YearToAvoid

2013 Toyota Prius Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

80/100

#4 most-complained of 16 Prius years

The 2013 Toyota Prius ranks 4th worst out of 16 model years, with a Complaint Index of 80 and 409 NHTSA complaints. Brakes account for 59% of complaints, and Toyota issued 3 recalls, all tied to the inverter's Intelligent Power Module.

Complaints
409
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
39 / 3
Injuries / deaths
23 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
48
49 city / 46 hwy

Top 2013 Toyota Prius problems

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

  1. Brakes242 (59%)
  2. Electrical System61 (15%)
  3. Engine57 (14%)
  4. Other52 (13%)
  5. Fuel System24 (6%)
  6. Structure & Body19 (5%)
  7. Airbags18 (4%)
  8. Suspension, Wheels & Tires15 (4%)
  9. Transmission & Powertrain14 (3%)
  10. Collision Avoidance & Cameras13 (3%)

What owners report

  • Owners report the vehicle lurching or braking suddenly at low speed, sometimes causing a crash into nearby objects.
  • Some describe the ABS warning light illuminating followed by the vehicle braking and lurching forward unexpectedly at highway speed.
  • Several report the airbags failing to deploy during moderate-to-severe collisions.
  • Owners describe pressing the park button but having the transmission shift to neutral instead, causing the car to roll.
  • Some report a burning smell followed by warning lights and, in one case, smoke and fire from the engine compartment.
  • One owner reports a clunking sound and the front end dropping before the vehicle caught fire.
2013 Toyota Prius complaints: complaints filed per quarter302012 Q42014 Q32016 Q32018 Q22020 Q12021 Q42023 Q32025 Q2
537 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2012 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2025 Q2 (30).

2013 Toyota Prius recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 20V369000Jun 24, 2020Fuel System266,638 vehicles

    Hybrid propulsion system: inverter

    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: An unexpected hybrid power system shut down may increase the risk of a crash.

    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.

  2. 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.

  3. NHTSA 14V053000Feb 12, 2014Fuel System698,457 vehicles

    Hybrid propulsion system: inverter

    Toyota is recalling certain model year 2010 through 2014 Prius vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) inside the inverter module (a component of the hybrid system) contains transistors that may become damaged from high operating temperatures. If this occurs, various warning lamps will be illuminated on the instrument panel and the vehicle will have reduced power allowing it to only drive a short distance.

    Risk: The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle. The hybrid system could also shut down completely resulting in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners and dealers will update the software for both the motor/generator control electronic control unit (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU, free of charge. If an owner experiences a failure of the inverter before the vehicle receives updated software, the dealer will repair or replace the inverter assembly with a new one at no charge. The recall began on March 21, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

2013 Toyota Prius fuel economy and fuel cost

City
49 MPG
Highway
46 MPG
Combined
48 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$1,350
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.

2013 compared with other Prius years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2011Avoid93519648
2012Avoid87423648
2013Avoid80409348
2014Caution67207348
2015Caution73165148

All Toyota Prius years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 Toyota Prius reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2013 Prius ranks 4th worst among 16 model years tracked, with a Complaint Index of 80 and a verdict of Avoid relative to other Prius years.
What is the biggest problem with the 2013 Toyota Prius?
Brakes are the top problem area, accounting for 242 of 409 complaints (59%), with a median failure mileage of 92,000 miles.
Does the 2013 Toyota Prius have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2013 Prius, all related to the Fuel System component involving excessive voltage in the Intelligent Power Module of the inverter.
How does the 2013 Prius compare to other years?
The 2013 Prius (Complaint Index 80) has more reported problems than 2014 (67), 2016 (60), and 2018 (7), but fewer than 2010 (100) and 2011 (93).
What is the fuel economy of the 2013 Toyota Prius?
The 2013 Prius is EPA-rated at 48 mpg combined (49 city / 46 highway), with an annual fuel cost of $1,350.

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.