AutoUtility currently tracks 181 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2016 Toyota Prius. Visibility, Wipers & Glass issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 43 complaints (23.8% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 13 filings cite a crash, 6 report one or more injuries.
Factual proportion of owner complaints categorized by automotive subsystem in NHTSA records
43 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
26 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
25 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
18 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
Formal engineering analyses and preliminary evaluations opened by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
"The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while the vehicle was on and running, the ABS and traction control warning lights illuminated, and the messages "Braking Power Low - Stop in a Safe Place”, “See Owner's Manual", "Braking Power Low - Visit the Dealer", and "ABS..."
"My name is [XXX] currently active duty military stationed in San Diego. Can you please check if my car VIN number [XXX] 2016 Toyota Prius C 103k miles still covered for brake booster malfunction code 1391. I have told they are extended warranty up to 10 yrs less 150k. Toyota dealer here seems not..."
"Second time !!!! during ownership of car that brakes fail. Same problem as before Brake Actuator/Booster Failures: Multiple reports indicate issues with the ABS actuator or brake booster pump, leading to warning lights ("Braking power low", "ABS system malfunction")."
"The car has a very strong gas smell, especially when full."
"P 175/65r15 I was driving on a slight curve on the I-10 in El Paso, TX when the rear bumper exploded. The car started swaying and swerving then I pulled over. I then realized that the tread on the tire was gone floating across the highway. The trie was bare with no tread with the bumper around the..."
Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2026)
| Model Year | NHTSA Complaints | Crash Reports | Safety Recalls | Detailed Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Toyota Prius | 180 | 31 | 2 | View 2015 Problems → |
| 2016 Toyota Prius Current Page | 181 | 13 | 5 | Current |
| 2017 Toyota Prius | 93 | 14 | 3 | View 2017 Problems → |
| 2018 Toyota Prius | 42 | 6 | 3 | View 2018 Problems → |
| 2019 Toyota Prius | 30 | 7 | 4 | View 2019 Problems → |
| 2020 Toyota Prius | 14 | 6 | 0 | View 2020 Problems → |
| 2021 Toyota Prius | 6 | 1 | 0 | View 2021 Problems → |
| 2022 Toyota Prius | 24 | 4 | 1 | View 2022 Problems → |
| 2023 Toyota Prius | 19 | 1 | 4 | View 2023 Problems → |
| 2024 Toyota Prius | 23 | 4 | 4 | View 2024 Problems → |
| 2025 Toyota Prius | 17 | 1 | 2 | View 2025 Problems → |
| 2026 Toyota Prius | 0 | 0 | 1 | View 2026 Problems → |
Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 54 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications
| Vehicle Component / System | Total Complaints | Crash Reports | Fire Reports | Injury Entries | Fatality Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility & Wipers NHTSA category: VISIBILITY/WIPER | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES | 12 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS | 8 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Tires NHTSA category: TIRES | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control NHTSA category: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure & Body NHTSA category: STRUCTURE | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel & Propulsion System NHTSA category: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats & Restraints NHTSA category: SEATS | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension NHTSA category: SUSPENSION | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels & Hubs NHTSA category: WHEELS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,SERVICE BRAKES | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| BACK OVER PREVENTION,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,TIRES,EQUIPMENT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| PARKING BRAKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts NHTSA category: SEAT BELTS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,VISIBILITY,STRUCTURE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TIRES,WHEELS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VISIBILITY,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Cross-reference safety recalls, crash test safety ratings, and EPA fuel economy for this model year
Key performance indicators, EPA fuel economy specs, powertrain variants, and summary ratings.
Official recall campaigns, safety defect descriptions, and manufacturer free remedy instructions.
NHTSA 5-Star NCAP crash test results, driver assistance systems, and rollover resistance ratings.
EPA fuel economy ratings, electric range, and annual energy cost benchmarks.
Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2016 Toyota Prius
In official NHTSA consumer records, the most frequently cited issue area for the 2016 Toyota Prius is Visibility, Wipers & Glass, appearing in 43 records (23.8% of submitted filings).
Secondary reported categories include Electrical System (26) and Brakes & Traction Control (25).
AutoUtility does not issue subjective reliability scores or commercial ratings. In official United States government records, NHTSA tracks 181 consumer defect complaints and 5 safety recall campaigns for the 2016 Toyota Prius.
Reviewing documented component complaint distributions, recall remedy notices, and active federal investigations provides an objective, evidence-based view of the vehicle's historical safety and defect record.
Among consumer complaint records on file with NHTSA for the 2016 Toyota Prius, 13 filings cite a crash, 0 cite smoke or fire, and 6 report one or more injuries.
Incident entries represent consumer descriptions at the time of submission to federal authorities and do not establish mechanical causation or legal liability.
NHTSA ODI records list 1 formal defect investigation involving the 2016 Toyota Prius (all closed).
Federal defect investigations are formal engineering evaluations opened when safety defect trends emerge, and do not by themselves establish a confirmed defect or mandatory recall.
The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database under 49 CFR Part 576.
Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.