2011 Toyota Prius problems and complaints
Owners have filed 523 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Toyota Prius. The most-reported areas: Service Brakes (277), Electrical System (68), Exterior Lighting (49).
Key takeaways
- 523 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 37 involve a crash, 7 a fire, 17 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 277 | 53% |
| Electrical System | 68 | 13% |
| Exterior Lighting | 49 | 9% |
| Engine | 47 | 9% |
| Air Bags | 46 | 9% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 28 | 5% |
| Unknown Or Other | 28 | 5% |
| Power Train | 18 | 3% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 16 | 3% |
| Hydraulic | 12 | 2% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 11 | 2% |
| Hybrid Propulsion System | 11 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Parts for the 2011 Toyota Prius
GarageDex's verified specs for this car. Each Buy button searches Amazon for that exact part.
- Battery
- Engine oil
- Oil filter
- Engine air filter
- Cabin air filter
- Wiper blades
- Headlight bulb
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Toyota Prius 4 DR FWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Service Brakes - filed 2026-10-27
I was driving the vehicle and a bunch of dash lights came on regarding traction control and stability and lost all brakes and almost caused an accident! The codes thrown showed a fluid level indicator and a leak in accumulator
Service Brakes - filed 2026-10-01
I was driving on the highway when my 2011 Toyota Prius started beeping repeatedly, and as I approached the red light, my brakes were not operational. My car completely passed through the red light, narrowly missing what could have been a fatal accident for me and others on the road. I had to navigate to the furthest ri...
Service Brakes - filed 2026-09-30
2011 Toyota Prius with approximately 134,000 miles. The brake actuator/master cylinder has been diagnosed as malfunctioning and failing to maintain hydraulic pressure. The brake booster pump initially began cycling approximately every 10 seconds while the vehicle was in READY mode, stationary, and without the brake ped...
Diagnose it yourself
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
More for the 2011 Toyota Prius
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.