Model year
2016 Toyota Prius
NHTSA lists 5 recalls and 155 complaints for the 2016 Toyota Prius (recall file dated Oct 23, 2026; complaint file dated Oct 23, 2026). The components listed on the most complaints are VISIBILITY/WIPER (40), UNKNOWN OR OTHER (30), SERVICE BRAKES (18). NHTSA lists 1 investigation. NHTSA rated the 5 HB FWD 5 stars overall. EPA rates it 52–56 mpg combined depending on configuration (fuel economy file dated Sep 29, 2026). EPA's annual fuel-cost figures for these configurations are $1,200–$1,300, based on 15,000 miles and 55% city driving.
- 2001 165 complaints
- 2002 167 complaints
- 2003 99 complaints
- 2004 610 complaints
- 2005 1,051 complaints
- 2006 1,439 complaints
- 2007 2,003 complaints
- 2008 1,497 complaints
- 2009 502 complaints
- 2010 2,823 complaints
- 2011 521 complaints
- 2012 424 complaints
- 2013 414 complaints
- 2014 210 complaints
- 2015 166 complaints
- 2016 155 complaints
- 2017 91 complaints
- 2018 37 complaints
- 2019 30 complaints
- 2020 14 complaints
- 2021 6 complaints
- 2022 24 complaints
- 2023 21 complaints
- 2024 27 complaints
- 2025 16 complaints
- 2026 6 complaints
- 2027 0 complaints
Recalls
18V579000 · Sep 5, 2018
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
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.
18V085000 · Jan 31, 2018
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW; AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE; AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016 Toyota Prius and Lexus RX 350, RX 350 F Sport, RX 450h F Sport and RX 450h vehicles and 2015-2016 Lexus NX 200T, NX Turbo and NX 300h vehicles. The air bag pressure sensors and/or the acceleration…
17V658000 · Oct 18, 2017
HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016 Prius vehicles. A capacitor within the hybrid system may not have been properly bolted to the inverter housing.
16V741000 · Oct 14, 2016
PARKING BRAKE
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Prius vehicles manufactured August 6, 2015, to October 3, 2016. The affected vehicles are equipped with a foot-operated parking brake system that has a parking brake cable that may…
16V672000 · Sep 16, 2016
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Prius vehicles manufactured November 30, 2015, to June 14, 2016. An air bag inflator manufacturing error may result in the inadvertent partial inflation of the front passenger air bag.
Complaints
155 distinct complaints. Crash flag on 8, fire flag on 0, injury field 6, deaths field 0. A complaint can be counted under more than one component. The injury and death figures are the file's numbers (the highest value on each complaint, then added), not a separate verified count of people.
Other NHTSA names
These names matched the same EPA model but are not included in the headline counts above.
| Name | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| PRIUS PLUG-IN HYBRID | 0 | 0 |
Investigations
| Action | Subject | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| DP22005 | Pedestrian alert sounds · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM | Jan 27, 2023 | Aug 7, 2023 |
Safety ratings
| Variant | Overall | Front | Side | Pole | Rollover | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 HB FWD | 5 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 4 · possibility 0.107 | NHTSA photo |
Fuel economy
| Configuration | Fuel | City | Hwy | Comb | kWh/100 mi | Range | Annual fuel cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prius · 1.8L · Automatic (variable gear ratios) · Front-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline · Hybrid | 54 | 50 | 52 | — | — | $1,300 |
| Prius Eco · 1.8L · Automatic (variable gear ratios) · Front-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline · Hybrid | 58 | 53 | 56 | — | — | $1,200 |
Open this model year in the fuel-cost calculator. The calculator starts with no fuel price filled in.
Check a vehicle
This page is not a VIN lookup. NHTSA's recall tool checks a specific vehicle: nhtsa.gov/recalls. NHTSA's page for this model year is 2016 Toyota Prius at NHTSA. Complaint narratives stay on NHTSA's site and are not copied here.