2013 Toyota Prius C: problems, recalls and reliability
0 recalls and 56 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is service brakes (24% of complaints); the 2015 model year looks more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 56 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“Warning lamps for ABS and others and the chiming dings came on while pulling away from the bank drive through and parking for a second. I shut the engine off and turned back on with no success. I was barely able to park in a spot because of difficulties braking. My car had been making an electric noise every 15 seconds or so previously, at different times when parked, but I thought it was the hybrid engine. Now I think it was the brake pump trying to build up pressure due to a faulty, leaking brake actuator.”Owner report · Service Brakes · Dec 2025
“The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius C. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. The contact stated that he and his wife were in the vehicle during the failure, and the vehicle was almost crashed into. The contact stated that he and his wife were left stranded in oncoming traffic. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was a computer failure and that the inverter converter assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 75,421.”Owner report · Hybrid Propulsion System · Aug 2025
“Recently the dash board lights started intermittently coming on. When they are on, the brakes do not work until pressed all the way to the floor and even then the car takes a long time to stop. The lights will randomly turn off and suddenly the car brakes work normally again. It is happening intermittently with no rhyme or reason as to when it will happen. It's scary to drive because I dont know if the brakes will work or not and I almost ran into another car when trying to stop at a stop light. I took the car to be inspected at the Toyota service center for $190 and after inspection they said the brake booster and master cylinder assembly need to be replaced and it will cost $2300.”Owner report · Service Brakes · Jul 2025
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“the vehicle exhibits several warning lights on the dash including ABS, VSC brake and handbrake. Diagnosed code as C1391 which toyota had released a bulletin to admit this issue, but they don't make a recall instead of only repair it when occurred within their limited time line. now my vehicle falls in their bulletin scope but out of their "warranty " scope. and quoted for thousands of repair. as a matter of fact, this put me at a great risk in driving it. and toyota didn't make a public recall to solve this problem.”Owner report · Service Brakes · Nov 2024
“Driving on the highway at 70mph my warning lights for my ABS, traction control, and other brake related warning lights came on. My brakes became soft and hard to stop the car. Immediately brought to dealer who said that my booster accumulator was leaking and needed to replace both the accumulator and pump for over $3,500. This is a know. Issue with Toyota because they have a service bulletin that they wouldn't honor because my car is more than 10 years old. This is a serious issue and someone is going to get badly hurt.”Owner report · Service Brakes · Sep 2024
“There was a driver side collision and the airbags did not deploy. Brakes do not slowly apply they slam down causing vehicle to slide/skid in emergency braking, ABS does not function properly. The dealership recently did an appraisal (4/2/25) on the vehicle that states "Lost communication with side airbag sensor LH, Side airbag sensor LH initialization incomplete, front speed sensor RH & LH circuit, and D- Door Motor ECU communication stop". Insurance company inspected vehicle after crash, and there was a police report filed. There were no warning indicators prior to incident or after.”Owner report · Air Bags · Jan 2024
“I was going on my way to work on the freeway at approximately 65 miles per hour, suddenly I felt as if my car shut off will driving and I lost power. I pressed on the gas Pedal as I was pulled into the emergency lane to the right of the freeway, the gas pedal did not work. I pulled to the side and I shut the car off. I waited about 20 minutes and I turned the car back on.”Owner report · Vehicle Speed Control · Aug 2023
“I purchased this car July 14th 2023 from a dealership that wasn't Toyota for my daughter to go back and forth to school and as soon as we drove off the lot all kinds of lights came on I called the dealership asked what they were he acted like he didn't know what I was talking about so I've had it at a couple different shops finally Toyota looked at it the service manager let me know that there used to be a recall on the brake booster with master cylinder assembly and that that recall the extended warranty on it had expired I'm not sure how anything thats to do with safety expires when it's regarding your braking”Owner report · Service Brakes · Jul 2023
“The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius C. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check Hybrid Propulsion System warning light illuminated, and the vehicle the stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the inverter module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V369000 (Hybrid Propulsion System) and 18V684000 (Hybrid Propulsion System). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 104,000.”Owner report · Hybrid Propulsion System · May 2023
“My vehicle has under 150,000 miles. I was driving on the highway and my Prius lost power and left me on the side of the road. I took it to Toyota to run a diagnostic in Elk Grove Ca. I was told the ipm inverter, control computer had to be replaced and it would cost me $5,200.00. This is a real disappointment because I don't have this money to fix the vehicle.”Owner report · Engine · Apr 2023
When filing, owners marked a crash in 8 of these complaints and injuries in 2 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2013 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact Prius C by VIN
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Is the 2013 Toyota Prius C reliable?
NHTSA has 56 owner complaints and 0 recall campaigns on record for the 2013 Toyota Prius C. The most complained-about area is service brakes (24% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2013 Toyota Prius C problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 66,650 miles or less.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.