Body complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 6% | — |
| 2024 | 2 | 7% | — |
| 2023 | 3 | 14% | — |
| 2022 | 1 | 4% | — |
| 2020 | 1 | 7% | — |
| 2018 | 3 | 8% | 5,000 miles |
| 2017 | 7 | 8% | 14,000 miles |
| 2016 | 11 | 7% | 18,000 miles |
| 2015 | 6 | 4% | 5,000 miles |
| 2014 | 9 | 4% | 50,000 miles |
| 2013 | 13 | 3% | 50,000 miles |
| 2012 | 23 | 5% | 16,000 miles |
| 2011 | 9 | 2% | 62,000 miles |
| 2010 | 35 | 1% | 34,000 miles |
| 2009 | 19 | 4% | 68,000 miles |
| 2008 | 68 | 5% | 75,000 miles |
| 2007 | 184 | 9% | 70,000 miles |
| 2006 | 15 | 1% | 60,000 miles |
| 2005 | 11 | 1% | 67,000 miles |
| 2004 | 2 | 0% | 140,000 miles |
| 2003 | 1 | 1% | 137,000 miles |
| 2002 | 1 | 1% | 29,000 miles |
| 2001 | 3 | 2% | 42,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Body / Liftgate The rear hatch unexpectedly dropped and fell on my head while the vehicle was stationary. The right-side rear hatch gas strut separated from the body at the mounting point. The left-side rear hatch gas strut had also shown signs of imminent failure and subsequently broke near its mounting point. This resulted in loss of hatch support and uncontrolled closure, creating a risk of head and upper-body injury. The failure appears related to structural stress at the strut mounting locations, not misuse. Seat Belt - Rear Center Passenger The rear center passenger seat belt upper cover can be easily pulled off by passengers, which breaks the plastic retaining tab. When the tab breaks, plastic fragments fall into the seat belt mechanism, causing the belt to jam and fail to retract properly. …
What component failed: The rear plastic trim on my 2023 Toyota Prius cracked without any impact, accident, or external cause. The component is still on the vehicle and available for inspection upon request. Safety risk: While this is primarily a structural/cosmetic defect, cracking plastic trim that was not caused by the owner suggests a broader manufacturing quality issue. If this type of failure occurs in components closer to safety systems, it could pose a more serious risk. Confirmed by dealer: Yes. I brought the vehicle to a Toyota dealership and service center (Berkeley Toyota) for inspection. They confirmed the cracking. The vehicle was purchased at Livermore Toyota. Other inspections: The vehicle was inspected by the Berkeley Toyota dealership and service center. No other parties have inspected it at this time. Prior warning signs: None. …
I was driving up to my garage on the side of my house on a clear day, early afternoon. I was traveling about 3 MPH and tried to stop to park in front of the garage door. I depressed the brake pedal and it did not engage, but lurched forward into the garage, crashing into the garage and causing damage to both the garage and the auto.
The heat shield on the underside of the car, by the storage battery came lose while driving and was damaged. It is held in place by only four plastic pins. The car is so low to the ground that it is hard to clear normal speed bumps let alone older larger ones. We were traveling a housing addition less than 20 MPH and just went over an older high speed-bump and puddle when it occurred. We drove the last 100 or so feet home and wired it up out of the way so the car could be driven at low speed too the dealership. The dealership told us this was damage due to our driving negligence ie: "we hit something". When this shield comes off it falls straight into the vehicle exhaust pipe and ground, there is no simple way to remove the piece until a full repair can be completed. It must be wired up off the ground or part of the wheel and exhaust must be disconnected. …
We were stopped at a traffic signal going north. When the light turned green, the car in front of us started to go and all of the sudden, our car went into rapid acceleration. We could not stop the car. It crashed into the car in front of us. We tried jamming on the breaks and turning off the ignition, but could not get control. Because we were heading uphill, the car finally came to a stop. We were on a city street at a stop signal.
Takata recall possibly. Wet pavement, traffic slowed on interstate to about 45 MPH, tailgating small pickup hit my rear crumple zone, shoved me into a small SUV that crushed my front crumple zone. Airbags did not deploy. Neither my wife (front seat passenger) nor I felt any discomfort, but a few days later she complained about pain in her waist area. She was later determined to have a fractured pelvis and a jostled left hip joint.
I reported issues with this car in 2018. Clicking sounds under the car which is still happening, peeling paint on exterior and inside door areas, substandard windshield that spread in a very unusual pattern when hit by a small rock. The NHTSA ID Number that was assigned to these complaints is [redacted] . None of these problems have been addressed. There are other owners that have experienced the same problems, apparently their issues have not been addressed. These problems should have been sent by you to the Toyota Corporation, but apparently was not. I have owned many Toyota vehicles and have not experienced these problems. I also own a 2012 Toyota Prius which I drive when I when I am traveling on the interstate, because I feel that the clicking noises on the 2016 Toyota Prius is a safety issue that seems to be coming from the steering section underneath the car. …
Starting in about 2019, the exterior black panel behind the rear right mirror began peeling. Soon, the blue exterior paint on the car began to show damaged spots, lining up with the parts of the car most exposed to the sun: the roof most of all, but the top panel behind the rear window and the top of the trunk showing signs of damage as well. The beginnings of this damage are also appearing on a couple of parts of the side doors, making it clear that the underlying problem applies to all of the blue exterior paint. It seems as if the exterior layer - some sort of sealant or finish - is not holding up properly in the sun. By contrast, our red-painted 2014 Prius, which has been exposed to the same conditions but for a longer period of time - shows none of this damage. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Toyota Prius years have body problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2007 (184), 2008 (68), 2010 (35), 2012 (23) and 2009 (19) model years. Body complaints make up 9% of all complaints for the 2007.
Is there a recall for Toyota Prius body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for any Toyota Prius model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Toyota Prius body problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 60,000 miles; 41% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the body (262 mentions), followed by the body › hatchback/liftgate (28).
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.