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Model-year record

2018 Toyota Prius c
Image: Wikimedia Commons contributor · See source file

2018 Toyota Prius c

See the complaints, recalls, crash rating, and fuel economy in the public record. Then check the mileage and history of the car you found.

This page shows records, not a buy or avoid call.

The same model year can include a well-kept car and a neglected one. Use these records to plan what to check. Use the specific-car check when you know the mileage.

Complaints filed

6

Reports to NHTSA, 2018

Safety recalls

2

NHTSA campaigns on record

NHTSA crash test

Overall NCAP rating

Combined MPG

46

EPA estimate

Known issues

Unknown Or Other issues lead owner complaints (33% of 6 reports), followed by electrical system (17%).

Unknown Or Other33% · 2 reports
Electrical System17% · 1 report
Power Train17% · 1 report
Steering17% · 1 report
Visibility/Wiper17% · 1 report

Share of all 6 NHTSA complaints for this model year, grouped by the component owners named. Bars are scaled to the largest category. Examples: ODI 11190132, ODI 11133378.

Individual complaint reports(6)

Showing the 6 most recent reports
Power TrainJul 2023 · ODI 11530344 · crash · 1 injuriesDetails +

I entered a large, strip mall parking area and was driving at the vastly reduced speed one would use in such a situation. My intention was to park my car to enter a store in the mall. I turned a corner to park on the side of the building (parking options were limited). As I entered a parking space (moving at the speed one would drive to do so; essentially INCREDIBLY slowly; moving forward into the space at almost 0 MPH and already applying the brake). Suddenly and with no warning, the car violently lurched forward at a vastly increased speed. I pressed down on the brake harder to try to stop the vehicle, but it propelled into and over the concrete curb stop and into the thick brick wall in front of me. There is considerable damage to the front end of my vehicle as a result. I was horrified at this dangerous situation. My safety was definitely at risk. I feel very fortunate that I wasn't seriously injured (and that no one, either a pedestrian or another driver, was involved in the accident). The airbags didn't deploy and I was of course, wearing my safety belt, which kept me from any severe injury. I do feel some physical injury effects this morning however (sore neck, shoulder, back; a slight headache). I'm not aware of any warning lamps, messages, etc. going off, but I must say everything happened very quickly. I've reported the accident to my insurance company & filed a claim. Given that the incident happened on the evening before the July 4th holiday, my insurance company scheduled vehicle towing (flatbed) for my car. It's my understanding that it's being stored at the tow company location & will be delivered tomorrow (Wednesday, 7/5/23) to the certified body repair facility recommended by my insurance company and chosen by me. An insurance adjuster will be doing their evaluation, likely in the next few days, at the earliest tomorrow morning. I've also advised the insurance company of these details & told them of my safety concerns and fears.

Reported
Jul 2023
Incident date
Jul 2023
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
Crash 1 injuries
Open ODI 11530344 at NHTSA →
Electrical SystemDec 2021 · ODI 11442218Details +

Certain 2018+ and all later Toyota Prius C modes have a 12V battery for which there is currently no OEM or aftermarket replacement. The battery has a form factor (shape and size) that is exclusive to these vehicles and not used in any other car sold in North America. Vehicles with failed batteries (like mine) cannot be operated. Toyota should retrofit these cars to accommodate the battery used in early (pre-2017) model cars which is electrically identical and available as an aftermarket replacement item.

Reported
Dec 2021
Incident date
Dec 2021
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 11442218 at NHTSA →
SteeringSep 2020 · ODI 11361389Details +

IRECEIVED THE WARNING THAT "PRE-COLLISION SYSTEM MALFUNCTION" WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THIS MORNING. THE WARNING MESSAGE ASKED ME TO STOP THE CAR AT A SAFE PLACE AND VISIT THE DEALER. AS SOON AS I GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR STOPPED ITSELF, AND THE STEERING WAS LOCKED. THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY DISABLED. AFTER TURN OFF THE CAR COMPLETELY FOR A FEW MINUTES, I CAN RESTART THE CAR WITH THE WARNING MESSAGE PERSISTS. WHILE I WAS LOOKING FOR A SAFE PLACE TO PARK THE CAR, THE CAR GRADUALLY STOPPED ITSELF AGAIN, AND THE WHEEL STEERING LOCKED ITSELF AGAIN. THE CAR FAILURE AND THE FACT THAT THE STEERING WHEEL GOT LOCKED ITSELF PUT ME AND MY PASSENGER AT GREAT DANGER.

Reported
Sep 2020
Incident date
Sep 2020
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 11361389 at NHTSA →
Unknown Or OtherMar 2019 · ODI 11190132Details +

THE PRE-COLLISION HAS NEVER WORKED , TOOK IT IN TO TOYOTA AND THEY SAID IT WAS GOOD AND THAT THERE WAS NO WAY TO TEST IN REAL LIFE . BUT IT HAS NOT WORKED SINCE CAR WAS NEW . THERE HAVE BEEN MANY TIMES WHEN THERE WAS A CAR VERY CLOSE STOPPED OR MOVING SLOW IN FRONT OF CAR AND I AM APPARENTLY READY TO HIT ,BUT NO ALARM OR SIGNAL.

Reported
Mar 2019
Incident date
Mar 2019
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 11190132 at NHTSA →
Unknown Or OtherOct 2018 · ODI 11133378 · 1 injuriesDetails +

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WITH NO OTHER VEHICLES AROUND ME THE MOONROOF UNEXPECTEDLY EXPLODED SHOWERING THE INTERIOR WITH RAZOR SHARP SHARDS OF GLASS WHICH INFLICTED A SPLINTER. AFTER CONTACTING TOYOTA, I WAS INFORMED THAT MOONROOFS ARE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY I HAVE PICTURES ON MY PHONE OF THESE SHARDS...

Reported
Oct 2018
Incident date
Oct 2018
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
1 injuries
Open ODI 11133378 at NHTSA →
Visibility/WiperOct 2018 · ODI 11133398 · 1 injuriesDetails +

WHILE ON MY MORNING COMMUTE ON THE FREEWAY THE MOONROOF UNEXPECTEDLY EXPLODED SHOWERING FRAGMENTS OF GLASS INTO THE VEHICLE. ONE SHARD ACTUALLY SPLINTERED INTO MY FINGER REQUIRING MEDICAL ATTENTION I HAVE NUMEROUS PICTURES ON MY PHONE

Reported
Oct 2018
Incident date
Oct 2018
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
1 injuries
Open ODI 11133398 at NHTSA →

Recalls(2)

Open a recall to read what NHTSA says is wrong, what can happen, and how it gets fixed. Check the VIN and remedy eligibility with a dealer; federal no-charge requirements have an age limit, though a manufacturer may offer more coverage.

Equipment · 18V176000Details +

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018 Toyota Prius C vehicles sold in Puerto Rico. The front passenger air bag and recommended child occupant seating positions label may not have been attached during assembly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Risk: If the label is missing, occupants may not follow the proper restraint usage guidelines, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners and will mail the removable labels to all known owners of the subject vehicles, free of charge. The recall began on April 11, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J0L.

Open full NHTSA recall record →
Hybrid Propulsion System · 19V491000Details +

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Prius C vehicles. The DC-DC converter may fail resulting in the auxiliary battery no longer receiving power from the converter, which may cause a loss of drive.

Risk: A loss of drive increases the risk of crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the DC-DC converter with a new one, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is K0K.

Open full NHTSA recall record →

A campaign can apply to this model year without being incomplete on a specific vehicle. Check the VIN with NHTSA or a dealer to confirm whether a particular car needs repair.

Investigations

1 NHTSA investigation on record

Investigations are agency reviews, not findings that a vehicle is defective.

Pedestrian alert sounds

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.

Crash-test ratings

2018 Toyota Prius C 5 HB FWD NHTSA source

Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).

Fuel economy by trim

TrimEngineDrivetrainCityHwyCombined
Prius c1.5L 4-cylFront-Wheel Drive484346

EPA laboratory estimates by trim and engine. Actual mileage varies with driving, weather, load, and maintenance. EPA source.

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Compare the year-by-year record

Open another year for its own evidence-gated decision. TireKick does not crown a best year from raw complaint totals.

2018 Toyota Prius c: frequently asked

What does the complaint record show for the 2018 Toyota Prius c?

Owners filed 6 NHTSA complaints about the 2018 Toyota Prius c. This is raw owner-reported complaint volume with no production or exposure normalization, so it is not a reliability score or a best/worst-year ranking.

What are the most common problems on the 2018 Toyota Prius c?

The most-reported problem areas are Unknown Or Other (33% of complaints) and electrical system (17%).

How many recalls does the 2018 Toyota Prius c have?

2 recalls have been issued that affect the 2018 Toyota Prius c, covering components such as equipment. Check the VIN with NHTSA and ask a dealer to confirm remedy eligibility; federal no-charge requirements have an age limit, though manufacturers may offer more coverage.

What gas mileage does the 2018 Toyota Prius c get?

The EPA rates the 2018 Toyota Prius c at 46 mpg combined.