YearToAvoid

2010 Toyota Prius Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

100/100

#1 most-complained of 21 Prius years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2010 Toyota Prius has 2,822 owner complaints and 10 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 100 out of 100 — the highest of 21 Prius model years (verdict: Avoid). The most reported problem area is brakes (1,967 complaints, 70% of the total). Complaints report 183 crashes, 13 fires, 65 injuries, and 2 deaths.

Complaints
2,822
Recalls
10
Crashes / fires
183 / 13
Injuries / deaths
65 / 2
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
50
51 city / 48 hwy

Top 2010 Toyota Prius problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Brakes1,967 (70%)
  2. Engine453 (16%)
  3. Electrical System307 (11%)
  4. Other122 (4%)
  5. Fuel System99 (4%)
  6. Airbags84 (3%)
  7. Transmission & Powertrain79 (3%)
  8. Structure & Body40 (1%)
  9. Suspension, Wheels & Tires38 (1%)
  10. Steering30 (1%)
2010 Toyota Prius complaints: complaints filed per quarter14072009 Q32011 Q42014 Q12016 Q22018 Q32020 Q42023 Q12025 Q2
3275 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2009 Q3 to 2026 Q3; peak 2010 Q1 (1407).

2010 Toyota Prius recalls

10 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 18V684000Oct 4, 2018Fuel System807,329 vehicles

    Hybrid propulsion system

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Toyota Prius and 2012-2014 Toyota Prius V vehicles. 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: If the hybrid system shuts down unexpectedly, it can increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the motor/generator control electronic control unit (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 22, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J0V. Note: The software updates in this recall are needed even if the vehicle had the software previously updated under recalls 14V-053 or 15V-449.

  2. NHTSA 16V487000Jun 30, 2016Airbags482,002 vehicles

    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.

    Risk: If either portion of the curtain shield air bag inflator ejects into the passenger cabin, there is an increased risk of injury to vehicle occupants.

    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 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is Toyota G0U, and Lexus GLJ.

  3. NHTSA 16V396000Jun 2, 2016Structure & Body7,749 vehicles

    Seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010 Camry, and 1989 and 2009-2010 Corolla vehicles equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters with a copper strand heating element. The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.

    Risk: If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET number for this recall is SET16B.

See all 10 recalls for the 2010 Toyota Prius →

2010 Toyota Prius fuel economy and fuel cost

City
51 MPG
Highway
48 MPG
Combined
50 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$1,300
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2010 compared with other Prius years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2008Avoid901,497446
2009Avoid80502646
2010Avoid1002,8221050
2011Caution70519648
2012Caution65423648

All Toyota Prius years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2010 Toyota Prius a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2010 Toyota Prius ranks worst among Prius model years (Complaint Index 100/100, verdict: Avoid). It has 2,822 complaints and 10 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2010 Toyota Prius?
The most reported problem areas are brakes (1,967 complaints), engine (453 complaints), and electrical system (307 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 6,441 miles.
Does the 2010 Toyota Prius have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns for the 2010 Toyota Prius, most recently reported 2018, covering fuel system, airbags, structure & body, and brakes.
What is the fuel economy of the 2010 Toyota Prius?
EPA rates the 2010 Toyota Prius at 50 MPG combined (51 city / 48 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $1,300. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

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.