YearToAvoid

2013 Toyota Prius Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 57 engine complaints for the 2013 Toyota Prius, 14% of its 409 total complaints for that year. The median mileage at failure is 46,000 miles, and no related recalls are on file for this component.

Engine complaints
57
14% of 409
Crashes reported
10
Fires reported
2
Injuries reported
2
Median mileage
46,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Owners report the vehicle lunging or surging forward unexpectedly while braking at low speeds, sometimes ending in a crash.
  • Some describe the car moving on its own while parking or shifting into reverse, with no accelerator input.
  • Others report sudden deceleration or loss of power at highway speeds around 40 mph without touching the pedals.
  • A smaller number describe a burning smell or smoke from the engine compartment, in some cases followed by fire.
  • Several complaints describe the failure recurring more than once on the same vehicle before it was addressed.

When 2013 Toyota Prius engine complaints were filed

First complaint Mar 19, 2013, latest Sep 10, 2026.

2013 Toyota Prius engine complaints: complaints filed per month5Mar 2013Aug 2014Apr 2017Nov 2018Sep 2019Sep 2020Jan 2024Jan 2026
57 complaints filed with NHTSA from Mar 2013 to Sep 2026; peak Jul 2013 (5).

Engine recalls for the 2013 Toyota Prius

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by Prius model year

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

  1. 2010435 (16%)
  2. 201178 (15%)
  3. 201243 (10%)
  4. 201357 (14%)
  5. 201431 (15%)
  6. 201514 (8%)
  7. 201629 (19%)
  8. 201725 (27%)
  9. 20188 (22%)
  10. 201910 (33%)
  11. 20202 (14%)
  12. 20213 (50%)
  13. 20224 (17%)
  14. 20230 (0%)
  15. 20242 (8%)
  16. 20251 (6%)

Frequently asked questions

How many engine complaints does the 2013 Toyota Prius have?
NHTSA lists 57 engine complaints for the 2013 Toyota Prius, which is 14% of the 409 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2013 Toyota Prius engine?
No related recalls are listed for the engine component on the 2013 Toyota Prius in NHTSA data.
At what mileage do 2013 Prius engine problems usually show up?
The median mileage at failure for engine complaints on the 2013 Toyota Prius is 46,000 miles.
Do the 2013 Prius engine complaints involve crashes or fires?
NHTSA data tied to these engine complaints shows 10 crashes, 2 fires, and 2 injuries reported.

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.