2007 Toyota Prius: problems, recalls and reliability
4 recalls and 2,003 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is exterior lighting (51% of complaints); the 2005 and 2009 model years look more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · latest recall Nov 2012
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 2,003 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“Check engine light came on with codes C 1256 & C 1300. Primary issue is Brake actuator failure. Toyota is ignoring this known and repeated issue and it may lead to a dangerous/ deadly situation if brakes go out while driving.”Owner report · Service Brakes · Mar 2025
“2007 Toyota Prius Brake Actuator needs replaced. ABS, Parking Brake, VSC light came on 2 weeks ago when driving down a highway.”Owner report · Service Brakes · Aug 2024
“Failing Brake Actuator Assembly. This is known issue by Toyota and they issued a brief warranty repair program, but have since stopped and refuse to fix the issue or provide assistance.”Owner report · Service Brakes · Aug 2024
Show 7 more owner reports
“Failing hybrid water pump at around 110,000 miles. This part was part of a recall in 2012 but my VIN is not included for the same issue.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Apr 2024
“I CANT SEE THE ROAD. Who is in charge of allowing these new bright LED headlights? They make it very hard to see where I'm driving when they're eye level with my car!! So all I see is a bunch of LED lights coming straight at me, which is very unacceptable because now I can't see the road. Making it a very obvious safety concern which is weird when I thought the government is supposed to be preventing stuff like this from happening. What the heck”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Feb 2024
“I keep replacing P1116 and it keeps coming back also I was driving up a hill when I lost power and the car wouldn't accelerate. It would turn on and go into gear but not go anywhere. I know it says my vin doesn't have recalls but why am I experiencing them”Owner report · Power Train · Dec 2023
“Both headlights failed, one earlier, then the second, on a cloudy night on an unlit, deserted rural stretch of interstate highway. Driver started slowing down from 60 mph, looking for a place to pull over. An accident resulted--only the defective car was involved. No airbag was deployed. The driver was injured. (Full recovery--months.) The car was totaled.”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Oct 2023
“The lights spontaneously turned off while driving on a cloudy night on an unlit section of interstate. While slowing the car down, it went onto gravel, semi-circled around and flipped over onto the lower median. No air bag deployed. No protection from shoulder seat belt. Head hit steering wheel, and I briefly lost consciousness. Tests showed skull and cervical fractures. The car was "totaled." I was planning a move. Now I consider myself to be lucky to be alive. I am rewriting because of previous a NHTSA computer malfunction changing a serious injury to "NO" injury on the questionnaire.”Owner report · Air Bags · Oct 2023
“Combination meter often does not turn on when turning the car on. This means you cannot see a speedometer, any warning lights, fuel tank levels, or mileage. Also the trunk gets locked and is unable to open. Sometimes the car will not turn off. This has been happening on and off for over a year but has gotten increasingly worse. There are no warning signs. This can happen any time you turn on the car but might not always happen. It can also prevent you from turning off the car. When searching online, it seems this is a common problem with high mileage Priuses between 2005-2009 and so Toyota extended a warranty on it but did not tell all of the owners, most likely to get out of a recall.”Owner report · Electrical System · Oct 2023
“catalytic converter is easily accessible and there should be a recall to have a safety operation and stop all these cars from being sold in the market because there is a rise in many thefts of the catalytic converter due to it being very easily accusable without any guard in place to prevent thieves from getting to it to remove and sell for parts. Spray paint can be cleaned off and vin numbers can be sanded down. simply trying that will not work. i was unaware that it was stolen off of the vehicle until i drove it a little ways to where the vehicle was then burning and i could smell it catching on fire”Owner report · Structure · Aug 2023
When filing, owners marked a crash in 124 of these complaints and injuries in 70 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 4 campaigns
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2010 PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAN GET STUCK IN THE WIDE OPEN POSITION DUE TO ITS BEING TRAPPED BY AN UNSECURED OR INCOMPATIBLE DRIVER'S FLOOR MAT.
Remedy: TOYOTA FILED AN AMENDED DEFECT REPORT ON NOVEMBER 25, 2009, STATING THAT DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND, ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, ALTER THE SHAPE OF THE FLOOR SURFACE UNDER THE PEDAL. THESE CHANGES ADDRESS THE RISK OF PEDAL ENTRAPMENT DUE TO INTERFERENCE WITH THE FLOOR MAT. REDESIGNED ACCELERATOR PEDALS WILL BECOME AVAILABLE BEGINNING IN APRIL 2010 AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE ANY MODIFIED PEDAL WITH THE NEW PEDAL IF DESIRED. ALSO, DEALERS WILL REPLACE ANY GENUINE TOYOTA OR LEXUS ALL-WEATHER FLOOR MATS WITH REDESIGNED ALL-WEATHER MATS, OR REPURCHASE THE PREVIOUS MATS FROM OWNERS WHO DO NOT WANT THE NEW ONES. ADDITIONALLY, SOFTWARE MODIFICATIONS WILL BE INSTALLED ON CAMRY, AVALON AND LEXUS ES 350, IS 350 AND IS 250 MODELS THAT WILL ENSURE THAT THE BRAKE OVERRIDES THE ACCELERATOR IN THE EVENT BOTH BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS ARE APPLIED. TOYOTA WILL BEGIN MAILING LETTERS TO OWNERS ON DECEMBER 31, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331, LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2009 Prius vehicles manufactured August 6, 2003, through March 30, 2009 and FCHV-adv vehicles manufactured December 12, 2008, through September 13, 2011. During manufacturing, a scratch may have occurred inside of the electrically driven water pump at the coil wire. The coil wire may corrode at the scratched portion.
Remedy: Toyota will notify its owners, and dealers will replace the electric water pump, free of charge. The recall began on January 17, 2013. Owners may contact their Toyota dealer or the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2009 Prius vehicles manufactured August 5, 2003, through March 30, 2009. The affected vehicles have a steering intermediate extension shaft assembly built with metal splines that complete the connection from the steering wheel to the steering gear. These splines may have been manufactured with an insufficient hardness.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the extension shaft and replace it if it is one with insufficient hardness, free of charge. The recall began during December 2012. Owners may contact their Toyota dealer or the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.
SOUTHEAST TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2011 PASSENGER VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SOUTHEAST TOYOTA AT 1-800-301-6859.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2007 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact Prius by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2007 Toyota Prius reliable?
NHTSA has 2,003 owner complaints and 4 recall campaigns on record for the 2007 Toyota Prius. The most complained-about area is exterior lighting (51% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2007 Toyota Prius problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 52,000 miles or less.
Does the 2007 Toyota Prius have open recalls?
4 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.