2018 Toyota Prius: problems, recalls and reliability
1 recall and 36 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is exterior lighting (15% of complaints).
Data updated weekly · latest recall Sep 2018
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 36 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“Both taillamps holding moisture. Could cause electrical issues or fire. .. same year and model car have same reported issues and were fixed by manufacturer. This vehicle is the same but different level.”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Mar 2026
“The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Prius. The contact stated the trunk opened at a slow speed and failed to remain open. The dealer was contacted and informed of the failure. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle needed to be taken in to be inspected. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not covered under recall. The manufacturer directed the contact back to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.”Owner report · Latches/Locks/Linkages · Jun 2025
“The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed heat exchanger, catalytic converter, and exhaust system. The contact was informed that the heat exchanger, the catalytic converter, and the exhaust system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 89,682.”Owner report · Engine · Feb 2025
Show 7 more owner reports
“Was driving around 35 mph and my right side mirror blew up. The back blew off and the mirror was shattered and hanging. Nothing hit it. Contacted Toyota and the parts have been on a stop, but there is no recall. It has been 4 months.”Owner report · Visibility · Dec 2024
“The Airbag lights were lit, the person sitting with seatbelt on (flashing) and the person sitting with an inflated airbag in front of them. I ran an OBD2 scan on SRS and got code B1656. Driver seat belt buckle Left Hand. I Investigated the latch and found one wire was snapped off and a couple of inches shorter that the wire that was still connected. I have included 2 pictures of the back end of the seat belt latch. You can see the broken wire and where it use to be connected.”Owner report · Air Bags · Feb 2024
“Someone rear-ended my Prius and they were driving a Ford 250 truck pulling a large flatbed truck that had a huge box on it. My seat went forward and backwards - I slammed my knee under the dashboard and then slammed by head into the headrest and I could not reach the pedals after this. I have repeatedly asked the collision center to look at it because there is nothing about it on the report of the estimate of repairs. My adult son was a passenger in the front and his seat didn't move.”Owner report · Seats · Sep 2023
“The automatic high beams will occasionally fail to operate and are stuck in low beams until about 2 minutes have passed, or until the automatic high beams switch is turned off to disable the system. This seems to be a software issue, as it seems to occur when an approaching vehicle passes by with bright lights. When this happens, all high beams are disabled for a couple of minutes, even if the high beam lever is switched to low beams and back to high.”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Mar 2023
“Stopped at red light, then the car didn't accelerate when hitting gas. Engine revs but the car does not accelerate. It happened multiple time when the car was out in sun with full ac on(100f). Happened once in intersection and almost got hit head on”Owner report · Power Train · Jul 2022
“UNKNOWN My car started stalling when it comes to a full stop. I.e. if I stop at a red light or stop sign, and I then press the gas, it stalls. It might inch forward, but it doesn't really accelerate. This happened last year, and I took it to the dealer. They couldn't reproduce the results, and they could only suggest changing my small 12V battery. Today, it stalled 8 times, between 2 short drives. Each at a stop sign only travelling ~5 miles total. I have an appointment at the dealer but this is exactly what happened last year with no diagnosis. No check engine light is on or anything.”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Jun 2022
“My windshield has cracked twice without being struck by an object and without being near another vehicle. Both incidents occurred during normal highway driving. I was not speeding or driving recklessly. Both times required the replacement of the windshield as the crack quickly spread and affected a good portion of the windshield. I am requesting reimbursement for the cost of replacing the windshield (twice). The first incident occurred just a few days after purchase. The second incident occurred today, march 4, 2021.”Owner report · Visibility/Wiper · Mar 2021
When filing, owners marked a crash in 5 of these complaints and injuries in 2 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 1 campaign
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Toyota Prius vehicles. A portion of the engine wire harness connected to the hybrid Power Control Unit (PCU), could contact the cover at this connection and wear, causing an electrical short circuit.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine wire harness assembly and replace it if damage is found. A protective sleeve or protective tape will be included to prevent any future damage. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began October 30, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J0T.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2018 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 2018 Toyota Prius reliable?
NHTSA has 36 owner complaints and 1 recall campaign on record for the 2018 Toyota Prius. The most complained-about area is exterior lighting (15% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2018 Toyota Prius problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 19,100 miles or less.
Does the 2018 Toyota Prius have open recalls?
1 recall campaign has been issued, the latest concerning electrical system:wiring. 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.