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 2015 Toyota Prius owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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
During routine low speed suburban driving, a fire started under the hood in the right front of the car. The smoke was first noticed by a pedestrian so I pulled over, got out of the car, and called 911. I had no prior warning of any sort. The fire completely destroyed the car. This is being investigated by Toyota. I have photos and would be happy to provide more details.
I bought this vehicle on July 3, 2015. When I took it in for an oil change in Dec. 2015, I was informed that there was a mice infestation and that the electrical wires and other systems were damaged, resulting in about $2,800 in repairs due to the mice chewing the wiring. I just took this vehicle back in on 29 Nov. 2021 because some of the systems weren't working properly, and they confirmed that a mouse has again chewed up the electrical system, again costing about $5,000 in repairs. I've just been informed by my exterminator that Toyota uses a wiring harness coated with a soybean based coating which is causing reports of mice damage in a lot of Toyota vehicles. We have 2 other vehicles which are not Toyota vehicles and have never had a single problem with mice chewing the wiring harnesses of those vehicles, although all are parked in the same area. …
I was driving from Las Vegas to my home in Los Angeles. An alarming message began flashing on the dashboard telling me to pull over. The vehicle became hard to control. I somehow managed to get it off an exit. I was "lucky" enough to get it towed to a nearby Toyota dealership where I was told the inverter had failed and that that inverter and associated parts had to be replaced. On my 2015 Prius with only 50,000 miles on it. I SPECIFICALLY asked if there had been a recall on the electrical system of any 2015 Priuses, and they flatly said no. I also CALLED TOYOTA, and they also said there were no recalls involving the electrical system or inverters. The Barstow Toyota dealership said it would cost over $5,000 to repair AND that they wouldn't have the parts they needed for a WEEK. As it was, I had been stranded in the desert at a hotel for two days. …
When I parked my car and stopped the engine after driving for 90 min/62 miles on June 22, 2023, I found that I couldn't lock my car's door, through my remote, door handle or the switch inside the door. Upon further examination, I saw complete loss of the power: no light, no audio, no other accessory power, no start of engine. Foot press on the brake feels heavy/less responsive. One hr after the incident I went back (because I had some business to attend) to the car, everything looked normal (with full functions recovered) as if nothing happened before. 6 hrs later the car still behaved fine. I measured 12-v battery and it registered 12.3 v (I bought the car new 8 years ago and I haven't changed the battery yet). I noticed that my the clock in the car lost 10 mins (behind correct time) and I concluded the complete loss of battery power lasted about 10 mins. …
The incident involved having to press extremely hard on the brake pedal to stop the car, while it was uphill in the middle of the road. The car started going backward and was throwing ABS, Master Warning Light, Brake System Warning Light and Warning Buzzer, Brake System Warning Light, and SLIP Indicator signals. This was a highly distraughtful situation on the road. Diagnostics showed C1391 Diagnostic Trouble Code on the 2015 Toyota Prius: brake booster and brake booster pump problem. When pressing the brake pedal there is a high pitched metal scraping noise. Toyota coverage program is only applicable for 10 years from the date of first use or 150,000 miles, whichever occurs first. Many cars run well for over 10 years with good care, so the 10 year cap barely covers anything. This is highly unfair and borderline scamming for an issue so severe, which can cause big accidents on the road. …
As stated from 5 months after we bought it, and the first prius, the car won't start. No matter if parked flat, keys in or out over night, or the temp, when the break is pushed it is squishy and makes draining noise and won't start. As a dr on call i have LOST patients because I could not leave my house. i carry and use the charger daily ever since. Taken in lots. they say, "you don't drive enough..or some other bogus excuse, like don't leave keys in car, which is how priuses start and run!. the car is driven in all ways a lot. also we buy headlights and headlamps on both about every 2 months. also it looses power and has shut off while driving. the worst is when it would start on its own in the locked garage. at that point my wife just quit driving all together. nothing but nightmares. She almsot crashed on fw when power went out.
The brake pump and actuator on my 2015 prius has been faulty and the repair was apparently covered under the customer support program but it expired in December. I had no knowledge of it and when I took my car in to a toyota dealership, no one told me about about the profram but told me that they needed to be replaced. I did not get the repair because of the hefty cost and I missed the deadline. My safety and the safety of other drivers were put at risk for not allowing me to be notified by it and my car being at risk for my brakes failing at any time. Their were absolutely no warning lights on my vehicle as well.
Got the warning code for C1391 for the brake booster. It failed at 140k miles but because it failed past the 10 year mark did not qualify for the Toyota extended warranty program. I don't think the warranty program is good enough and should be addressed as a recall. I had sudden total brake failure on the highway which could have been extremely deadly.
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 2015 Toyota Prius?
NHTSA has 27 complaints about the electrical system of the 2015 Toyota Prius, 16% of the model year's 166 complaints. The component named most often is propulsion system › inverter (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2015 Toyota Prius electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2015 Toyota Prius, though it has 1 recall 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 2015 Toyota Prius electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 21,000 miles, and 53% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 1 fire and 2 injuries 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.