CarRecallWatchThe 2013 Toyota Prius has 3 safety recalls on file with NHTSA.
Owners have filed 414 complaints with NHTSA, including 40 crashes, 4 fires, 24 injuries.
The most-reported problem area is Service Brakes (232 reports).
NHTSA rates it up to 5 stars overall for crash safety, depending on the version.
2013 Toyota Prius recalls
Hybrid system may shut down while driving, raising crash risk
Excessive voltage in the Intelligent Power Module within the hybrid inverter can cause the hybrid power system to shut down, which may make the vehicle stall while it is being driven.
Prius Hybrid System Can Shut Off While Driving, Raising Crash Risk
Excessive voltage in the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) inside the inverter can cause the hybrid propulsion system to shut down unexpectedly, which may stall the vehicle while it is being driven.
Most common 2013 Toyota Prius problems
Problem areas named in the 414 complaints owners filed with NHTSA.
| Problem area | Reports |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 232 |
| Electrical System | 52 |
| Unknown Or Other | 50 |
| Engine | 37 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 22 |
| Air Bags | 18 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 16 |
| Power Train | 14 |
| Structure | 13 |
| Exterior Lighting | 12 |
What owners report
On XXX, at approximately 152,570 miles, the brake, ABS, and traction-control warning lights illuminated at the same time on my 2013 Toyota Prius. The brakes felt spongy, and I heard a recurring buzzing sound approximately every 3 seconds. Because of the change in brake-pedal feel and concerns about braking safety, I stopped using the vehicle. I reported the problem to Longo Toyota in [XXX], which directed me to Toyota customer support. The vehicle was subsequently diagnosed with trouble code C1391, âInternal Leak in Accumulator.â I contacted the dealership and Toyota customer support about Customer Support Program ZJB, which addressed code C1391 brake booster and brake booster pump failu
I experienced sudden unintended acceleration. While I was making a right turn from the street to my driveway, my car suddenly accelerated on its own and hit the side of the house and the garage door, causing significant damage to the house and the front of my car. My street is uphill, so my car was almost stopped when I made a turn. My car suddenly lurched forward passing the upward incline to my driveway. The windshield cracked due to fallen bricks from my house. I heard the noise of sudden acceleration, and the next thing was my car hitting the house hard. I had my foot slightly on the brake. My chest hit the wheel due to the shock, but the airbag was not deployed. I experienced a mild co
While driving our 2013 Toyota Prius, the vehicle experienced a sudden and severe loss of braking effectiveness while the vehicle was in motion. This created an immediate safety risk because the vehicle did not respond to braking as expected. After the incident, the vehicle displayed the red BRAKE warning light, ABS warning light, brake-system warning light, and an audible warning. The vehicle was not driven after the failure and was transported to a Toyota dealership for diagnosis. The dealer confirmed a brake-system fault and recorded diagnostic trouble codes C1241, C1252, C1253, and C1256. Toyota previously issued Customer Support Program ZJB for certain 2010â2015 Prius vehicles invol
While driving, my brake pedal would randomly lose power assist. The pedal would get hard and I couldn't press it down normally, and I had to push as hard as I could just to get the car to slow down. This happened more than once while driving and I almost crashed because I couldn't stop the car in time. A scan later showed codes C1252 (brake booster pump motor on-time abnormally long), C1253 (pump motor relay fault), and C1256 (accumulator pressure low), pointing to a failure in the brake booster pump/accumulator system. A repair shop confirmed this and said the brake booster assembly with master cylinder and the brake booster pump assembly with accumulator both needed to be replaced. I also
The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving and pulling into a parking lot, there was a burning odor coming from the vehicle. The contact exited the vehicle but saw no fault with the vehicle. The contact was then notified by another person that the vehicle had caught on fire. The fire department extinguished the fire and informed the contact that the windshield washer fluid reservoir was melted in half with burned wires nearby. The fire department stated that the fire was caused by the electrical wiring on the passengerâs side near the coolant reservoir under the hood. The vehicle was not destroyed and was towed back to the residence. A bystander who helped
2013 Toyota Prius safety rating
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 Toyota Prius 5 HB FWD | ★★★★★ 5-star | 4 | 5 | 4 (12.1% rollover risk) |
2013 Toyota Prius questions
Does the 2013 Toyota Prius have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls for the 2013 Toyota Prius: Hybrid system may shut down while driving, raising crash risk; Prius Hybrid System Can Shut Off While Driving, Raising Crash Risk; Electrical System:Software; Hybrid Propulsion System: Inverter. Recall repairs are normally free at an authorized dealer.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Toyota Prius?
Based on 414 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are Service Brakes (232), Electrical System (52), Unknown Or Other (50).
How safe is the 2013 Toyota Prius?
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings program gives the 2013 Toyota Prius up to 5 out of 5 stars overall; ratings vary by version, see the table above.
How do I check if a recall on my 2013 Toyota Prius has been fixed?
Enter your 17-character VIN in our VIN recall check. It shows open recalls that have not been repaired on your specific vehicle. Recall repairs are normally free at an authorized dealer.