2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid Recalls, Complaints & Specs
2 safety recalls list the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid, and owners have filed 25 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
2 safety recalls for the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Hybrid propulsion system
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2012-2015 Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. The hybrid battery contains an Electric Vehicle (EV) fuse that may fracture after repeated high-load driving conditions such as climbing long hills.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EV fuse, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 8, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this…
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Air bags: side/window
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 into the passenger cabin.
Remedy: 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 Service Department at…
25 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid have filed 25 complaints with NHTSA; 1 describe a crash and 1 describe a fire. Reports cite 2 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 87,106 miles. Complaints peaked in 2018 with 5 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“1. The ABS system failed upon inspection at a dealership. Specifically the ABS accumulator and booster. 2. The ABS system put us at risk by failing prematurely, and traction control and ABS functions”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 21, 2024 · Service brakes
“Today 05/25/2024 noticed a slight camber on the right rear wheel. Jacked up the car and removed the right rear to take a closer look and realized the rear axle/subframe was splitting in half along the”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, May 25, 2024 · Suspension
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2012 Toyota Prius (Prius Plug-in Hybrid). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 48–50 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 49–51 / 46–49 |
| Fuel | Regular, Regular Gas and Electricity |
| EPA class | Midsize Cars |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 1.8 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (variable gear ratios) |
Compare Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid | 1 | 6 |
| 2011 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid | 0 | 1 |
| 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid | 2 | 25 |
| 2013 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid | 1 | 12 |
| 2014 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid | 1 | 13 |
| 2015 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid | 1 | 5 |
| 2025 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid | 2 | 2 |
| 2026 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid | 1 | 4 |
Checking a specific 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid
How do I know if my 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 2 campaigns currently list the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Toyota dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 16V487000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Toyota models
- Camry18,189 complaints
- Prius12,516 complaints
- Corolla11,739 complaints
- RAV49,385 complaints
- Sienna8,549 complaints
- Tacoma8,440 complaints
- Tundra6,922 complaints
- Highlander5,745 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.