The Toyota Prius did set the standards for affordable hybrid vehicles and the brand made the car even more practical and versatile with its liftback model from 2003 onwards. Being a less polluting and less fuel-consuming vehicle, the Prius has been a hot seller among its stablemates with the last year’s model clocking a total sales volume of 145,200 units. The reliability department of the Prius has been decent over the last couple of model years while the 2014 Prius has seen 3 recalls along with 196 complaints and 1 investigation to date. The investigation was initiated due to a case of a brake actuator wear issue. All the recalls cover the issues where the hybrid system would shut down, resulting in an engine stall. The complaints are mostly regarding the powertrain, airbags, brakes, and electrical system issues followed by other miscellaneous issues. In its class, the 2014 Toyota Prius competes with the Honda Insight, the Chevrolet Volt, and the Ford C-Max hybrid.
Toyota Prius user complaints and problems
Engine problems
- Hybrid powertrain shutdown and rough idling: Plenty of owners have been troubled by the hybrid powertrain failure issue. According to the reports, the vehicles stalled suddenly while driving even at highway speeds. After the stall, the instrument cluster showed a message stating hybrid powertrain error. One owner complains regarding the rough idling issue. While driving, the motor refuses to accelerate and idles roughly.
- Excessive engine oil burning: A single case of engine oil burning has been reported. The owner states that the gasoline engine on his Prius consumes excessive engine oil and frequent top-ups are required.
- Sudden acceleration: A few owners have reported a dangerous issue of sudden acceleration. During the occurrences, the vehicles accelerated uncontrollably while slamming the brakes hard did not stop the vehicles either.
Safety problems
- Airbag sensor malfunction: Several cases of airbag sensor malfunctions are reported against the 2014 Prius. The reports mention that even if the front passenger seats are occupied, the airbag sensors would go off and show that the airbag has been deactivated.
- Airbag failure: A single case of airbag failure has been reported. In the report, the owner states that after being involved in a crash, the airbags failed to deploy correctly.
- Unnecessary deployment of airbags: One owner reports a case where the airbags were deployed unnecessarily. While driving, there was a minor impact to the front end of the vehicle but all the airbags inside the cabin were deployed.
- Brake failure: In a number of cases, the brakes of the vehicles failed completely. The issues occurred mostly with the models which faced hybrid powertrain issues too.
2014 Toyota Prius recalls
|
S.No. |
Recall Date |
NHTSA Campaign ID |
Issues noticed |
Additional remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
February 12, 2014 |
14V053000 |
Inverter Failure may cause Hybrid Vehicle to Stall |
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. |
Toyota will notify owners and dealers will update the software for both the motor/generator control electronic control unit (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU, free of charge. If an owner experiences a failure of the inverter before the vehicle receives updated software, the dealer will repair or replace the inverter assembly with a new one at no charge. The recall began on March 21, 2014 |
|
2 |
October 4, 2018 |
18V684000 |
Hybrid System may Shutdown and cause Stall |
If the hybrid system shuts down unexpectedly, it can increase the risk of a crash. |
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 on January 22, 2019. |
|
3 |
June 24, 2020 |
20V369000 |
Hybrid System may Shutdown and cause Stall |
An unexpected hybrid power system shut down may increase the risk of a crash. |
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will perform a software update for the hybrid system. If the vehicle has experienced an inverter failure with certain hybrid system faults related to this condition, the inverter assembly will be repaired or replaced, prior to the software update. All repairs will be performed free of charge. This recall began on July 24, 2020. |
Should you buy a used Toyota Prius?
The Toyota Prius impresses with its excellent fuel economy and versatile character due to the sizable liftback at the rear. Even the low-rent interior panels didn’t affect its popularity and selling numbers. The car did face some problems for the current model year but the numbers are on the lower side. Going ahead with a used example would be a good idea but inspect the used Prius thoroughly for the hybrid powertrain issues and the airbag sensor issues. Also, check out the battery condition of the powertrain and get it replaced by an authorized dealership for a hassle-free experience.
