NHTSA has received 59 owner complaints about the 2018 Toyota Prius, or 6.7 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical (complaint index 0.17, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 76 model-year 2018 vehicles we track, it ranks #10 of 76 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest). Against other Toyota models its rate is 80% lower; against other Compact cars it is 69% lower.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Complaints filed between 2018-02-21 and 2026-10-02. Median delay from incident to filing: 10 days.
59Complaints
6.7Complaints per year on the road
0.17Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
3Recalls
18.6%Share involving a crash or fire
6Last 12 months
Analysis
The following model year (2019) drew 5.0 per year, fewer than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2018 model collected 23 complaints, 73% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Body & structure (22.0% of complaints), followed by Engine (11.9%) and Unspecified or other (11.9%). Body & structure complaints are 2.4 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 11 reports (18.6%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 8 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 34 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was after five years (34% of incidents). 6 complaints were filed in the last 12 months.
NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls for this model year. 1 NHTSA investigation covers this model year; the most recent is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (defect petition, opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).
Complaint index
vs. all tracked vehicles0.17
vs. other Toyota models0.2
vs. other 2018 models0.14
vs. other Compact cars0.31
Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (23)0.27
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while in bumper-to-bumper traffic, the vehicle suddenly accelerated. The brake pedal was applied but failed to respond. The driver crashed into the front passenger side of the Lexus.
Brakes · 2024-12-05 · ODI 11629049 · Crash
My 2018 Toyota Prius Supreme was parked too far away from the curb in front of a house where we were invited, in a residential area in Naperville IL. I entered the car to park it properly.
Body & structure · 2023-11-06 · ODI 11553897 · Crash
I am writing to inform you about a very dangerous situation that occurred to me in June 2026 and that could pose a significant safety risk to other drivers who own 2016-17-18-19 Toyota Prius cars.
Engine · 2026-10-02 · ODI 11768511
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while having a routine oil change, the contact was made aware that there was no coolant in the coolant reservoir. No warning lights were illuminated.
Engine · 2026-08-17 · ODI 11757394
Both taillamps holding moisture. Could cause electrical issues or fire. .. same year and model car have same reported issues and were fixed by manufacturer. This vehicle is the same but different level.
Lighting · 2026-03-13 · ODI 11724219
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM Campaign 19V491000 · 2019-06-26
Summary: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Prius C vehicles. The DC-DC converter may fail resulting in the auxiliary battery no longer receiving power from the converter, which may cause a loss of drive.
Risk: A loss of drive increases the risk of crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the DC-DC converter with a new one, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is K0K.
Summary: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Toyota Prius vehicles. A portion of the engine wire harness connected to the hybrid Power Control Unit (PCU), could contact the cover at this connection and wear, causing an electrical short circuit.
Risk: An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine wire harness assembly and replace it if damage is found. A protective sleeve or protective tape will be included to prevent any future damage. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began October 30, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J0T.
Summary: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018 Toyota Prius C vehicles sold in Puerto Rico. The front passenger air bag and recommended child occupant seating positions label may not have been attached during assembly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: If the label is missing, occupants may not follow the proper restraint usage guidelines, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners and will mail the removable labels to all known owners of the subject vehicles, free of charge. The recall began on April 11, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J0L.
DP22005 · defect petition · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM · Opened 2023-01-27 · Closed 2023-08-07 · Campaign 22V063000 · Model years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and ele…
