Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2013 Toyota Prius owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving and pulling into a parking lot, there was a burning odor coming from the vehicle. The contact exited the vehicle but saw no fault with the vehicle. The contact was then notified by another person that the vehicle had caught on fire. The fire department extinguished the fire and informed the contact that the windshield washer fluid reservoir was melted in half with burned wires nearby. The fire department stated that the fire was caused by the electrical wiring on the passenger's side near the coolant reservoir under the hood. The vehicle was not destroyed and was towed back to the residence. A bystander who helped extinguish the fire had sustained a burn to the left arm. Medical attention was administered at the scene. …
The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that after several days of torrential rainfall, the contact noticed there was water in the tire and 12-volt battery compartment. After having a routine oil change at an independent mechanic, while the contact was driving, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The power steering warning light illuminated after the failure. The driver was able to restart the vehicle and pull over to the side of the road. The contact called Roadside Assistance and was informed that there was a code for the hybrid battery system that needed to be checked. The contact noticed that water might have entered through the rear passenger's side brake light. The contact removed the water with a sump pump. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who was unable to assist. …
The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving approximately 5 to 10 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle, but the failure persisted. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the battery on two occasions, but the failure reoccurred. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 173,699.
The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that the hazard lights would activate inadvertently and were not able to be turned off as designed. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer but was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 124,000
I was loving my Prius until yesterday June 9, 2021 when I took it to Toyota of Riverhead, NY to have my Hazard lights checked because they would not shut off. I was told that the technician found ABS actuator shorting out causing the hazards to not go off. The replacement would be $2664. I had the fuse removed because it was causing my battery to die with the hazard lights being on. I was also advised by Tonianne Rempel (service advisor) that Toyota was familiar with this problem with 2013 Prius. I have a problem with Toyota knowing that there is a problem with the hazards for this is potentially dangerous for it makes your battery die and leaving the owner stranded. This should have been a recall. I had removed the fuse so now I have no hazards or directionals leaving me to use hand signals. Which is extremely dangerous for other drivers do not look for driver using hand signals. …
ABS Brake Warning Light On-stays on-this just happened within last 2 weeks. Not sure on safety measures but unsure if I keep driving it the brakes will just give out. The problem has been confirmed and seen by Tire Max but no diagnostic tests were ran. The just saw the light was on. No one has inspected the vehicle component by the manufacturer, police, or insurance company. No warning lamps prior to the problem but the ABC Warning light stays on while cranked and it first appeared about 2 weeks ago. I do want to add that a similiar recall or warranty had been put out by Toyota on Sept 4th 2020-(T-SB-0089-20) for 2012-2014 Prius V & C stating: "Some 2012-2014 model year Prius V hybrid vehicles may exhibit a condition where the brake, ABS, and/or TRAC warning lights are on and/or a Check VSC message displays. Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCS) C1391, C1252, C1256, C1253 may be stored. …
Around May 2025, the brake booster and pump in the car stopped working. There was no clear warning lamp or indicator prior to it failing. While driving on the highway, the part stopped working and significantly changed the car's braking power. Rather than smoothly braking as it did before, the car's brakes have significantly less braking power. The defective part also affects the car's ABS system, making the car unsafe if a sudden stop were required as the brakes will lock up and the car will lose grip on the road and start skidding. Significantly longer braking distances is needed and it's not clear the car would be able to safely stop at a short distance in the event of an emergency. It's a miracle we didn't get into any accidents when the part suddenly failed. …
I was driving and suddenly the car started beeping and the brake, e-brake, abs, and traction control lights came on. As soon as I found an opportunity I tried to brake but the car would not stop and the brake pedal became really hard. I had swerve to avoid hitting cars in front of me. It was the scariest moment of my life. I shifted the car from D to B to use the engine braking. I finally was able to slow down enough to turn right on a side Street and pushed on the brake pedal with all my strength and it finally came to a stop. I was lucky I didn't have a collision or strike a pedestrian, that I also drive defensively and leave enough space in front of me, and that I was on a surface street and not on a freeway which I frequently use because if I was I would have surely crashed. This is NOT right. Brakes should NOT suddenly fail! Under any circumstances. …
My 2013 Toyota Prius with only 99,000 miles is experiencing a brake system failure. The brake warning light, ABS light, and traction control light all illuminate. The brake actuator pump runs every 10 seconds, indicating loss of hydraulic pressure. Safety concern: This issue affects braking performance and disables ABS and traction control, creating a safety hazard, especially in emergency braking situations. This appears to be a known issue with Toyota Prius brake actuator assemblies. Toyota previously issued a warranty extension, but my vehicle is now outside the time window despite low mileage. This failure occurred prematurely and without warning. What happened: The warning lights temporarily went off after adding brake fluid but returned shortly after. The pump continues to cycle frequently, indicating system failure.
My vehicle has 105492 miles and ABS light, Trackion and Brake light went on. I could hear a buzzing sound from the brake actuator every 5 seconds. The brake actuator and master cylinder was failing. According to the dealership failure of brake actuator and master cylinder is a common safety issue with Toyota Prius. The failure of the actuator can lead to failure in the braking system and a crash. Online research shows that several customers have reported this issue. The Claremont Toyota quoted me $3646 to fix this issue. I contacted Toyota of America and they informed that they cannot cover these repairs case number 260515002576.I took my vehicle to a private mechanic. I paid $2312 for parts and labor to fix this safety issue. I would like to file a complaint against Toyota for not addressing this critical safety issue.
Related recalls
Electrical system › Software
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 through 2014 Prius vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) inside the inverter module (a component of the hybrid system) contains transistors that may become damaged from high operating temperatures.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners and dealers will update the software for both the motor/generator control electronic control unit (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU, free of charge.
NHTSA investigations
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles.
Electrical complaints in other Prius years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2013 Toyota Prius?
NHTSA has 52 complaints about the electrical system of the 2013 Toyota Prius, 13% of the model year's 414 complaints. The component named most often is wiring (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2013 Toyota Prius electrical problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 14V-053 (software, Feb 12, 2014). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2013 Toyota Prius electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 65,000 miles, and 34% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 2 fires and 1 injury to electrical 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.