2016 Toyota PRIUS: complaints, problems and recalls

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S HEAD REST POSITIONING IN THE VEHICLE WAS TOO FORWARD MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME WITHOUT SEVERE DISCOMFORT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 04/20/16*LJ *JS

Owner-reported narrative. 50 miles reported. Look up ODI 10824770 at NHTSA ↗

THE 2016 PRIUS 4 DOESN'T COME WITH THE ABILITY TO CHANGE MILES TO KILOMETERS UNLESS YOU ARE AWARE THAT IT IS AN OPTION YOU HAVE TO BUY WHICH NEITHER SALESMEN OR TOYOTA TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IS AWARE OF. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND ANYONE WHO CAN TELL ME WHETHER THIS OPTION CAN BE ADDED BUT SO FAR IT APPEARS THAT IT IS.

Owner-reported narrative. 180 miles reported. Look up ODI 10864287 at NHTSA ↗

THERE IS AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH THE HEAD RESTS ON THIS VEHICLE. THE DEFAULT SETTING IS MUCH TOO FAR FORWARD, CAUSING A FORWARD HEAD AND NECK POSTURE, RESULTING IN HEADACHES, NECK PAIN, ETC., AND MAKE IT VERY UNCOMFORTABLE TO DRIVE, AND DIFFICULT TO CHECK BLIND SPOTS. IT ALSO FORCES THE DRIVER'S HEAD VERY CLOSE THE AIRBAG, WHICH IS SUPPOSEDLY VERY DANGEROUS. IF YOU MOVE THE SEAT BACK, THEN YOU ARE TOO RECLINED TO DRIVE ATTENTIVELY. ONLINE SEARCHES AND COMPLAINTS TO THE DEALER TELL ME I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS, AND IT IS SUPPOSED…

Owner-reported narrative. 12 miles reported. Look up ODI 10864390 at NHTSA ↗

THE CENTER DISPLAY HAS A MIRROR HIGH GLOSS/GLARE FINISH. BECAUSE OF THIS MIRROR FINISH, WHEN THE SUN IS AT AN ANGLE COMING THROUGH EITHER THE SIDE OR BACK WINDOWS, THE SUN IS REFLECTED BACK INTO THE DRIVER'S EYES. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THE CAR TO REPLACE CENTER DISPLAY TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS.

Owner-reported narrative. 15 miles reported. Look up ODI 10870145 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN GENTLY APPLYING BRAKES FOR A STOP LIGHT, AND THE RIGHT WHEEL HITS A 1 AND 1/8 INCH DEEP DEPRESSION IN THE ROAD, THE BRAKES FEEL LIKE THEY MOMENTARILY RELEASE. THE DEPRESSION IS FOR A 9 INCH DIAMETER CITY WATER COVER, AND THE OVERALL DIAMETER OF THE DEPRESSION IS 12 INCHES, AND IT IS 1 AND 1/8 INCHES DEEP. THIS CAN BE REPLICATED AT THIS LOCATION AND WE HAVE ALSO NOTICED THE SAME THING HAPPENING ELSEWHERE IN TOWN.

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10881749 at NHTSA ↗

THE 2016 PRIUS IV WE JUST PURCHASED 2 WEEKS AGO COMES WITH A WHITE DASH! THE WHITE DASH CREATES A HORRIBLE GLARE WHEN TRYING TO LOOK OUT EITHER DRIVER OR PASSENGER WINDOW! THE ONLY WAY TO AVOID GLARE IS DRIVE WITH WINDOWS DOWN ALL OF THE TIME. VISIBILITY IS GREATLY HAMPERED BY THE WHITE DASH REFLECTION OFF THE WINDOWS! THIS IS HUGE SAFETY ISSUE!

Owner-reported narrative. 25 miles reported. Look up ODI 10882848 at NHTSA ↗

RODENT DAMAGED WIRING AND CASINGS BY EATING/DAMAGING BOTH AT A COST SO FAR OF $2700. I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR ONE MONTH. I'VE BEEN TOLD THE WARRANTY DOES NOT INCLUDE THE DAMAGE. I ASKED ABOUT WHERE THE DEALERSHIP STORED THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO ITS DELIVERY TO ME. I WASN'T SATISFIED WITH THEIR EXPLANATION.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10887682 at NHTSA ↗

WE HAD A TIRE BLOWOUT ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND DISCOVERED THERE WAS NO SPARE TIRE IN OUR NEW CAR. THE DEVICE TO REPAIR THE TIRE DIDN'T WORK AS THE TIRE WAS RIPPED. WE HAD TO WAIT 2 HOURS FOR A TOW TRUCK, WITH HUGE TRUCKS PASSING US AT 80 MPH, VERY CLOSE. WE WERE TERRIFIED. WE STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT REALLY HAPPENED AS WE DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING THAT WOULD HAVE RIPPED THE TIRE. THE CAR IS NEW, STILL UNDER WARRANTY. EVERY CAR SHOULD HAVE A SPARE TIRE FOR EMERGENCIES LIKE THIS. WE DID NOT KNOW IT DIDN'T HAVE ONE.

Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10896892 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2016-09-16 (September 16, 2016)

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.

Consequence: A front passenger air bag that unintentionally inflates can increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began November 10, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G0W.

Reported: 2016-10-14 (October 14, 2016)

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 disengage.

Consequence: If the parking brake cable disengages from the mechanism and the transmission is left in a gear other than 'Park' while the ignition is on and the driver leaves the vehicle, the vehicle may roll unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install a clip at the parking brake cable end to prevent the cable from disengaging, free of charge. The recall began November 10, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is G01.

Reported: 2017-10-18 (October 18, 2017)

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.

Consequence: If the capacitor was not properly secured, vibrations from driving the vehicle may damage the capacitor, shutting down the hybrid system, causing a loss of motive power and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inverter, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin by early December 2017. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is H0U.

Reported: 2018-01-31 (January 31, 2018)

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 sensors may fail causing the side/curtain shield air bags and/or the front air bags to not deploy in the event of a crash.

Consequence: If the air bags fail to deploy in a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the sensors as necessary based on their serial numbers, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 12, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are JLA, J0F.

Reported: 2018-09-05 (September 5, 2018)

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.

Consequence: An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine wire harness assembly and replace it if damage is found. A protective sleeve or protective tape will be included to prevent any future damage. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began October 30, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J0T.