Does the 2012 Toyota Prius V have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2012 Toyota Prius V, the most recent reported on October 4, 2018 (Hybrid propulsion system). Check a specific car by its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Toyota Prius V?

Owners have filed 218 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is service brakes (124 complaints), followed by engine (36).

How many 2012 Toyota Prius V complaints mention a crash or fire?

19 of 218 complaints report a crash and 2 a fire; 10 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

2012 Toyota Prius V recalls and problems

3 recalls and 218 owner complaints on file with NHTSA for the 2012 Toyota Prius V.

recalls

218

owner complaints

complaints mentioning a crash

mentioning a fire

Recalls apply to specific production ranges. To see whether a particular car still has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Repairs for safety recalls are free at authorised dealers.

2012 Toyota Prius V recalls

Hybrid propulsion system

NHTSA campaign 18V684000 · reported October 4, 2018 · Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing · 807,329 vehicles potentially affected

The problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Toyota Prius and 2012-2014 Toyota Prius V vehicles. Excessive voltage in the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) within the inverter may cause the hybrid system to shut down, causing the vehicle to stall while being driven.
The risk: If the hybrid system shuts down unexpectedly, it can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the motor/generator control electronic control unit (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 22, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J0V. Note: The software updates in this recall are needed even if the vehicle had the software previously updated under recalls 14V-053 or 15V-449.

Hybrid propulsion system: inverter

NHTSA campaign 15V449000 · reported July 15, 2015 · Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing · 108,624 vehicles potentially affected

The problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Prius V vehicles manufactured August 22, 2011, to June 30, 2014. A component within the hybrid inverter assembly may overheat, causing the hybrid system to reduce output power allowing the vehicle to only drive a short distance. In some circumstances, the hybrid system may shut down causing the vehicle to stop while being driven.
The risk: The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle. The hybrid system could also shut down completely resulting in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the motor/generator control electronic control unti (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU, free of charge. The recall began on July 30, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.

Seats · Air bags: frontal, sensor/control module-inactive

NHTSA campaign 13V014000 · reported January 16, 2013 · Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC · 3,235 vehicles potentially affected

The problem: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.
The risk: If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.
The fix: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.

Most reported problems

Areas named in owner complaints to NHTSA. One complaint can name several areas.

Service brakes124
Engine36
Electrical system24
Unknown or other15
Vehicle speed control15
Steering11
Air bags8
Electronic stability control (ESC)7
Power train7
Service brakes, hydraulic7

What owners report

Recent complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. These are unverified accounts from owners, not findings.

Sep 24, 2026 · Service brakes, hydraulic · 81,239 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH and depressing the brake pedal there was a buzzing sound coming from the vehicle and the brake warning light illuminated. The contact stated that after inspecting the vehicle, the brake fluid level was very low. The vehicle was taken to…

Sep 16, 2026 · Service brakes, hydraulic · 187,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius V. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, brake fluid was leaking from the vehicle. While driving over 45 MPH, the brake pedal became firm, requiring the driver to exert extra force while depressing the brake pedal; the brakes failed to respond as intended. Additionally, a…

Sep 9, 2026 · Service brakes
2012 Toyota Prius v with 89,662 miles. Multiple brake warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle stored diagnostic trouble code C1391, “Abnormal Leak in Accumulator.” The brake booster/accumulator pump is also cycling about every 13 seconds, even when the brake pedal is not being applied. The vehicle and components…

Jun 29, 2026 · Service brakes
Brake actuator assembly failure on a vehicle with 99,818 miles. Whirring sound when braking followed by lighting of several brake alert lights on dash including PCS and ABS and others. The whirring noise has occured for several weeks, but the light indicators happened on 6/28/26. Toyota has an acknowledged Customer…

Jun 28, 2026 · Engine · fire reported
Driving down the highway, the engine suddenly threw a rod, causing a terrible jolt, after which the engine burst into flames. There had been no warning lights.

Prius V model years compared

Year	Recalls	Complaints	Crashes	Fires
2011	0	1	0	0
2012	3	218	19	2
2013	2	125	9	1
2014	4	82	5	4
2015	2	24	3	0

Across all years, the 2012 Prius V has the most complaints (218). All Toyota Prius V years →

Questions

Does the 2012 Toyota Prius V have any recalls?: Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2012 Toyota Prius V, the most recent reported on October 4, 2018 (Hybrid propulsion system). Check a specific car by its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Toyota Prius V?: Owners have filed 218 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is service brakes (124 complaints), followed by engine (36).
How many 2012 Toyota Prius V complaints mention a crash or fire?: 19 of 218 complaints report a crash and 2 a fire; 10 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint data, updated October 27, 2026. Latest complaint received September 24, 2026.