2009 Toyota Prius: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 635 complaints
635
Total Complaints
31,500mi
Median Mileage
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Top Issue
90
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

9,200 25th Percentile
31,500 Median Mileage
92,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING
109
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
79
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
67
SERVICE BRAKES
59
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
52
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
44
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
20
ENGINE
19
POWER TRAIN
15
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM
15

Severity Assessment

90
Crashes
7
Fires
37
Injuries
2
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"WE BROUGHT A NEW 2009 PRIUS IN SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR, 2008. I WAS DRIVING IN THE SNOW, AND FOUND THAT THIS CAR HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN; THE TRACTION CONTROL TOOK TOTAL CONTROL OF THE CAR, AND LEFT ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD IN A CURVE AS I WAS ABOUT TO GO UP A HILL. THE CAR CAME TO A STOP; I COUL..."
"UNABLE TO PROPERLY FILL THE FUEL TANK. THE FUEL BLADDER COLLAPSES. *TR"
"FUEL TANK CAPACITY DANGEROUSLY VARIABLE IN TOYOTA PRIUS. OUR 2009 PRIUS ROUTINELY IS UNABLE TO FILL TO FULL CAPACITY OF 11.9 GALLONS. WORSE IS COLD TEMPERATURES. WAS NOT TOLD OF THIS ISSUE AT TIME OF PURCHASE. HAVE SINCE LEARNED MORE ABOUT THE FUEL BLADDER FROM CONSUMER CHAT FORUMS, BUT TOYOTA..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28