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2011 Toyota Prius: Recalls, Complaints & Safety Ratings

6Safety recalls
515Owner complaints
5★NHTSA overall
Quick answer

The 2011 Toyota Prius has 6 NHTSA safety recall campaigns and 515 owner complaints on file, with an overall 5-star NHTSA crash-test rating. Check a specific VIN to confirm whether recalls apply, whether repairs were completed, and what to verify before you buy.

2011 Toyota Prius safety record graphic showing 6 recalls, 515 owner complaints and 5-star overall NHTSA rating.
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2011 Toyota Prius pages show model-level safety data. A Carchieve VIN report checks the exact car before you buy.

Safety record reviewed June 2026 · sourced from NHTSA

The 2011 Toyota Prius has 6 safety recall campaigns and 515 owner complaints on file with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and it earned an overall 5-star NHTSA crash-test rating. Below is the public model-level safety record. To see whether a specific Prius had applicable recalls repaired and what its decoded VIN says, run that car's VIN.

Safety recalls

1

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM

Campaign 18V684000 · 04/10/2018

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.

RiskIf the hybrid system shuts down unexpectedly, it can increase the risk of a crash.
RemedyToyota 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.
2

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

Campaign 16V487000 · 30/06/2016

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Toyota Prius, 2010 and 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid, and 2011-2012 Lexus CT200h vehicles. A weld in the curtain shield air bag inflator may crack causing one or both portions of the inflator to eject into the passenger cabin.

RiskIf either portion of the curtain shield air bag inflator ejects into the passenger cabin, there is an increased risk of injury to vehicle occupants.
RemedyToyota will notify owners, and dealers will install retention brackets to the curtain shield air bags, free of charge. The recall began on October 17, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota Customer Service Department at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is Toyota G0U, and Lexus GLJ.
3

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER

Campaign 14V743000 · 19/11/2014

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4, and 2007-2011 Rav4 and 4Runner. The affected vehicles may experience compression of the seat cushion which may damage the seat heater wiring.

RiskDamage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.
RemedySET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge. The recall is expected to began in January 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226.
4

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER

Campaign 14V053000 · 12/02/2014

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 through 2014 Prius vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) inside the inverter module (a component of the hybrid system) contains transistors that may become damaged from high operating temperatures. If this occurs, various warning lamps will be illuminated on the instrument panel and the vehicle will have reduced power allowing it to only drive a short distance.

RiskThe 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.
RemedyToyota 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. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
5

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER

Campaign 16V396000 · 02/06/2016

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010 Camry, and 1989 and 2009-2010 Corolla vehicles equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters with a copper strand heating element. The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.

RiskIf damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
RemedySET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET number for this recall is SET16B.
6

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE

Campaign 13V014000 · 16/01/2013

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.

RiskIf 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.
RemedySoutheast 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.

What owners complain about

The systems 2011 Toyota Prius owners report most often to federal regulators:

Service Brakes270
Electrical System68
Exterior Lighting49
Engine46
Air Bags46
Vehicle Speed Control28

NHTSA crash-test ratings

Frontal crash★★★★
Side crash★★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Overall★★★★★

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2011 Toyota Prius have any recalls?

Yes. The 2011 Toyota Prius has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns associated with this model year. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer when the exact VIN is affected. Check your specific VIN to confirm applicability and completion.

What problems do 2011 Toyota Prius owners report?

Owners have filed 515 complaints with the NHTSA for the 2011 Toyota Prius, most often about the service brakes, electrical system, exterior lighting.

How do I check a specific Prius's history?

Enter the 17-character VIN into Carchieve. You get the recalls, owner complaints and crash ratings shown here for that exact vehicle, plus full decoded specifications and a guided title and odometer check.

Check a specific 2011 Toyota Prius

This page covers the model. For one exact car, run its 17-character VIN to confirm recalls, decoded specifications and buyer checks.

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