2015 Toyota Prius Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 41,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
• The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
• Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.

Tools that help

What owners said

I am reporting an active, severe safety hazard regarding the braking system on my 2015 Toyota Prius ( Mileage: 79,000). The vehicle has been officially diagnosed by Toyota Culver City with Diagnostic Trouble Code DTC C1391, confirming an internal failure and lack of pressure within the brake booster/actuator assembly. This component…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Problem: Brake Actuator is pulsing the Booster Pump to keep running intermittently, 5-10 seconds. Console lights lit up for ABS problem. Does not clear. Toyota Dealership Report: DCT C1391 Abnormal Leak: Monitored TEH Accumulator Pressure and its not holding pressure. Pump keeps running. Rec[ommend] Brake Actuator and Booster Pump…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 21,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
• Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
• Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.

Tools that help

What owners said

When I parked my car and stopped the engine after driving for 90 min/62 miles on June 22, 2023, I found that I couldn't lock my car's door, through my remote, door handle or the switch inside the door. Upon further examination, I saw complete loss of the power: no light, no audio, no other accessory power, no start of engine. Foot press…Owner complaint, filed 2023

Window buttons on drivers side master power window switch failed. Felt warm on door. There have been recalls of other models of Toyota cars including Prius C.Owner complaint, filed 2021

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 22,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
• Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
• Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
• If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

Tools that help

What owners said

Started hearing grinding and screeching noises from underneath the hood after a 125 mile drive to san francisco. The following day vehical started but grinding noise persisted while vehical was parked idling.dorve to the stoe and on the way back home the car stalled on the highway. Could not get it to turn back on so I pushed it off the…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 17,870 miles

The prius was stationary, parked in the driveway of our house. My teenage daughter was in the car washing the windshield and windows on the inside and accidentally bumped the gearbox (shifter). The car went out of park and into neutral and rolled backward. The engine was not on. The car quickly rolled 20 feet into a tree and caused 6200$…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 38,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 28,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
• Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.

Tools that help

What owners said

My vehicle has an ongoing issue with the headlights not being bright enough to drive at night with. I have replaced the headlights more than 5 times now over the course of a year, each time with different brands including Toyota OEM headlights. Each time, they are still not sufficiently bright enough to see with at night. This has led to…Owner complaint, filed 2024

Headlamp has gone out 3 times, marker light 2 times. Existing recall on previous year prius should be extended to 2015 modelsOwner complaint, filed 2021, at 115,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
• Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
• Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
• Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.

Tools that help

What owners said

While accelerating from a stop, and turning onto a highway to merge into moving traffic, the engine briefly stalled for a few seconds after I had already entered the traffic lane and was attempting to accelerate to traffic speed..Owner complaint, filed 2016, at 10,000 miles

Pulling out of a parking stall, when put vehicle in drive, the engine revved up and accelerated - vehicle crashed, the brakes did not work- there was skid marks. Floor mats are factory OEM were installed properly. I did not hit the accelerator and I am in good health and mind. I have driving for over 30 years, never had and accident nor…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Parts named most: Automatic emergency braking (7).

What to check before you buy

• Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
• Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
• Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.

Tools that help

What owners said

The brake booster pump has malfunctioned, exactly 1 year outside of the secondary coverage supplied in the voluntary customer support program for this exact issue, despite being under 150,000 miles. Now the car is unsafe to drive since the brakes are malfunctioning.Owner complaint, filed 2026

Code DTC C1391 - Abnormal leak of accumulator pressure. Internal failure of the brake booster pump assembly, preventing the system from maintaining proper hydraulic pressure. This means the brakes don't work, putting the driver's and passengers' lives at risk. This DTC C1391 code and problem were reproduced and confirmed by an…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 3,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
• Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.

Tools that help

What owners said

Anytime I change elevations the engine seems to rev when it is idling on cruise control. On the downhill, the car will [VIN] to ignore the speed on cruisecontrol to dangerous high velocity. I reported this to toyota of north hollywood three times... It was never addressed.Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 2,000 miles

I entered my parked, stationary prius, pressed my right foot on the brake pedal, disengaged the parking brake and pressed the on/off button to turn the car on. My foot remained on the brake pedal. The engine immediately raced and the car began to accelerate at high speed. I stomped on the brake pedal and the car kept moving. The sound of…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 50,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
• On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
• Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

I am having a hybrid propulsion system issue due to a part that was recalled according to this ID number for the NHTSA 17V718000 that was posted NOV 14, 2017 and my car does seem to be affected because it is facing the same issues as other cars reported from that batch. I want to make sure that I can have it serviced properly at my…Owner complaint, filed 2025

I was driving on the interstate when my car's hybrid system warning lights a came on , and the car slowed to a crawl. Luckily I was in the right lane and was able to pull off on the shoulder of the road. The car competely shut down. I've had it towed to two toyota dearlships, (the same one twice),where I was told a number of different…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 94,501 miles

What to check before you buy

• The air bag (SRS) light should come on at startup and go out within a few seconds. If it stays on, the system may not work in a crash.
• Air bag recalls are some of the most serious. Check this exact VIN for open recalls and get proof any recall work was done.

Tools that help

What owners said

Airbags didn’t deploy in a front end collision that totaled the car. The driver hit their forehead on the steering wheel. Driver had bruising from the seatbelt. There were no warning lights or indications of any issues.Owner complaint, filed 2024

Driving making slight turn car locked up steering wheel, brakes and gas all locked up ran in to a wall. The vehicle just failed with no prior warning.Owner complaint, filed 2023

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 4,000 miles. Parts named most: Body (5).

What to check before you buy

• Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
• Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
• Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.

Tools that help

What owners said

On february 28, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. I was driving on I-10 w about 10 miles outside of new orleans when my closed, locked sunroof exploded upwards, shattering completely the center sunroof panel and showering me with glass. It was a clear sunny day, about 70 degrees, the road was clear with no traffic or debris and I was traveling at…Owner complaint, filed 2018, at 54,100 miles

Driving on an expressway when I heard something similar to a gunshot and the sunroof spontaneously exploded. No indication of a foreign object hitting the roof and much of the glass flew outward rather than inward.Owner complaint, filed 2016, at 4,500 miles

What to check before you buy

• Pull out and latch every seat belt, and let each one retract on its own.
• Try every seat adjuster, and watch for a passenger air bag "off" light when an adult is in the seat.

Tools that help

What owners said

I was rear-ended by a truck in my prius and my seat laid back on impact. I'm unaware if that was an intended thing or not but it potentially could have injured my neck. My car is currently in a storage lot awaiting the adjustor's inspection so it is available for inspection if needed. No warning lights were available and it hasn't been…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving and coming to a complete stop, the vehicle was rear-ended by another vehicle driving approximately 35-45 MPH. The contact stated that upon impact, the front driver's seat unexpectedly reclined and struck the rear passenger’s seat. The contact was concerned about…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 205,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Read the four-digit DOT date on each tire. Tires older than about six years should be replaced, whatever the tread looks like.
• Check tread depth on all four. On AWD vehicles all four tires should match.
• The tire pressure light should go out after startup.

Tools that help

What owners said

Driving on the freeway home heard a strange noise, pulled over to check and thought I had blown a tire somehow. When closely inspecting tire treading the center of the tire completely came off in a perfect circle when driving. Took tire to costco where tires were purchased less than a year a ago (8/24/18) was informed its a [VIN]'s…Owner complaint, filed 2019

Takata recall I have had my car for over 1 yr. I noticed that the driver's side front tire goes flat faster than the rest. One day when I was making a u-turn there was a noise and I could feel the car shake. I cannot to this day make a quick left u-turn. This loud noise has caused me to park and check on the car itself. My sister was in…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 47,500 miles

What to check before you buy

• Ask for a hybrid battery health report from a dealer or hybrid shop.
• Watch for warning messages at startup and on the test drive, and confirm the car switches between gas and electric smoothly.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the brake, check engine, and ABS warning lights illuminated. The "Check Hybrid System - Stop Vehicle in A Safe Place" messages were displayed. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer where an unknown repair was completed; however, the failure…Owner complaint, filed 2022, at 29,407 miles

The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at 15 MPH, the vehicle began to die as the "check hybrid system, stop the vehicle in a safe place" warning message illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact was able to barely pull off to the side and called the police for assistance. The police were able…Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 45,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for groaning, clicking or binding.
• On a straight road the car should track straight with the wheel centered and no loose feeling.
• A power steering warning on the dash, even briefly, deserves a mechanic’s look before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

I was driving down the road and the tire blew out causing me to hit the center divider on the 101 on the driver side front tire which caused the cars ass end to also get scuffed up as willOwner complaint, filed 2017

I was inching into a grocery store parking spot in my new, perfectly maintained 2015 toyota prius when I experienced unintended acceleration. My vehicle shot forward and in a second had crashed over a cement curb, through a flower bed, and was stopped - despite my [VIN] jamming the brake - only by smashing into a brick wall. The…Owner complaint, filed 2015, at 1,303 miles

What to check before you buy

• Drive over a few bumps and potholes slowly with the radio off and listen for clunks or rattles.
• Check the tires for uneven wear on the inside or outside edges, a sign of alignment or suspension trouble.
• Look behind the wheels for oily, wet shocks or struts.

Tools that help

What owners said

I was driving down the road and the tire blew out causing me to hit the center divider on the 101 on the driver side front tire which caused the cars ass end to also get scuffed up as willOwner complaint, filed 2017

I backed out of a carport and placed my car in acceleration and it picked up speed and then hit a wall at an apartment complex.Owner complaint, filed 2017, at 3,000 miles