2016 Toyota Prius reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 2016 Toyota Prius — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 213
- 46 in the last 5 years
- Top problem area
- VISIBILITY/WIPER
- 40 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 5
- see below
- Reported harm
- 10 reported crashes · 6 injuries
What owners report fails — 2016 Toyota Prius
- VISIBILITY/WIPER 40
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER 30
- SERVICE BRAKES 18
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 17
- ENGINE 17
5 recalls on record for the 2016 Toyota Prius
- NHTSA 18V579000 · 2018 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire.
- NHTSA 18V085000 · 2018 · AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW If the air bags fail to deploy in a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
- NHTSA 17V658000 · 2017 · HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER If the capacitor was not properly secured, vibrations from driving the vehicle may damage the capacitor, shutting down t
- NHTSA 16V741000 · 2016 · PARKING BRAKE If the parking brake cable disengages from the mechanism and the transmission is left in a gear other than 'Park' while
- NHTSA 16V672000 · 2016 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR A front passenger air bag that unintentionally inflates can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2016 Toyota Prius
A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 2016 Toyota Prius units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2016 Toyota Prius reliable?
NHTSA has 213 consumer complaints on record for the 2016 Toyota Prius and 5 recalls. The most-reported problem area is visibility/wiper (40 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2016 Toyota Prius units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Toyota Prius?
Owners most often report problems with: visibility/wiper (40), unknown or other (30), service brakes (18), electrical system (17). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 2016 Toyota Prius?
Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.