Total Complaints
18 filings
TOYOTA PRIUS PRIME · model year
18 NHTSA complaints, 9 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
New Car Assessment Program
The 2021TOYOTAPRIUS PRIME carries 18 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 9 crashes, 0 fires, 6 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 5/5 rating, with 4/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2021 PRIUS PRIME is electrical system with 3 filings, followed by service brakes (2) and power train (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 51 investigation files overlapping the 2021 PRIUS PRIME, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
18 filings
Crashes Reported
9 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN | 2 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL | 1 |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS | 1 |
| BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 |
I was slowly entering a handicapped parking place right in front of a business. The distance from the front of the parking space to the building wall was about 15 feet, one car length. I approached the place to stop in the parking spot when in a split second the car violently surged forward and would have crashed into the cinderblock wall had there not been a supporting post on the building and a metal frame with equipment which stopped the forward movement. The surge was explosive, almost like the acceleration of an airplane taking off. The whole incident took a second or two. There was no opportunity for any driver response to the surge. Had we not been using seatbelts, the front seat passenger & myself would have gone into the windshield and perhaps been killed or very seriously injured. Had I not been driving toward the building when the violent episode occurred, I likely would have hit someone in the parking area and killed or seriously injured people or crashed into park car
I was slowly entering a handicapped parking place right in front of a business. The distance from the front of the parking space to the building wall was about 15 feet, one car length. I approached the place to stop in the parking spot when in a split second the car violently surged forward and would have crashed into the cinderblock wall had there not been a supporting post on the building and a metal frame with equipment which stopped the forward movement. The surge was explosive, almost like the acceleration of an airplane taking off. The whole incident took a second or two. There was no opportunity for any driver response to the surge. Had we not been using seatbelts, the front seat passenger & myself would have gone into the windshield and perhaps been killed or very seriously injured. Had I not been driving toward the building when the violent episode occurred, I likely would have hit someone in the parking area and killed or seriously injured people or crashed into park car
I was slowly entering a handicapped parking place right in front of a business. The distance from the front of the parking space to the building wall was about 15 feet, one car length. I approached the place to stop in the parking spot when in a split second the car violently surged forward and would have crashed into the cinderblock wall had there not been a supporting post on the building and a metal frame with equipment which stopped the forward movement. The surge was explosive, almost like the acceleration of an airplane taking off. The whole incident took a second or two. There was no opportunity for any driver response to the surge. Had we not been using seatbelts, the front seat passenger & myself would have gone into the windshield and perhaps been killed or very seriously injured. Had I not been driving toward the building when the violent episode occurred, I likely would have hit someone in the parking area and killed or seriously injured people or crashed into park car
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Prius Prime. The contact stated that while shifted into reverse(R), the rearview camera intermittently went black. No warning light was illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the rearview camera intermittently went black. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to an unknown NHTSA Campaign; however, the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 27,696.
Mileage: 27,696
Rodents accessed and damaged the car because there essentials components are not protected.
Rodents accessed and damaged the car because there essentials components are not protected.
Rodents accessed and damaged the car because there essentials components are not protected.
My vehicle is equipped with Toyota Safety Sense, which includes Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) and a Pre-Collision System. Today, while driving with DRCC engaged, my vehicle followed a leading car and appropriately slowed down to 2 mph as we approached a signalized intersection. However, when the leading vehicle changed lanes, a gap was created between me and a new lead vehicle, which was fully stopped. Despite this, the DRCC system accelerated to 5mph and collided with the stopped vehicle.
My vehicle is equipped with Toyota Safety Sense, which includes Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC) and a Pre-Collision System. Today, while driving with DRCC engaged, my vehicle followed a leading car and appropriately slowed down to 2 mph as we approached a signalized intersection. However, when the leading vehicle changed lanes, a gap was created between me and a new lead vehicle, which was fully stopped. Despite this, the DRCC system accelerated to 5mph and collided with the stopped vehicle.
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Prius Prime. The contact stated while driving 45â50 MPH and approaching a stop sign, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond. The driver continued to pump the brake pedal, but the vehicle failed to respond and depressed to the floorboard. The vehicle accelerated, veered across the road, jumped the curb, and stopped. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and an engineer determined that the brakes were working properly. The failure mileage was approximately 34,000.
Mileage: 34,000
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Prius Prime. The contact stated while driving 45â50 MPH and approaching a stop sign, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond. The driver continued to pump the brake pedal, but the vehicle failed to respond and depressed to the floorboard. The vehicle accelerated, veered across the road, jumped the curb, and stopped. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and an engineer determined that the brakes were working properly. The failure mileage was approximately 34,000.
Mileage: 34,000
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Prius Prime. The contact stated that after the vehicle was shifted into park, the key was removed and the contact stepped away from the vehicle, when the vehicle inadvertently started to roll away. As a result, the vehicle rolled into the neighborâs driveway and grazed another vehicle then stopped. Additionally, the contact stated that while the vehicle was on the charger port, the vehicle failed to start. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised to take the vehicle in to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacture was notified of the failure and the contact was provided a case number. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Mileage: 80,000
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Prius Prime. The contact stated that after the vehicle was shifted into park, the key was removed and the contact stepped away from the vehicle, when the vehicle inadvertently started to roll away. As a result, the vehicle rolled into the neighborâs driveway and grazed another vehicle then stopped. Additionally, the contact stated that while the vehicle was on the charger port, the vehicle failed to start. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised to take the vehicle in to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacture was notified of the failure and the contact was provided a case number. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Mileage: 80,000
Brakes of my Toyota Pirius Prime did not work after I was hit on my right side. Brakes completlety was out. Also I was not able to run the car. The cars brakes should work even I got an accident to precent some further damage to other cars.
Brakes of my Toyota Pirius Prime did not work after I was hit on my right side. Brakes completlety was out. Also I was not able to run the car. The cars brakes should work even I got an accident to precent some further damage to other cars.
Brakes of my Toyota Pirius Prime did not work after I was hit on my right side. Brakes completlety was out. Also I was not able to run the car. The cars brakes should work even I got an accident to precent some further damage to other cars.
A sticky accelerator caused my 2021 Prius to lurch forward into a wall. I was pulling into a parking place when this happened. The front airbag deployed. This is the second time this has happened to me with a Prius. In my previous Prius it happened to me two years ago. Both times the vehicle suddenly lurched forward. It was terrifying.
CAN'T SEE VEHICLE DISPLAY SCREEN DURING BRIGHT SUNNY DAYS, WHICH I FIND DANGEROUS CONTACTED TOYOTA ABOUT ISSUE, THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT PEOPLE SAFETY
Mileage: 518
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.