2012 Toyota Prius C
Family: Prius c · filed with NHTSA as PRIUS C
Summary
- Of the 59 complaints that name a component, 44% concern Brakes (26).
- These are complaint counts, not failure rates: they are not divided by how many cars were sold, because no public source reports U.S. sales by model year.
- Not enough history to compare this year with the rest of its generation.
- No recalls filed for this model year.
- 2 federal defect investigations cover this model year.
At a glance
- Owner complaints
- 64
- Recalls
- 0
- Investigations
- 2
- NCAP overall
- Not rated
- Combined MPG
- 50
- Annual fuel cost
- $1,250
- Median mileage at complaint
- 54,000 mi (n = 37)
- Crashes / fires / injuries / deaths
- 9 / 1 / 9 / 0
What owners report
Brakes
26 complaints · 44% of complaints that name a component · median 25,000 mi (n = 9)
Owner report Brakes went soft with little braking power. Traced the fault code to a faulty braking actuator; toyota says this is past the coverage date for the recall.
Owner report I own a 2012 Toyota Prius C with approximately 156,578 miles. The vehicle has been diagnosed with C1391 – Abnormal Leak in Accumulator, which causes the brake actuator to lose hydraulic pressure. This results in frequent buzzing from the actuator pump, illuminated warning lights (BRAKE, ABS, Traction Control), and loss…
Electrical System
15 complaints · 25% of complaints that name a component · median 100,250 mi (n = 9)
Owner report The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Prius C. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH, the message "Check Hybrid Status - Stop vehicle in Safe Place Immediately" was displayed. There were several warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with an internal power module t…
Owner report I was driving going 45mph when my car shut off and wouldn't start back up. It almost caused an accident from it stopping in the middle of the highway. The master warning light, brake system warning light, warning buzzer ABS warning light and the slip indicator light came on as also the message center reading to have th…
Airbags
8 complaints · 14% of complaints that name a component · median 34,000 mi (n = 7)
Owner report AIR BAG DESTROYED DUE TO DEFECTIVE MATERIALS....TOYOTA?S CHOICE OF SUGAR CANE, BIO-BASED MATERIALS RESULTED IN COMPLETE FAILURE OF AN AIR BAG IN MY VEHICLE WHEN MICE, ATTRACTED TO THE MATERIALS ATE THROUGH AN AIR BAG. WE ARE ALL VERY FORTUNATE THAT AFTER BATTLEFIELD TOYOTA FAILED TO FIND AND REPORT THE DESTROYED AIRBA…
Owner report TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS C. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE EXITING A RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE AND ALL OF THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE …
8% of complaints name no specific component and are left out of the shares above.
Across the generation (2012–2019)
To compare years fairly, each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints.
| Model year | All complaints | First three years | Note |
|---|
| 2012 | 64 | 11 | not compared |
| 2013 | 57 | 9 | not compared |
| 2014 | 33 | 1 | not compared |
| 2015 | 17 | 5 | not compared |
| 2016 | 12 | 6 | not compared |
| 2017 | 2 | 1 | not compared |
| 2018 | 6 | 4 | not compared |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 | not compared |
Federal investigations
| Action | Component | Opened | Closed | Recall |
|---|
| DP22005 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2023-01-27 | 2023-08-07 | 22V063000 |
| DP13002 | SERVICE BRAKES | 2013-03-18 | 2014-07-25 | |
DP22005: Pedestrian alert sounds
DP13002: Drivability, Service brake failure
Engines and fuel economy
| Version | Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Combined | Fuel cost / yr |
|---|
| Prius c | 1.5L 4cyl Hybrid | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | Front-Wheel Drive | 53 | 46 | 50 | $1250 |
Fuel cost is EPA's estimate at the fuel prices of its last update, not today's.
Crash test ratings (NCAP)
no NCAP model matches this name
Service bulletins
Toyota issued 366 service bulletins listed against this model year, most often about equipment.
A bulletin tells dealers how to fix a known condition. It is not a recall and not a defect finding. Most bulletins cover several model years at once, so one listed here may not be specific to this year. The number of bulletins tracks how long and how widely a model was sold, so it is not a measure of reliability.
| Date | Component | Summary |
|---|
| 2026-02-13 | ENGINE | OBSOLETE NOTICE February 13, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0009-26. |
| 2026-02-13 | ENGINE | This bulletin includes basic procedures for performing a rescue charge on Ni-MH high voltage (HV) batteries. This bulletin should be used in conjunction with the applicable model and model year Repair Manual while performing a rescue charge… |
| 2026-01-07 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Some 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Serv… |
| 2024-12-06 | STRUCTURE:BODY | Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood… |
| 2024-12-06 | STRUCTURE:BODY | To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and in… |
| 2024-12-06 | STRUCTURE:BODY | The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicl… |
| 2024-12-05 | STRUCTURE:BODY | Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. This material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination. Follow the Removal Procedure … |
| 2024-12-03 | STRUCTURE:BODY | Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc. This type of contamination can be identified by the … |
| 2024-07-29 | STRUCTURE:BODY | Some 2005 – 2024 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Serv… |
| 2024-07-29 | STRUCTURE:BODY | Some 2005 – 2024 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Serv… |
How to read this page
Complaint counts are not failure rates. A model that sells more cars draws more complaints, and owners file more often after news coverage or a recall. That is why this page compares a model year only with other years of the same generation, never with other models.
Each complaint is counted once, even when it names several components; a complaint that names several systems appears under each of them. Owner reports are quoted as filed and have not been verified by NHTSA or by us.
Every model year of this Prius c, including the ones without a page of their own, is listed on the Toyota Prius c model page.
Sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: complaints, recalls and investigations (bulk files, data as of 2026-10-28).
- NHTSA New Car Assessment Program: crash test ratings.
- U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov: engines, transmissions and fuel economy.
MotorAlmanac is independent and not affiliated with NHTSA, EPA or any manufacturer. This page summarises public records; it is not a mechanical inspection. Before buying a used car, check its VIN for open recalls and have it inspected.