2011 Toyota Prius problems and complaints
Owners have filed 522 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Toyota Prius. The most-reported areas: Service Brakes (276), Electrical System (68), Exterior Lighting (49).
Key takeaways
- 522 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 37 involve a crash, 7 a fire, 17 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 276 | 53% |
| Electrical System | 68 | 13% |
| Exterior Lighting | 49 | 9% |
| Engine | 47 | 9% |
| Air Bags | 46 | 9% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 28 | 5% |
| Unknown Or Other | 28 | 5% |
| Power Train | 18 | 3% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 16 | 3% |
| Hydraulic | 12 | 2% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 11 | 2% |
| Hybrid Propulsion System | 11 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Toyota Prius 4 DR FWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Service Brakes - filed 2026-10-01
I was driving on the highway when my 2011 Toyota Prius started beeping repeatedly, and as I approached the red light, my brakes were not operational. My car completely passed through the red light, narrowly missing what could have been a fatal accident for me and others on the road. I had to navigate to the furthest ri...
Service Brakes - filed 2026-09-30
2011 Toyota Prius with approximately 134,000 miles. The brake actuator/master cylinder has been diagnosed as malfunctioning and failing to maintain hydraulic pressure. The brake booster pump initially began cycling approximately every 10 seconds while the vehicle was in READY mode, stationary, and without the brake ped...
Engine - filed 2026-09-22
Coolant leak into the engine, confirmed by the Toyota servicing center. This may be a common problem with the Toyota Prius, causing early engine failure from a design defect.
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More for the 2011 Toyota Prius
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.