Toyota Prius 2004–2009
2nd generation (XW20)
NHTSA data through 12 August 20268,714 complaints, 7,289 with mileageMethod
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 30,000 and 98,000 miles.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 251 complaints (3.4%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 9,025
- 25%
- 30,000
- Median
- 55,000
- 75%
- 98,000
- 90%
- 149,706
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5,000 | 504 | 6.9% |
| 5,000–10,000 | 250 | 3.4% |
| 10,000–15,000 | 246 | 3.4% |
| 15,000–20,000 | 200 | 2.7% |
| 20,000–25,000 | 248 | 3.4% |
| 25,000–30,000 | 258 | 3.5% |
| 30,000–35,000 | 365 | 5.0% |
| 35,000–40,000 | 390 | 5.4% |
| 40,000–45,000 | 454 | 6.2% |
| 45,000–50,000 | 331 | 4.5% |
| 50,000–55,000 | 347 | 4.8% |
| 55,000–60,000 | 304 | 4.2% |
| 60,000–65,000 | 294 | 4.0% |
| 65,000–70,000 | 221 | 3.0% |
| 70,000–75,000 | 203 | 2.8% |
| 75,000–80,000 | 199 | 2.7% |
| 80,000–85,000 | 210 | 2.9% |
| 85,000–90,000 | 176 | 2.4% |
| 90,000–95,000 | 163 | 2.2% |
| 95,000–100,000 | 133 | 1.8% |
| 100,000–105,000 | 203 | 2.8% |
| 105,000–110,000 | 105 | 1.4% |
| 110,000–115,000 | 116 | 1.6% |
| 115,000–120,000 | 97 | 1.3% |
| 120,000–125,000 | 122 | 1.7% |
| 125,000–130,000 | 77 | 1.1% |
| 130,000–135,000 | 98 | 1.3% |
| 135,000–140,000 | 93 | 1.3% |
| 140,000–145,000 | 84 | 1.2% |
| 145,000–150,000 | 79 | 1.1% |
| 150,000–155,000 | 87 | 1.2% |
| 155,000–160,000 | 42 | 0.6% |
| 160,000–165,000 | 86 | 1.2% |
| 165,000–170,000 | 36 | 0.5% |
| 170,000–175,000 | 57 | 0.8% |
| 175,000–180,000 | 36 | 0.5% |
| 180,000–185,000 | 39 | 0.5% |
| 185,000–190,000 | 33 | 0.5% |
| 190,000–195,000 | 27 | 0.4% |
| 195,000–200,000 | 25 | 0.3% |
| 200,000+ | 251 | 3.4% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 8,714 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004–2009 Toyota Prius, and 7,289 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 30,000 and 98,000 miles. The median is 55,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are the exterior lighting (37.2% of complaints, typically around 55,000 miles), the electrical system (12.2% of complaints, typically around 72,000 miles), the hydraulic brake circuit (8.0% of complaints, typically around 23,000 miles).
5 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Exterior lighting55,000median 55,063 miles, middle half 39,000 to 88,000
- Electrical system72,000median 72,000 miles, middle half 35,000 to 127,000
- Hydraulic brake circuit23,000median 22,766 miles, middle half 6,500 to 50,000
- Throttle and speed control34,000median 33,850 miles, middle half 13,000 to 64,000
- Brakes132,000median 131,500 miles, middle half 92,000 to 170,000
- Electronic brake control25,000median 24,700 miles, middle half 5,000 to 50,000
- Body structure70,000median 70,000 miles, middle half 45,000 to 98,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior lighting | 3,242 | 37.2% | 55,000 | 39,000–88,000 |
| Electrical system | 1,059 | 12.2% | 72,000 | 35,000–127,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 693 | 8.0% | 23,000 | 6,500–50,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 596 | 6.8% | 34,000 | 13,000–64,000 |
| Brakes | 511 | 5.9% | 132,000 | 92,000–170,000 |
| Electronic brake control | 306 | 3.5% | 25,000 | 5,000–50,000 |
| Body structure | 302 | 3.5% | 70,000 | 45,000–98,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 221 | 2.5% | 17,000 | 7,000–50,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 219 | 2.5% | 62,000 | 20,000–109,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 214 | 2.5% | 90,000 | 35,000–135,000 |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 55,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The exterior lighting accounts for 37.2% of complaints (3,242 reports, 2,900 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 55,063 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 39,400 and 88,000 miles.
A single system taking 37.2% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
The electrical system accounts for 12.2% of complaints (1,059 reports, 887 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 72,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 35,000 and 127,000 miles.
The hydraulic brake circuit accounts for 8.0% of complaints (693 reports, 560 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 22,766 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 6,300 and 50,000 miles.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 6.8% of complaints (596 reports, 482 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 33,850 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 13,153 and 64,500 miles.
The brakes account for 5.9% of complaints (511 reports, 391 of them with a mileage figure), and they fail late — a median of 131,500 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 92,000 and 170,000 miles.
The electronic brake control accounts for 3.5% of complaints (306 reports, 251 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 24,700 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 5,000 and 50,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2007 model year drew the most — 2,451 complaints — while 2009 drew the fewest at 644. The median year sits at 1,494.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 5 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around equipment (2), seats (1), the hybrid propulsion system (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
Of the 8,714 complaints filed against this generation, 788 reported a crash; 42 reported a fire; 440 reported an injury; 14 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 9.0% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 30,000 and 98,000 miles, with a median of 55,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the exterior lighting and the electrical system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The exterior lighting in particular shows a median failure mileage of 55,063, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
Inverter / Intelligent Power Module 2004–2009
Inverter IGBT and IPM failure causing sudden loss of hybrid power and the 'red triangle of death' warning, sometimes at speed. Toyota issued inverter software recalls and extended warranty coverage on the inverter assembly.
Instrument Cluster 2004–2009
Combination meter self-illumination failure leaving the speedometer and fuel display blank; subject of a Toyota warranty enhancement program.
Steering 2004–2009
Steering intermediate extension shaft can crack and separate, causing loss of steering control; NHTSA recall.
Hybrid Battery Cooling 2004–2009
Traction battery cooling fan and duct clogging with debris causes the pack to overheat and accelerates cell degradation - a maintenance-driven failure specific to this packaging.
Water Pump 2004–2009
Electric engine coolant pump failure causing overheating warnings; a recurring high-mileage failure item.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 737 | 600 |
| 2005 | 1,298 | 1,080 |
| 2006 | 1,690 | 1,455 |
| 2007 | 2,451 | 2,075 |
| 2008 | 1,894 | 1,571 |
| 2009 | 644 | 508 |
Recalls (5)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 13V014000 | 2013-03-21 | Seats |
| 12V536000 | 2013-01-17 | Hybrid Propulsion System: Inverter |
| 12V537000 | 2012-12-20 | Steering:gear Box:shaft Sector |
| 10V036000 | 2010-05-27 | Equipment:other:labels |
| 10V035000 | 2010-05-27 | Equipment:other:labels |
What owners reported
This is not the first time that i have had this problem, but i just learned this is the venue to state my complaints(i have another complaint on this board. I bought this car to save gas,money and the environment,but now this car is doing none of these for me in stop and go traffic. While i'm stuck in traffic in…
2004 · 3 miles · Electrical system
(Combination meter problem) while driving at night on the freeway the entire instrument panel (dash board) started blinking on and off. For our safety, we decided to slow down and exit the freeway and stop in a safe area. We turned the ignition off, then started the car, with nothing appearing on the instrument panel…
2004 · 5 miles · Electronic stability control (esc)
Omg, omg its so fresh in my mind!. I was terrified. My daughter(oldest) was in a terrible car accident and was taken to the hospital(mary washington in va.) I was at work and got the horrific call about 1745hrs (rush hour). I jumped in my car(2004-Prius) i i can't tell you how i felt. As i entered the hov lanes from…
2004 · 17 miles · Electrical system
While driving at night, my headlights will turn off randomly. Sometimes, it is just one but often it is both. If i turn the headlights switch to off and back to on, sometimes one or both lights will turn back on. More recently, this trick hasn't been working as well and i have to drive just using my fog lights. It…
2004 · 45 miles · Exterior lighting
Built from 7,289 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page