joint of the driver's side wheel causing the wheel to turn approx 45 degrees. The car then skidded about 20 yards and came to a stop with the motor racing. It was a single car crash with no bodily injury.
Mice in cabin. Since I've owned this car (bought new) I've had several occasions where mice get inside the passenger compartment. I've looked on-line and have seen numerous complaints and suggested solutions. Most have said their dealers deny any design problems and will not fix the problem. Frustrating!
Body complaints in other Prius years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2012 Toyota Prius?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the body & structure of the 2012 Toyota Prius, 5% of the model year's 424 complaints. The component named most often is body (20 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2012 Toyota Prius body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2012 Toyota Prius, though it has 6 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 body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 16,000 miles, and 60% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 9 crashes, 0 fires and 8 injuries to body & structure 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.