Most common 2015 Toyota Prius problems
Share of the 166 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Toyota Prius complaints by model year
Best Prius years: 2021, 2020, 2018. Years to avoid: 2011, 2010, 2007, 2006, 2008. Compare all years →
2015 Toyota Prius recalls (1)
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…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2015 Toyota Prius:
Brake Actuator Valve Wear
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received a petition dated September 19, 2023 from the owner of a 2012 Toyota Prius V requesting that ODI reevaluate its decision to deny DP19-004. In the letter, the petitioner reported experiencing an unexpected and complete loss of brake power while driving, accompanied by multiple dashboard warning lights.
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.
Brake Actuator Valve Wear
On September 19, 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a defect petition from Mr. Roger Hogan requesting that the Agency investigate and recall certain Toyota Prius, Prius PHV, Camry Hybrid and Avalon Hybrid vehicles for a brake actuator valve wear condition covered under Toyota Customer Support Programs ZJB and ZKK (subject CSP?s).
What 2015 Toyota Prius owners say
Brakes all 93 →
The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that as he approached a stop light at 25 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and traveled to the floorboard as he attempted to stop the vehicle. The brakes failed to operate without warning as he hit the vehicle in front of him. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. A police report was filed and both the contact and the other driver were able to drive away from the scene. No injuries were reported. Prior to this failure, the contact stated that the same failure occurred months prior while traveling at 20 MPH in the rain. The contact stated that the brakes failed to operate without warning as he depressed the brake pedal to the floorboard; he hit an unknown object on the road due to the failure. …
I bought this car brand new and have had it serviced regularly at a Greensboro Nc Toyota dealership. It has 127,000 miles on it. I starting hearing a grinding whirring noice a lot lately and determined it is a brake actuator/brake booster. Took it to the dealership and they confirmed it to be a brake booster going bad. Engages at least 4 times a minute. There is a customer support program for this repair from Toyota ZJB and covers the part up to 10 years or 150,000 miles. I am in the covered period but it has to break first before they will cover it even though they confirmed it is going bad. It has to "throw a code" before Toyota will pay. I reached out toToyota and they reached out to the dealership which is Greensboro Toyota in Greensboro, NC and their regional office won't fix it because it would come out of their pocket and Toyota won't fix until it breaks. …
Electrical system all 27 →
The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, there were several unknown warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the Hybrid System failure message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the inverter to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired but was pending the repair. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V369000 (Hybrid Propulsion System) however, the Vin was not included. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
Pulling out of a parking stall, when put vehicle in drive, the engine revved up and accelerated - vehicle crashed, the brakes did not work- there was skid marks. Floor mats are factory OEM were installed properly. I did not hit the accelerator and I am in good health and mind. I have driving for over 30 years, never had and accident nor a ticket! - A county officer was at the seen and left me with vehicle that had to be towed away. The Vehicle is a total loss. I have insurance but felt that this incident need to be reported, There is no safety recalls and the vehicle was always property maintained
Transmission & drivetrain
My mom was involved in an accident in her 2015 Toyota Prius on April 19, 2022, which she advised lurched forward at a stop and when applying the brakes to stop the vehicle, she said was unresponsive, causing her to clip a vehicle and sending her vehicle into a ditch totaling her car and injuring her passenger and her. I would like to have this investigated and hold Toyota responsible. This could have been much worse and lives could have been lost. She is now without means of transportation, and she is now possibly responsible for damages to property and bodily injury because of this. Through my research I have discovered multiple class action lawsuits brought against Toyota for the same exact models. I asked the police officer to run a scan on the computer, but he advised it was only for serious accidents. There was no indication of the problem or messages.
When I looked up my car on Kelly Blue Book for pricing, it said that it has been recalled as of 2020. I was not aware of this at all and could have got into a serious accident. I recently purchased a 2015 Toyota Prius Hybrid in February and not even my saleswoman told me that it has been recalled. It has a sleuth of issues that came with it.
2015 Toyota Prius engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8L 4-cyl plug-in hybrid | CVT | FWD | 51 / 49 / 50 |
| 1.8L 4-cyl hybrid | CVT | FWD | 50 / 46 / 48 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2015 Toyota Prius a good car?
Based on 166 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2015 Prius rates better than average: 70% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Prius at the same age. 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?
The brakes — 93 complaints, 56% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the electrical system (27) and transmission & drivetrain (13).
How many recalls does the 2015 Toyota Prius have?
There is 1 recall for the 2015 Toyota Prius, 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?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2021, 2020 and 2018. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2011, 2010, 2007, 2006 and 2008. See the full Toyota Prius years comparison.
At what mileage do 2015 Toyota Prius problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 30,000 miles; 66% 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.