2024 Toyota Prius: Recalls, Complaints & California Lemon Law

There has been no incident, however the concern what happens with regards if someone is not completely understanding of when the battery is completely discharged….per instructions(difficult to find, terrible diagram, not even as described)we were finally able to unlock and open our rear hatch. However you must have a screw driver in order to open a panel to get to the latch which is supposed to be able to open easily. Upon opening, there is another screw which must be loosened, and a very tiny unmarked leaver which can not be seen as it is not marked nor easily seen. In the manual as well as when i actually went to the dealership I was told that there should be a brightly colored in either bright green or red pull that will open the latch. Our concern is for the individual who needs to open this hatch, is older and not as limber. Toyota needs to do better with their instructions. Who drives around with a screw driver in a Prius? When i went to the dealership to ask how to get into my vehicle the gentleman had to go speak to someone and I was given misinformation as the manual and the service individuals directions were completely different.

NHTSA #11720956

Toyota has a popup ad appear on their infotainment screen every time the car cranks. This does not allow me to use the map and other apps in the CarPlay system. I have on occasion driven the wrong route and got lost in traffic and confusing me as to turns and whatnot. I need to be able to use the maps for guidance purposes to safely get to my destination.

NHTSA #11692648

We are writing about 2 separate issues we had with our 2024 Prius. 1. Acceleration caused accident on Sept. 8, 2024. Driver was parallel parking. He backed into the space and was then going to straighten out the car. The car accelerated unexpectedly and caused the vehicle to go up on someone’s lawn. The vehicle was stopped by the stoop of the house. The airbag was deployed. Thank God the driver was unharmed. He was parking and going under 5 miles an hour in reverse and then in drive to finish parking. The car just flew out of control. 2. Sudden braking when backing out of driveway or parking space. This happened a total of 4 times, twice to both drivers. Driver was backing out of the garage looking at the screen to make sure nothing was there. She was inching out when the car braked suddenly and forcefully by itself. It was so strong a brake that it felt like something was hit, but nothing was there. This happened again when backing slowly out of a parking space in a lot. Coincidentally, we had an appointment with Toyota to bring the car in for a recall 2 days after the above accident. The recall was for a door problem. We had planned to tell them about the brake issue at that time, but obviously, we never got to bring the car in. Both these issues with the Toyota 2024 Prius are frightening and dangerous. This time no one was hurt. We have informed Toyota about these problems and hope that you and them address these issues in order to prevent this from happening to others. Our insurance company is repairing the vehicle. We have to say that when it is returned to us, we will be frightened to drive it unless these problems are taken care of.

NHTSA #11615986

After the car dealership completed the first tire rotations, at 30,000 miles I rotated the tires to find severe inner tread wear on the tires where the inside of the tire was wore to the sidewall while outside portion was intact. I took the vehicle to an independent shop and the right rear suspension/tire was out of specifications on camber causing said tire wear. Toyota did not manufacture the car so that camber could be adjusted. An aftermarket kit was purchased to be able to compensate for the lack of adjustment. This is a safety concern as if a person does not rotate every 5,000 miles it will lead to tire failure at highway speeds. This is a common problem while researching forums. I have contacted the manufacturer and was given a generic response. There are reports with documentation with tire failure as early as 11,000 miles. Toyota needs to be held accountable and make a remedy for this instead of offering consumers a run around and blame hitting pot holes or on tire manufacturers, when it is clearly a suspension limitation. Thank you.

NHTSA #11734746

Took vehicle in for new tires and alignment at 47,302 miles on the odometer. I was informed that a camber bolt was completely seized and that the right rear control arm busing was bad/missing. My car is just over a year old and has been vibrating for a while at interstate speeds. I thought it was a belt broken in a tire as they were reaching the time to be changes but weren't at the wear marks. I did have one tire that the inside was worn and starting into the belt most likely because of the misalignment from the bad/missing right rear bushing. With the car being so new and used mostly on the interstate, I felt this may be a saftey issue for failing bushings on suspension components.

NHTSA #11694800

We took delivery of our 2024 Prius XLE (Gen 5) on 09-05-2024. It came with Toyo 19" Low Profile tires (195/50R19). On 04-17-2025 we had to replace a tire at 10,848 miles due to sidewall damage. On 05-05-2025 we had to replace a second tire at 11,749 miles due to side wall damage. Our dealer stated both side wall failures were most likely due to potholes. We did not remember hitting any major potholes. However, we live in Wisconsin were potholes of all sizes are prevalent. Both tire failures happen at night. Toyota does not provide a spare tire for the Prius. On the second tire failure, my wife had to drive a few miles to get to a safe spot to stop. On 11-25-2025 I replaced these Toyo tires with 19" Michelin tires. At that time I was told one of our wheels was damaged. I expect that happen when my wife had to drive on the flat to get to a safe location. In researching these tire problems, I found many other Gen 5 Prius owners had similar problems with the 19" Toyo tires. Interestingly, most owners reporting these tire problems lived in cold climate areas as we do. My Toyota dealer refuses to cover the wheel damage under warranty. In addition, Toyota refuses to cover the wheel replacement under warranty. These are the expenses I have encountered addressing this problem. First tire: $216.81, Second tire: $233.48, Replacement set of tires: $952.92. The cost for a new wheel is estimated at $781.93. In my opinion, the 19" Toyo tires are Unsafe At Any Speed on cold climate roads. Can you provide me with assistance in getting Toyota to cover my replacement wheel under warranty? In addition, I feel Toyota should face a RECALL for the 19" Toyo tires on the Gen 5 Prius. I have all the documentation for these charges. In addition, if you want more data on other owners that have faced this problem, I can reach out to them on social media and get them to contact you. Thanks for your assistance. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA #11720150

This Car is NOT equipped with a spare tire or Jack and there is NO option available from Toyota and the manufacture refuses to address the many consumer concerns and offer a solution. This is unacceptable and a spare tire and jack should be REQUIRED safety equipment in the USA - I can't own a car without a spare tire, lug wrench, and jack. This is negligent from the manufacture and needed to report this in effort to get this offered as an Option or required by law so people can drive safe. WIth all the regulations we have and this is not required. It should be!

NHTSA #11575142

I am writing to report a serious safety incident involving the rear seatbelt in my 2024 Toyota Prius, and to request that Toyota investigate this condition as a potential safety defect affecting other vehicles. On XXX at approximately 7:08pm , my daughter, age [XXX], was seated in the rear right seat of the vehicle. We were traveling at approximately 35 on city street in FAIRFIELD CA. She was belted in using the vehicle’s factory lap‑shoulder belt. Upon arrival, she adjusted the shoulder strap to gather her belongings and the seatbelt wrapped around her waist and cinched down to the point that it became dangerously tight and she was in severe pain. The belt continued to retract and would not loosen. Attempts to unbuckle the latch and to create slack by feeding the belt back into the retractor were unsuccessful. The belt remained locked tightly around her waist and could not be released. Because of the extreme tension and the location of the belt, we were unable to free her and ultimately had to cut the seatbelt to prevent further injury. This incident left visible marks/redness around her waist, and it presented a real risk of abdominal injury and impaired breathing. I have attached photographs taken immediately before the belt was cut that show how the belt path, seat back, and retractor configuration allowed the belt to wrap around and entrap my child. I am concerned that this may reflect a design defect in the rear seatbelt system and that other children could be similarly trapped and injured. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA #11744085

I was driving my 2024 Toyota Prius and was involved in a front-end collision. The impact was strong enough to cause significant front-end damage, but the front airbag did NOT deploy. I was wearing my seatbelt at the time. This is a serious safety concern because the airbag should have deployed in this type of frontal impact. If the crash had been worse, I could have been seriously injured. I believe this may be a safety defect in the airbag system.

NHTSA #11725998

The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Prius Hybrid equipped with Bridgestone Tires, Tire Line: Ecopia EP422, Tire Size: 195/60/R17, DOT Number: Y9CDCJTX. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in for routine maintenance, during the tire rotation, the mechanic discovered that one of the front tires had developed a bubble on the sidewall. The contact was advised that the tire was unsafe to use and recommended that the tire be replaced. No further information was available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 10,400. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA #11719028

The way the accelerator pedal sensor is positioned allows for water infiltration from wet carpet / tracked in snow and water. The component is available for inspection upon request. Once sufficiently saturated the sensor fails, and ceases function DURING VEHICLE MOVEMENT. The problem is reproducible but has not been confirmed as a pattern of failure by the dealership. As far as my recollection, the manufacturer hasn’t inspected the part. P2138 is the associated check engine code and the vehicle enters limp mode DURING TRAVEL. The check engine light (and subsequent problems) first appeared while in traffic on 2/10/2026.

NHTSA #11721303

My Prius suddenly malfunctions and goes berserk randomly. No other way to describe it. I've taken it into the dealer twice, and I'm not confident I'm driving a safe car. I've not done anything to the car and it has not been in an accident. It's unclear why it does it. When it has an episode it is not safe to drive, won't turn on and won't turn off. The alarm goes crazy. Nothing works, all the dash lights turn on. I have videos. This has happened about five times and I've been called back from the dealer to pick it up. I"m not confident it is safe to drive, and I don't think Toyota is taking my concerns seriously. The vehicle has about 7400 miles and is otherwise pristine. All service is up to date. It is a lease.

NHTSA #11708925

On August 15, 2025, I was backing my vehicle when the rear view camera screen went blank, providing no image of what was behind me. With no warning and no image, I collided with a rock and landscape, causing damage to the rear of my vehicle. At the time of this incident, my vehicle had an open, unrepaired safety defect under Safety Recall 25TA13, which specifically addresses the condition that the rear view camera image may freeze or not display while reversing. I was not aware the recall existed at the time of my accident, and the recall remedy was not completed on my vehicle until February 12, 2026 — nearly six months after the incident. I filed a claim with Toyota Motor North America. They inspected the vehicle on February 11, 2026, found the camera functioning at that time (after the recall had since been remedied), and denied my claim. They cited owner's manual language advising drivers not to rely solely on the backup camera, but did not address the fact that the recall was unrepaired at the time of the accident. Additionally the parking collision warning and automatic braking should have engaged. The rock impacted the car right near one of the car cameras....so the collision warning and braking should have engaged. I am filing this complaint because I believe the unrepaired recall directly caused my inability to see behind my vehicle, and that Toyota's delay in notifying me and completing the remedy contributed to this incident. I am requesting that NHTSA review whether Toyota's notification and remedy timeline for Recall 25TA13 was adequate, and that this incident be added to the record of complaints associated with that recall.

NHTSA #11723621

There is water leakage between the window and and the scraper seal resulting in water saturating the insulation in the door. During spring, summer and fall, this results in a powerful mildew/mold smell. We are concerned about health risks of breathing this pollutant. The dealership, Page Toyota in Southfield Mi has confirmed this. In addition, Toyota Engagement Center has also been involved. The problem is confirmed however the only solution they presented was the cleanup of only 1 inside door panel. The problem persists. We believe this ongoing issue presents a health risk and the outside rubber scraper needs to be re designed.

NHTSA #11706052

Background: Nothing failed or malfunctioned. There is no incident. This reports describes a design defect that puts the driver at risk. The dealer has acknowledged that the cars performs this way and says it cannot be fixed. Toyota customer service says this is how the car operates and short of a recall will do nothing about it. Problem: When the headlights are turned on, the dash and screen become so dim that they are only visible at night. If it is necessary to turn the lights on during the day, the screen and dash are too dim to read. There needs to be some way to set the brightness such that it overrides the nighttime setting. Driving with the lights on all the time is considered safer (and it is the law if it is raining out). This defect means the driver has to choose between having the lights on and being able to consistently see the dash and screen.

NHTSA #11622305

I was driving car on [XXX] from santa cruz towards sanjose. Suddenly airbags deployed. There was minimal to no damage to the car. My auto insurance giving me hard time. They are not responding anything that how i can fix my car plus they haven’t gave me any rental car. My claim number is [XXX]. I am too scared to drive that car again Because it just got rubbed with the curve with the minimal impact but the air bags deployed. My other car usually got rubbed with curve so many times but the airbags never deploy. My car is currently at quick lube and smog shop address is 691 W Tennyson Rd, Hayward, CA 94544. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA #11628451

The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while parallel parking and straightening the vehicle, he tapped the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle suddenly accelerated aggressively and crashed into a stoop. While reversing previously on three occasions, the vehicle braked suddenly without application with no object in the surrounding area. There were no reported injuries. The air bag deployed. There was smoke detected from the engine. There was no reported fire. A police report was filed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 3,000.

NHTSA #11613797

This NHTSA web site adivses owners to "file an online complaint" if "... the manufacturer has failed to remedy the recall in a timely manner..." It is NHTSA #24V274 and has been active for 11 weeks without the manufacturer's remedy. There is no public estimate of a date for this recall to be addressed, except for a vague "third quarter of 2024" which implies an additional 11 weeks for any remedy to be provided. I think that 22 weeks is not a remedy in a "timely manner."

NHTSA #11601642

There is a safety design flaw with the dash lights. If the headlights are ON The dash lights are turned down to a significantly lower illumination automatically and cannot be turned back up to full brightness. This is a big issue when driving with your head lights on during daylight rain/fog. The dash lights won't turn up to full brightness and are very difficult to read, especially for anyone over 50 years old when the head lights are turned on. Alabama law requires head lights be on, not just DRL, but head lights. The dash is VERY dim. This has never been an issue before with any car I have owned.

NHTSA #11575822

The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that the while driving at approximately 25 MPH, the headrest began to move upwards on the front driver's side. The contact stated that the headrest began to move upwards more frequently when there were bumps or potholes in the road. The contact stated that the vehicle had to stop and a button that was accessible once the contact was outside of the vehicle was pressed; however, the contact stated it was difficult to press the button. The contact stated that the failure immediately recurred, and recurred on the front passenger's side while there was a passenger in the vehicle. The contact stated that the headrest did not protect the head or neck due to the failure. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed; however, the contact was informed that there was no repair for the headrest. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 250.

NHTSA #11580106