Seat Belt complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2 | 7% | — |
| 2023 | 1 | 5% | — |
| 2022 | 1 | 4% | 35,000 miles |
| 2019 | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2017 | 1 | 1% | 21,000 miles |
| 2016 | 2 | 1% | 25,000 miles |
| 2015 | 2 | 1% | 70,000 miles |
| 2014 | 2 | 1% | 88,000 miles |
| 2013 | 6 | 1% | 30,000 miles |
| 2012 | 11 | 3% | 47,000 miles |
| 2011 | 4 | 1% | 75,000 miles |
| 2010 | 16 | 1% | 30,000 miles |
| 2009 | 1 | 0% | 23,000 miles |
| 2008 | 9 | 1% | 167,000 miles |
| 2007 | 11 | 1% | 53,000 miles |
| 2006 | 7 | 0% | 100,000 miles |
| 2005 | 7 | 1% | 48,000 miles |
| 2004 | 5 | 1% | 76,000 miles |
| 2003 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2002 | 1 | 1% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (buckles, retractors, anchors and pretensioners).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
**What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? **How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? **Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? **Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? **Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT The passenger side seat belt became folded and stuck. It would not enable the person to pull it and attach it to the clasp. When my little boy did pull it in the clasp it was an extremely snug fit. I had 3 people try to unfold it. Finally someone had to slice it so that we could at least get part of it to work and go into the clasp. …
I was driving straight on a city road with the flow of heavy traffic at about 40 miles per hour when the car in front of me came to a sudden stop. I immediately slammed on my brakes very hard. At the time I did this I had plenty of safe distance between us. But, the brakes never came on and I ended up running into the rear end of an SUV at apparently full speed without any noticeable slowdown. The brakes did not come on. They didn't grab, and they didn't make any screeching noise and there were no tire marks on the road. Also all of the airbags deployed and this was a frontal impact, which was very surprising and suffocating. A cloud of dust filled the cabin of the car and I could not breathe. I was literally suffocating until I was able to open the door and get out of the vehicle. I didn't even feel the seat belt tighten up before the crash. …
My wife was involved in a two car crash when a car coming in the opposite direction made an illegal left turn directly in front of her. It happened so quick that she never had time to hit her brakes. She was traveling between 30 and 35 MPH in a 35 MPH zone on a two lane road. I would think that at that speed if all her safety equipment worked she would not suffer any injuries. Her seat belt failed causing the seat latch to fail and she ended up jammed into the bottom and under side of the dashboard. She suffered a blow to her chest and injuries to her knees, lower legs and foot. She had surgery on her right knee so we could get her on her feet again and is awaiting surgery on her right shoulder. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius. While driving 21 MPH, the contact crashed into the passenger side of another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy and the seat belt also failed to hold the driver in place. A police report was not filed. The contact sustained a fractured sternum, which required medical attention. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 83,569.
The car was traveling at about 40mph when we t boned another car that entered our lane illegally. My wife applied the brakes and we skidded for about 10 yards before hitting the other car. Neither the seat belt restraining system nor the air bag system operated.
Tl* the contact owned a 2011 Toyota Prius. The contact was driving 8 MPH when another vehicle crashed into the contact's vehicle on the passenger side door. The driver's side safety belt failed to retain the driver, causing injuries to the back and neck. The police were notified and a report was on file. The vehicle was destroyed. The vehicle was taken to a local repair shop. The manufacturer was notified. The failure and current mileages were 8,000. Updated 04/19/12 the consumer also stated the air bag failed to deploy. Toyota sent the consumer a notice explaining the air bag did not deploy, because there was no direct frontal impact, only impact to the right front side of the vehicle/door area, the more yielding portions of the vehicle. There was insufficient abrupt forward deceleration of the vehicle to deploy the air bag. …
ABS system displayed airbag symbol displayed brake symbol displayed seat belts light flashing airbag system showing off. Toyota dealership is aware of the problem with the ABS system along with the items mentioned. accident could have been avoided contact if the ABS system was working. Airbags did not deploy. Advise Toyota corporation on 27 February 2023 file number 230-227-00 2210 in regards to the ABS they were also advised of the airbag symbol displayed in the seat belt fasten flashing on driver side when an individual is seated in the car and buckled in. Vehicle has not been inspected yet however on Monday 6th of March it will be inspected by copart, by the direction of the USAA insurance company.
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Toyota Prius. While at a traffic light another vehicle crashed into the rear of the contacts vehicle and the seat belt failed to secure the passenger, which caused her head to hit the dashboard. The contact also filed a complaint 1107110028 with Toyota regarding the seat belt failure. The contact was able to drive the injured passenger to the hospital although the rear bumper was damaged and hanging off of the vehicle. The rear of the vehicle was pushed into the rear passenger seat. The passenger side rear door would not open and the drivers side rear door was partially closed due to the damage. The dashboard air bag signal on the passenger side was illuminated after the crash occurred but not prior to the crash. The doors cannot be locked since the crash occurred. The passenger was diagnosed with a mild concussion. A police report was filed. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Toyota Prius years have seat belt problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2010 (16), 2007 (11), 2012 (11), 2008 (9) and 2005 (7) model years. Seat Belt complaints make up 1% of all complaints for the 2010.
Is there a recall for Toyota Prius seat belt problems?
No. NHTSA lists no seat belts 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 seat belt problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 66,000 miles; 46% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the front (6 mentions), followed by the rear/other (4).
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.