YearToAvoid

2009 Toyota Prius Structure & Body Problems

NHTSA has 21 owner complaints about body and structure problems in the 2009 Toyota Prius, 4% of all 502 complaints for this model year. That is #6 highest body and structure complaint count among 21 Prius model years. These complaints report 6 crashes and 3 injuries. Median mileage at failure: 70,000 miles.

Structure & Body complaints
21
4% of 502
Crashes reported
6
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
3
Median mileage
70,000 mi
Related recalls
1

When 2009 Toyota Prius body and structure complaints were filed

First complaint May 7, 2010, latest Feb 15, 2022.

2009 Toyota Prius structure & body complaints: complaints filed per month3May 2010Aug 2013Dec 2013Feb 2015Dec 2016Mar 2019Feb 2022
21 complaints filed with NHTSA from May 2010 to Feb 2022; peak Sep 2013 (3).

Structure & Body recalls for the 2009 Toyota Prius

  1. NHTSA 13V014000Jan 16, 2013Structure & Body3,235 vehicles

    Seats

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.

    Risk: If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.

    Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.

Structure & Body complaints by Prius model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 200515 (1%)
  2. 200624 (2%)
  3. 2007214 (11%)
  4. 200880 (5%)
  5. 200921 (4%)
  6. 201040 (1%)
  7. 201116 (3%)
  8. 201229 (7%)
  9. 201319 (5%)
  10. 201413 (6%)
  11. 20159 (5%)
  12. 201614 (9%)
  13. 201710 (11%)
  14. 20186 (17%)
  15. 20190 (0%)
  16. 20201 (7%)
  17. 20210 (0%)
  18. 20221 (4%)
  19. 20236 (32%)
  20. 20243 (12%)
  21. 20253 (19%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2009 Toyota Prius have body and structure problems?
NHTSA has 21 owner complaints about the body and structure in the 2009 Toyota Prius, 4% of all complaints for this model year, including 6 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 70,000 miles.
Which Toyota Prius year has the most body and structure complaints?
The 2007 Toyota Prius has the most body and structure complaints (214), compared with 21 for the 2009.
Is there a body and structure recall for the 2009 Toyota Prius?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for the 2009 Toyota Prius concerns the body and structure: 13V014000.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.