Vehicles · Insights

2018 Toyota Prius

Lights and wipers top the gripe list, but brakes and acceleration are the ones to watch

Across 34 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, exterior lighting and visibility/wiper issues are reported most often (5 reports each, 15% apiece). The more serious cluster is on the safety side: service brakes and vehicle speed control each drew 4 reports tied to 2 crashes, and air bags drew 3 reports linked to 1 crash and 1 injury. None of these complaints involved a fire or a death.

Most reported areas

Exterior Lighting0 15%
The single most common complaint, tied for the top spot with 5 reports (15%). No crashes, injuries, or fires reported here.
Visibility/Wiper0 15%
Also 5 reports (15%), tied for most-reported. No crashes, injuries, or fires reported here.
Service Brakes safety 12%
4 reports (12%), and 2 of them involved a crash. Worth taking seriously on a test drive and inspection.
Vehicle Speed Control safety 12%
4 reports (12%), 2 of which involved a crash, including accounts of the car accelerating on its own. One of the most safety-relevant areas here.
Air Bags safety 9%
3 reports (9%), tied to 1 crash and 1 injury, including a report of air bags not deploying in a collision. The only area here with an injury on record.

Source: NHTSA owner complaints · 34 complaints

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General information compiled from public NHTSA complaint data, for reference only — not professional advice and not reviewed by automotive experts. Verify before acting; Team AM is not responsible for decisions made from it.