NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2011 Toyota Prius. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SIDE WINDOWS WOULD BECOME EXTREMELY FOGGY AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO UTILIZE THE SIDE-VIEW MIRRORS WHEN NEEDED. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO OPEN THE WINDOWS IN AN ATTEMPT TO CLEAR THE WINDOWS BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT CONSIDERED A SAFETY DEFECT AND THAT THEY WOULD BE UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6,000. KMJ - UPDATED 02/09/12*LJ THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED IT WAS A DESIGN PROBLEM AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE ABOUT IT. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE LEFT SIDE VIEW MIRROR VIBRATED AT HIGH SPEEDS. THE DEALER FOUND THE MIRROR WAS LOSING ITS HOUSING. UPDATED 02/27/12
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN FOGGY OR RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS, CONDENSATION WOULD BUILD ON EACH WINDOW, PREVENTING THE CONTACT FROM SEEING THE ROADWAY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEFROSTER WOULD NOT CLEAR THE WINDOWS. SHE ALSO TRIED OPENING THE WINDOWS TO ALLOW THE CONDENSATION TO EVAPORATE BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT REPAIRS COULD NOT BE MADE BECAUSE THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 31,059. ...UPDATE 01/20/12 *BF UPDATED 01/25/12
NEW 2011 PRIUS II DELIVERED BY JAFFARIAN TOYOTA WITHOUT FLOOR MAT SECURING DEVICE INSTALLED. FLOOR MAT NOT BEING SECURED COULD CAUSE INTERFERENCE WITH PEDALS. *TR
MY 2011 PRIUS II INTERMITTENTLY GOES INTO REVERSE WHEN I SHIFT INTO DRIVE. APPROXIMATELY 10 TIMES NOW SINCE BEGINNING. TWICE IT HAS GONE INTO DRIVE WHEN I HAVE SHIFTED INTO REVERSE.
WHEN I BRAKE AT THE END OF MY ROAD WHICH HAS SMALL HOLES OR BUMPS, THE CAR SHOOTS FORWARD VERY FAST BEFORE IT STOPS. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIME. I THOUGHT AT FIRST I IMAGINED IT, OR MY FOOT SLIPPED, BUT SINCE IT HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES I KNEW SOMETHING WASN'T RIGHT. SO I GOT ON WEB AND STARTED GOGGLE IT. AND SURE ENOUGH ITS HAPPENED TO OTHER DRIVERS. *TR
FIRST INCIDENT: WAS TRAVELING APPROX. 68 MPH ON 405 FREEWAY IN LOS ANGELES (DOWNHILL INTO THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY). DRY CONDITIONS. ATTEMPTED TO STOP AS CARS AHEAD OF ME BEGAN TO SLOW/HALT AND CAR LURCHED FORWARD, CARRYING ME TO ALMOST HIT THE CAR AHEAD OF ME, STOPPING ONLY INCHES BEHIND. DEALERSHIP COULD NOT REPLICATE AND DISMISSED MY CONCERNS. MULTIPLE SIMILAR INCIDENTS ALL IN GOOD WEATHER HAVE OCCURRED. MOST RECENTLY ON SURFACE ROAD WITH UNEVEN PAVEMENT, TRAVELING AT LESS THAN 15 MPH. BRAKING FOR STOPPED VEHICLES AHEAD, RESULTED IN CAR LURCHING AHEAD. *TR
NEW 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS SHOOK VIOLENTLY UPON STARTUP. SEVERE ENGINE NOISE FOR 10 SECONDS UNTIL SMOOTHING OUT AFTER 40 SECONDS. DASHBOARD AND BODY PANELS VISIBLY RATTLING. ONLY 970 MILES ON ODOMETER. CHECKED INTERNET, AND FOUND MANY OTHERS WITH SAME PROBLEM. WORRIED ABOUT DRIVETRAIN DAMAGE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY AFTER THE BRAKES AND START BUTTON WERE DEPRESSED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 28,600.
REAR VISIBILITY SERIOUSLY HAMPERED BECAUSE NO CAMERA INSTALLED IN VEHICLE. TOYOTA MOTOR CAR COMPANY KNOWS FROM EXPERIENCE THE SERIOUS SAFETY & FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ADDRESSING A SAFETY ISSUE & A CAMERA PROVIDING THE DRIVER REAR VISIBILITY COULD DRAMATICALLY SAVE THE LIFE OF PERSON(CHILD) AT REAR OF VEHICLE. IT IS TO BE NOTED TOYOTA INSTALLED CAMERA IN THE PRIUS ONLY WHEN NAVIGATION SYS. IS PURCHASED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATE FORWARD WHILE PRESSURE WAS BEING APPLIED TO THE BRAKES. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER TOOK A COMPLAINT ON THE CONTACTS BEHALF BUT PROVIDED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 900.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE HEADREST WOULD SLIDE UP AND OUT OF THE SEAT WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE HEADREST WOULD OBSTRUCT HIS VISION WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SEE WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE FROM THE REAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT ALL DRIVERS SIDE HEADRESTS ON THE 2011 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES FUNCTION IN THE SAME FASHION. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT A SAFETY FEATURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7,000.