Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 685 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Toyota Prius, and it carries 6 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 256 | 37% |
| Engine | 40 | 6% |
| Exterior lighting | 33 | 5% |
| Electrical system | 31 | 5% |
| Unknown or other | 27 | 4% |
| Visibility/wiper | 24 | 4% |
| Air bags | 19 | 3% |
| Service brakes | 14 | 2% |
| Steering | 13 | 2% |
| Power train | 13 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The contact owned a 2012 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while making a left turn at 10 MPH, another vehicle crashed into the vehicle and t-boned the front passenger's side door of the vehicle. The air bags did not
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
Brake warning lights on, buzzing sound every 10 seconds. Likely a known actuator and master cylinder issue
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
Brake lights icons stay on mechanic at Toyota dealership state need new brak master cylinder and booster
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
Unknown. There were a multitude of codes that appeared on the diagnostics causing problems with engine. The temperature, brake, tire sensor lights are all on. The cruise control is not working. White smoke emitting from
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control
My 2012 Toyota Prius is experiencing brake actuator pump failure, presenting diagnostic trouble codes C1253 (brake actuator pump motor stuck/locked) and C1256 (brake actuator pump motor overcurrent). These codes trigger
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
Almost had an accident due to the brake master, actuator and booster pump assemblies, failing. There were no warning lights alerting me to an issue. Just lost ability to break and car shut off completely while in motion.
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The brake booster and brake booster pump assembly (also referred to as the Accumulater or Accentuater) have failed in my vehicle the same as Toyota's known defect that was mentioned in their Customer Support Program 20TE
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
2012 Prius with 174,344 miles in great condition, with regularly scheduled oil changes. ABS/Break Actuator failure on freeway with no warning other than a beep a few seconds before the breaks disappeared completely. Br
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2012 Toyota Prius. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Toyota Prius and 2012-2014 Toyota Prius V vehicles. Excessive voltage in the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) within the inverter may cause the hybrid system to shut down, causing the vehicle to stall while being driven.
Risk: If the hybrid system shuts down unexpectedly, it can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the motor/generator control electronic control unit (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU as necessary, free of charge. The recall began
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Toyota Prius, 2010 and 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid, and 2011-2012 Lexus CT200h vehicles. A weld in the curtain shield air bag inflator may crack causing one or both portions of the inflator to eject int
Risk: If either portion of the curtain shield air bag inflator ejects into the passenger cabin, there is an increased risk of injury to vehicle occupants.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install retention brackets to the curtain shield air bags, free of charge. The recall began on October 17, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota Customer Servic
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 through 2014 Prius vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) inside the inverter module (a component of the hybrid system) contains transistors that may become damaged from high operating temperatures. If this occurs, various
Risk: The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle. The hybrid system could also shut down completely resulting in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a c
Fix: Toyota will notify owners and dealers will update the software for both the motor/generator control electronic control unit (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU, free of charge. If an owner experiences a
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Priu
Risk: If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact
| Reliability raw | 53 | average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 71 | good |
| Maintenance | 86 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 79 | good |
| Performance | 41 | below average |
| Efficiency | 69 | good |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 685 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and service brakes is the most reported area with 256 of them (37%). There are 6 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 53/100 (average) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 71/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2012 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 70/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.