2025 Toyota Prius

Component: Driver Monitor Camera (DMC) — driver attention/drowsiness monitoring system. The Driver Monitor Camera repeatedly and incorrectly determines that the driver's eyes are closed when they are fully open and the driver is attentive and watching the road. This occurs during normal, attentive driving. When the system falsely registers "eyes closed," it issues escalating visual and audible alerts that grow progressively louder. The only reliable way to silence the escalating alarm is to briefly close one's eyes — meaning the system induces the exact unsafe behavior (eyes off the road) that a driver-attention system is supposed to prevent. This is a significant distraction and safety hazard. The system reactivates automatically at every engine start and cannot be permanently disabled. It must be turned off through a nested settings menu before every single drive, and even then visual alerts may persist. The dealer's service center confirmed it cannot be permanently disabled and must be switched off manually each time the vehicle is driven. The false-positive pattern appears tied to the driver's eyelid shape and facial structure, raising concern that the detection system was not adequately validated across the full range of human facial features. The frequency of false alerts, the escalating audible alarm, and the fact that silencing it requires closing one's eyes while driving together create a genuine, ongoing safety risk. Frequency: virtually every drive, multiple times per trip. No crash or injury to date, but the alert behavior creates serious driver distraction. Requested action: Investigation into the accuracy and validation of the Driver Monitor Camera's eye-detection across diverse facial and eyelid structures, and into the safety of an alert design whose escalation can only be stopped by the driver closing their eyes.

Reported

Jun 2026

Incident date

Jun 2026

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

I am submitting this complaint to report an unexpected transmission shift event that occurred while operating my 2025 Toyota Prius at highway speed which created an immediate and obvious safety risk. The event occurred on XXX. While driving my Prius at approximately 75mph on Interstate [XXX], I reached toward the center console area to retrieve my sunglasses. I did not intentionally move the shifter, but the transmission suddenly shifted from Drive to Neutral. After moving from Drive to Neutral, the accelerator no longer provided propulsion. At the time, my vehicle was traveling downhill and was being followed by an eighteen-wheel tractor trailer. The truck driver behind me had no way of knowing that my vehicle had unexpectedly lost the ability to accelerate. To avoid being struck from behind, I steered left into a paved median area, applied the brakes, and was able to shift back to Drive and merge into the traffic flow. Had a paved escape area not been available, it seems inevitable that our chances of being in a fatal collision with the vehicle behind us would be quite high. My concern is that a normal driver movement (reaching for an item near the center console while driving) may inadvertently have caused the transmission to enter Neutral at highway speed resulting in the possibility of serious harm or fatality. I believe this presents an unacceptable safety hazard and warrants investigation. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Reported

Jun 2026

Incident date

Dec 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Prius PLUG-IN Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the rear passenger door would open without warning. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V049000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 3,000.

Reported

May 2026

Incident date

Jun 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

These tires were purchased brand new and installed at Pep Boys on March 24th. By the 15th of this month—less than a month later—one of the tires had developed a bulge on its sidewall.bubbling on the tire sidewall . However, neither the manufacturer (Toyo) nor the retailer (Pep Boys) has been willing to take responsibility for the issue, refusing to process a return, issue a refund, or address the quality defect. I have clear photographic evidence demonstrating that this is undeniably a product quality issue!

Reported

Apr 2026

Incident date

Apr 2026

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the driver’s side front door became inoperable while using the controls. The door could be opened from the front passenger’s side of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V049000 (Electrical System, Latches/Locks/Linkages). The failure mileage was 21,000.

Reported

Apr 2026

Incident date

Feb 2026

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear driver’s side door unexpectedly opened while a minor was seated inside the vehicle. The message that the rear door was unlocked was displayed. The dealer was notified of the failure, but the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V049000 (Electrical System, Latches/Locks/Linkages). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 3,900.

Reported

Mar 2026

Incident date

Feb 2026

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Vehicle has an active safety recall where the rear hatch may open while driving. Manufacturer states there is no remedy until August 2026, making the vehicle unsafe to operate. I am still making loan and insurance payments on a vehicle that cannot safely be used due to the recall.”

Reported

Mar 2026

Incident date

Feb 2026

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Automanufactures are Phasing Out Spare Tires Toyota and other automakers no longer include spare tires in new vehicles. I recently experienced the serious consequences of their decision . While driving to work in my new 2025 Toyota Prius, I got a flat tire. I manage to get to work and parked in a parking garage. My husband came to help and went to install the spare. He opened the trunk and found Styrofoam under the liner with a tire inflation kit... no spare tire! We had a horrible experience for the next three days!!! So... Consumer Beware: • Tire kit is not a solution; it does not work for all leaks. • Tow trucks can not access cars in parking garages due to low height. • Driving out could damage tire rims. • Health risks from exposure to the tire inflation chemicals: headaches within an hour, lasting into the next day, skin irritation, and respiratory inflammation/congestion. Time, Labor, and Cost; (It's all on the consumer) After days and many hours of calling Toyota, the dealer, and tire shops, we had to: • drive back to remove the flat tire • order a new tire • deliver to the flat tire to the shop • pick up the new tire the next day • drive back to replace the flat ourselves. Solutions / Warnings: • Spare tire: Toyota does not make one, leaving consumers without options. • Consumers must rely on unreliable tire kits, roadside assistance towing to a dealership (which could not help because tow trucks can not fit in parking garage) or do it all yourself. • No adequate health warnings on the tire kit—contains natural rubber (latex), propylene, and ammonia. Toyota reps offered no empathy or real solutions, only demeaning statements that consumer should know that Toyota (and other automakers) no longer includes spare tires only ineffective tire kits, leaving Toyota and others removing spare tires to save money and appear to improve gas mileage creates serious risk for consumers.

Reported

Nov 2025

Incident date

Nov 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Infotainment screen stuck on "Experience Drive Connect" screen which disables all the safety devices on the vehiucle. OEM needs to update the software to remove this screen. Screen is tied to Toyota subscription service. I believe all new Toyota products would have this vulnerability.

Reported

Nov 2025

Incident date

Oct 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Design of rear window, side mirrors and large rear pillar greatly reduce the visibility and checking of blind spot if you are a taller person. Blind spot electronic detection can not be trusted as it's performance is intermittent. Solution would be for Toyota of retrofit electronic mirror feature like installed in the Limited version of this car. This feature has live rear view camera enabled on the rearview mirror at all times. Prius without this feature is very dangerous to drive.

Reported

Nov 2025

Incident date

Nov 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

2025 Toyota Prius XLE. The upgraded 12 inch infotainment flickers light then dark then back to light several times. Automatic braking is being turned off without knowledge. The Toyota cruise control and adaptive cruise control will say unavailable or see owners manual. Different safety features will turn off on their own. The 12 inch infotainment center will switch from Apple car play to regular radio (Sirius Xm) on its own.

Reported

Sep 2025

Incident date

Sep 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Randomly, the car have a delay of approximately 2 seconds when I hit the gas pedal. It happened multiple times, 2-3 times per day. The gas pedal can pe pressed to the floor, it won’t react. After 2 seconds or so it will react and drive normally. I noticed this is happening when the car is in EV mode ( I’m either stopped at red light, or I’m slowing down a bit/taking a turn. This is a hazardous situation and very dangerous.

Reported

Sep 2025

Incident date

Sep 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

I started hearing a scratching/rubbing noise from the brake, and feeling the scratching/rubbing through the brake pedal, making it difficult to push down. I almost crashed in the ally into my garage, but the emergency braking took over and stopped the car very suddenly, snapping my neck a bit, and it is still sore as of me writing this report. Since then brake pedal makes scratching/dry rubbing noise with heavy rubbing and grabbing feel through pedal. It only happens at 20mph or below during quick stops (not smooth stop, press pedal quickly), at 15-25% pedal position. When holding pedal at that position while moving, rubbing/grabbing through the pedal feels rhythmic like it's related to wheel rotation. If car is creeping in Neutral or Drive (no gas pedal pressed), and you lightly press the pedal, you can hear and feel like something is grabbing/releasing/grabbing/releasing. Sometimes it the brake pedal resists and there is a very loud rubbing or grinding noise, and I have to press the pedal very hard. This can also be replicated when the car in in Park. Lightly pressing on the brake pedal causes the braking pump to make a whirring sound to build pressure (this is normal), but at the end there is a scratching sound and grinding feeling in the pedal. I took it to the dealer 3 days after purchasing it on June 25th, 2025 and the assistant service manager reproduced the issue in front of me, and thought it was the brake actuator going bad or something with ABS. However, the master tech at the dealer just drove it around, DID NOT CHECK ANY COMPONENTS except the thickness of the brake pads, and declared everything fine. I fear for my safety in this car. If I am involved in an accident, it will be because the braking system failed in this car and the dealer refused to fix it.

Reported

Jul 2025

Incident date

Jun 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

1 injuries

The wireless charging in my vehicle and others have reported the same problem. The phone gets so hot to the touch while charging that it is causing cell phones to shutdown and possibly damage them. There needs to be a update to provide cooling air to the charging area to avoid customers phone damage or worse a possible fire due to the extreme temperature the phones are obtaining.

Reported

Jun 2025

Incident date

May 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

As I was pulling my car into a parking space with the brake applied lightly, the car suddenly lost braking and lurched forward when the front wheels touched the curb. This caused the front of the car to jump the curb and hit a tree a foot or two away. My foot was on the brake during this and the car did not brake automatically, or engage any other sort of safety measure. This was terrifying and I could have easily hit a pedestrian or injured myself and the passengers of my vehicle on impact. I completely lost control of the vehicle's braking due to this issue. Since the incident happened today, my vehicle has not yet been inspected. No warning lamps of any kind had been activated. The car was nearly brand new. Upon further investigation, there are numerous reports of similar events happening to Toyota hybrids over the years. A simple google search for this turns up many reports. These reports center around sudden loss of braking from the regenerative braking system and a "lag" before conventional braking is applied that causes the forward lurch due to the momentum of the car. Many others on online forums seem to also suggest running into this issue specifically when the wheels hit a bump. This sounds exactly like what happened to my car, causing it to lose control despite my having the brake applied. It is insane that such a problem has existed for years in the braking system without being fixed by Toyota.

Reported

Apr 2025

Incident date

Apr 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

Crash

The headlights at night are too low. They only illuminate 1 car's length away and Toyota doesn't want to touch it to raise it more. I asked my local dealer SF Toyota Service Center, where I said "It feels dangerous", and they just kinda shrugged their shoulders. This is not a defect, it seems to be as intended (or at least as rolled off the factory floor) because other 2023 Prius owners agree it is aimed too low. Someone believes they were "optimized" for the Radar Cruise Control camera, and not the driver. Some also report that an internal component of the headlight is casting a shadow within the light beam, indicating a second issue related to the headlight visibility. My ask: I want Toyota to fix both issues on my vehicle. I feel limited to day driving which is a problem, especially when I want to do outdoor recreational activities like hiking in the mountains or seeing a sunset at the top of a mountain. The beam cutoff is too low when the road isn't flat. This is especially a problem when there are zero reflectors on the road, which is an issue in areas like the highway into Santa Cruz.

Reported

Mar 2025

Incident date

Mar 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

2023+ Toyota Prius models display an advertisement on the touchscreen head unit and there is no way to remove it besides subscribing to Toyota's optional "Drive Connect" feature. Displaying an advertisement to the driver of a car that cannot be turned off without paying is a safety hazard.

Reported

Mar 2025

Incident date

Mar 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or display a blank screen when the vehicle is in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Risk: A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB13 and 25LB06. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE25.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Prius Prime, 2023-2026 Prius, and 2025-2026 Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. Water may enter the rear door switch and cause a short circuit, allowing an unlocked rear door to open unexpectedly.

Risk: A door that unexpectedly opens while the vehicle is moving increases the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will modify the rear door switch circuits, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed July 13, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26TB03 and 26TA03. This recall expands and replaces NHTSA recall number 24V274. Vehicles repaired under the previous recall will need to have the new remedy performed.