Third generation
2015 Toyota Prius
The most reported problem on the 2015 Toyota Prius is brake wear, with 92 complaints, usually around 95,000 miles.
- 165owner complaints
- 1recalls
- 29involved a crash
- 50,000median miles at failure
Newest report Sep 17, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
What is your Prius doing?
Each one opens a sheet built from the owner reports of that problem on the 2015 model year.
Is the 2015 Toyota Prius reliable?
The 2015 Toyota Prius has 165 owner complaints on file with NHTSA, close to the median of 151 for 2015 hatchbacks on this site. Of the 11 Prius model years since 2014, it has the 2nd most complaints. Complaint counts rise with sales as well as faults, so read what owners report below before deciding.
At a glance
- Next to other model years
- Complaints filed before 2015 aren't in the files this site reads, so the 2015 count runs short and isn't compared with the model years next to it.
- Top problem
- One problem takes up much of the file: brake wear, named in 92 of the 165 complaints (56%). It's a high-mileage complaint: half of the 46 owners who gave a mileage for brake wear were past about 95,000 miles.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 30 of the 165 complaints (18%) report a crash, a fire or an injury. The typical vehicle on this site sits at 6%, so this one runs well above it. Counted separately (one report can carry more than one), 29 reports mention a crash, 1 mentions a fire and 17 people were hurt. The reports record 3 deaths. The most crash reports, 11 of 29, fall under brake wear.
- Recalls behind the top problems
- No recall on file is on the same system as brake wear. For those, the complaints are all there is.
- When owners filed
- Filings jumped in 2025, with 40 complaints, 3.1 times the next busiest year. So far in 2026, 31 more have come in. Filings on record start in 2015.
When each problem shows up
Each bar covers the middle half of the mileages owners reported for that problem. A quarter saw it earlier, a quarter later. The tick is the median. Most reported: brakes grind, pulse or wear early, 92 complaints.
middle half of reports, median tick. The heavier grey bars have 75 or more reports.
Behind you
Around your mileage
Ahead of you
How this compares
165 complaints is 1.7 times fewer than the median 2015 model on this site and about the median for a 2015 hatchback. Among the 3 Prius model years here it ranks 2nd for complaints. Counts follow sales volume as much as reliability, so a truck that sells 700,000 a year draws more reports than a sedan that sells 200,000.
Service bulletins for the 2015 Toyota Prius
Toyota filed 324 bulletins and other notices with NHTSA that list the 2015 Toyota Prius. 26 of them deal with a problem owners have reported on this car. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 4 bulletins · 92 complaints
TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a groan or squeak noise in various driving conditions.
Warranty Enhancement Program: Toyota has received reports indicating various brake system related warning lamps illuminate due to internal malfunctions.
2 more on this problem
Customer Support Program Bulletin: Toyota has received reports indicating various brake system related warning lamps illuminate due to internal malfunctions.
Some 2015 ? 2018 model year Toyota vehicles may exhibit brake vibration due to improper lug nut torque. Brake vibration can occur at any time if improper torque is applied to lug nuts. Even one lug nut over or under torqued can cause vibration.
Brake pedal goes hard or the booster or vacuum pump fails 2 bulletins · 54 complaints
Dealer Package: Toyota has received reports about certain internal malfunctions of the brake booster assemblies in some of the subject vehicles.
Dealer Letter: March 7, 2019 ZJB Phase 2 Launch for Certain 2011 ? 2015 Model Year Prius Vehicles and Certain 2012 ? 2015 Model Year Prius PHV vehicles.
Hybrid or EV system warning, loss of power 9 bulletins · 12 complaints
Some 2010 ? 2015 model year Prius and 2012 ? 2017 model year Prius V vehicles may exhibit a MIL ON condition with Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) P0A7A and/or P0A78, indicating a malfunction has occurred in the inverter assembly with converter.
Some 2010 ? 2015 model year Prius and 2012 ? 2017 model year Prius V vehicles may exhibit a MIL ON condition with Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) P0A94, P324E, P0A1A, and/or P3004, indicating a malfunction has occurred in the inverter assembly with converter.
7 more on this problem
Some 2004 ? 2020 model year Hybrid vehicles may exhibit an excessive buildup of dust, lint, or debris in the HV battery intake filter or cooling fan. The condition could reduce the efficiency of the HV battery cooling system.
RL: This Customer Support Program provides coverage as it applies to the Intelligent Power Module (IPM). The specific condition covered by this program is failure of the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) located inside the inverter assembly of the hybrid system.
RE: This Customer Support Program provides coverage as it applies to the Intelligent Power Module (IPM). The specific condition covered by this program is failure of the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) located inside the inverter assembly of the hybrid system.
DL: This Customer Support Program provides coverage as it applies to the Intelligent Power Module (IPM). The specific condition covered by this program is failure of the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) located inside the inverter assembly of the hybrid system.
Some 2003 ? 2020 model year Prius, Prius C, Prius V; 2006 ? 2019 model year Highlander Hybrid Vehicle; 2007 ? 2020 Camry Hybrid Vehicle; 2013 ? 2020 model year Avalon Hybrid Vehicle; 2016 ? 2020 model year Mirai and RAV4 Hybrid Vehicle;
TT: Rev2 Some Customers may complain about a Hybrid Vehicle Battery cooling system warning message. This warning message may appear when the HV Battery cooling system loses efficiency due to debris on the filter and or some object obstructing the air inlet.
TT: Some Customers may complain about a Hybrid Vehicle Battery cooling system warning message. This warning message may appear when the HV Battery cooling system loses efficiency due to debris on the filter and or some object obstructing the air inlet.
Battery dies or the car will not start 7 bulletins · 7 complaints
TT: A vehicle may arrive to the dealer with a MIL ?ON? condition and P0A80 or P1AC000 stored in the memory. Some cases have been identified with internal modification done to the HV Battery. Modified or altered parts are not covered under warranty.
FOR VEHICLES THAT ARE USED UNDER CERTAIN SEVERE OPERATING CONDITIONS, THE HV BATTERY COOLING FAN MAY EXPERIENCE AN EXCESSIVE BUILDUP OF DUST, LINT, OR OTHER DEBRIS THAT CAN REDUCE THE EFFICIENCY OF THE HV BATTERY COOLING SYSTEM.
5 more on this problem
Some 2013 ? 2015 model year Prius vehicles may exhibit a MIL ?ON? condition with Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P0A80 stored due to dust or debris buildup in the HV Battery Cooling Fan. Use the following Repair Procedure to address this condition.
TT: HV BATTERIES HAVE LIQUID FILLED CELL MODULES, TO PREVENT LEAKAGE FROM CELLS, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO CONFIRM THE PROPER ORIENTATION MARK OF THE DRC.
TT: A VEHICLE MAY ARRIVE TO THE DEALER WITH A MIL ON CONDITION AND P0A80 STORED IN THE MEMORY. SOME CASES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED WITH INTERNAL MODIFICATION DONE TO THE HV BATTERY. MODIFIED OR ALTERED PARTS ARE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.
While a vehicle is in inventory, the battery is subject to conditions that can reduce its performance and life. Batteries can become discharged due to an extended storage period, temperature, parasitic drain, or while demonstrating vehicle features and ...
TOYOTA PRIUS: CUSTOMERS MAY EXPERIENCE A CHANGE IN THE EV DISTANCE DISPLAY OR MAY HAVE CONCERNS REGARDING THE HV BATTERY PERFORMANCE. *LJ
Airbag warning light or recall 2 bulletins · 6 complaints
Some 2005 ? 2022 model year Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty smell is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition.
THIS COMMUNICATION IS INFORMING TOYOTA OF A DELAMINATION ISSUE WITHIN AN I.C. PRODUCED BY NXP AND ASSEMBLED INTO AIRBAG SENSOR SUPPLIED BY DENSO INTERNATIONAL AMERICA, INC.
Seat belt or seat problems 2 bulletins · 5 complaints
Some 2010 ? 2022 model year Toyota vehicles may exhibit paint stains after the removal of Rapgard?. The paint stains may appear to be under the clear coat but are usually under wrinkles in the Rapgard?.
Some 2010 ? 2021 model year Toyota vehicles may exhibit paint stains after the removal of Rapgard?. The paint stains may appear to be under the clear coat but are usually under wrinkles in the Rapgard?.
Complaints filed by year
40 complaints came in 2025, 5.0 times the year before. Owners file in waves when a problem gets press or an investigation, so a spike measures attention as much as failures.
NHTSA investigations
Brake actuator valve wear. Open.
NHTSA summary
Pedestrian alert sounds. Closed aug 7, 2023, led to recall 22V-063.
NHTSA summary
Brake actuator valve wear. Closed jan 21, 2021.
NHTSA summary
Recalls that include the 2015 Toyota Prius
Whether your car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
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 while being driven.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: 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 condition, the inverter assembly will be repaired or replaced, prior to software update. All repairs will be performed free of charge. This recall began July 24, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB10 / 20TA10.
The recall on the 2015 Toyota Prius, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
Guide NHTSA has an open investigation on this car. What the investigation stages mean
Questions
What is the most common problem on the 2015 Toyota Prius?
Brake wear, with 92 of the 165 complaints. Owners who gave a mileage for it put the median at about 95,000 miles.
At what mileage do 2015 Toyota Prius problems start?
Of the 92 complaints that give a mileage, a quarter came by about 18,000 miles and half by about 50,000.
How many 2015 Toyota Prius complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
30 of them (18%). The typical vehicle on this site is at 6%.
Is there a recall for brake wear on the 2015 Toyota Prius?
No recall on file for the 2015 Toyota Prius is on the same system as brake wear. Another recall may still cover your car, so check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.