Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 236 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014 Toyota Prius, and it carries 3 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 | 70 | 30% |
| Unknown or other | 18 | 8% |
| Electrical system | 13 | 6% |
| Engine | 12 | 5% |
| Air bags | 11 | 5% |
| Visibility/wiper | 7 | 3% |
| Exterior lighting | 6 | 3% |
| Service brakes | 4 | 2% |
| Electrical system | 4 | 2% |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
While driving my 2014 Toyota Prius, the BRAKE, ABS, and vehicle stability/traction control warning lights illuminated. There was no crash, injury, or noticeable loss of braking before the warnings appeared, and there wer
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
I am submitting this complaint regarding a serious safety concern involving the brake actuator/booster assembly on my 2014 Toyota Prius. My vehicle has experienced failure of this critical braking component and has been
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
My car experienced a failing brake actuator/accumulator. The first sign was the ABS and break lights accompanied by a whoosing sound. The issue causes intermittent system wide break failure and renders the car undriveabl
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
Brake actuator had been making noises and it finally stopped working on 7/14/26. Thankfully my car was and stopped and parked. The car has 137k miles on it, one owner and no explanation of what caused this. There were no
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The traction control, abs, and emergency brake light came on. We checked and the code produced was C1391. There’s a humming noise every 10 or so seconds when idle. The humming noise is also present when braking. We did s
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
Car is at less than 105k miles and yet brake actuator is failing.
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
ABS, traction control, brake system, and brake lights turned on while driving. Took the car to the mechanic and pulled the code C1391. It seems from other complaints to NHTSA that it is a common issue and quite dangerous
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
ABS, brake, and traction warning lights came on. Loss of power brakes/limited manual brake. Extended warranty/customer service outreach did not apply. Car is at 120,000 miles and almost 12 years.
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2014 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 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
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Prius and 2014-2017 Prius V vehicles not included in recall 18V-684. Excessive voltage in the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) within the inverter may cause the hybrid system to shut down, causing the vehicle to stall wh
Risk: An unexpected hybrid power system shut down may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will perform a software update for the hybrid system. If the vehicle has experienced an inverter failure with certain hybrid system faults related to this condi
| Reliability raw | 67 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 77 | good |
| Maintenance | 86 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 79 | good |
| Performance | 43 | below average |
| Efficiency | 69 | good |
| Safety | 80 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 236 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and service brakes is the most reported area with 70 of them (30%). There are 3 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 67/100 (good) 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 77/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2014 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 73/100. 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.