2013 TOYOTA PRIUS C — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
4/5
Safety Rating
88
Owner Complaints
0
Recalls
15
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2013 TOYOTA PRIUS C
The 2013 TOYOTA PRIUS C has received a total of 88 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It earned an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests. 15 technical service bulletins have been issued by Toyota Motor Corporation for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Electrical System (21 complaints), Service Brakes (16 complaints), and Engine (7 complaints).
Recalls for the 2013 TOYOTA PRIUS C
There are no recalls on file with NHTSA for the 2013 TOYOTA PRIUS C. No Active Recalls
Owner Complaints for the 2013 TOYOTA PRIUS C
88 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2013 TOYOTA PRIUS C. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 21 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes | 16 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuelpropulsion System | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Or Other | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bags | 4 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hybrid Propulsion System | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Train | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structurebody | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention Warnings | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System Instrument Clusterpanel | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control Esc | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipmentelectricalnavigational Systemglobal Positioning System | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance Automatic Emergency Braking | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hybrid Propulsion System Inverter | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes Hydraulic | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibilityglass Siderear | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent Complaints
The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius C. The contact stated that while his wife was attempting to cold-start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that on several occasions the vehicle was started; however, the instrument cluster and other electrical devices failed to operate as needed. The contact replaced the auxiliary battery. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred, and the vehicle needed to be jump-started. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V369000 (Hybrid Propulsion System); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
Brake master cylinder failure.
Brake master cylinder failure.
Car suddenly needed a jump start and again after a day or two of non-use. On the third day Brakes, ABS and traction control warnings were lighted up and remains. Brakes are mostly ineffective. My own scan returns the code C1252 and C1256 that says brake booster system failing. Took it to the dealer who charged $290 again to scan and came up with failed brake booster and pump assembly. The dealers is quoting total $4000 to fix. Toyota Customer Support Program Bulletin dated 8/2018 and revised on 8/2019 extends the warranty on for this issue (for Toyota Prius C 2013) for 10 years or 150000 miles. I was never informed by Toyota or the seller (Stevens Creek Toyota, San Jose CA) about this defect under warranty that I could have gotten repaired well before the dead line of 10 years. Now Both Toyota or the dealer's service department refuse to bear the repair cost.
Warning lamps for ABS and others and the chiming dings came on while pulling away from the bank drive through and parking for a second. I shut the engine off and turned back on with no success. I was barely able to park in a spot because of difficulties braking. My car had been making an electric noise every 15 seconds or so previously, at different times when parked, but I thought it was the hybrid engine. Now I think it was the brake pump trying to build up pressure due to a faulty, leaking brake actuator.
Safety Rating for the 2013 TOYOTA PRIUS C
The 2013 TOYOTA PRIUS C received an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
| Test Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Frontal Crash | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Side Crash | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Rollover | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Safety ratings are based on controlled crash tests conducted by NHTSA. A 5-star rating indicates the highest level of occupant protection.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2013 TOYOTA PRIUS C
Toyota Motor Corporation has issued 15 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2013 TOYOTA PRIUS C. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
21TE01 - 2012-20 — SERVICE BRAKES
DP: Although the Brake Booster and Brake Booster Pump Assemblies are covered by Toyota?s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 3 years or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Toyota care about the customers? ownership experience. Toyota is providing coverage for repairs related to certain internal malfunctions of the Brake...
T-SB-0028-21 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TSB: Some 2012 ? 2014 model year Prius C hybrid vehicles may exhibit a condition in which the brake, ABS, and/or TRAC warning lights are on and/or a Check VSC message displays. Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) C1391, C1252, C1256, and/or C1253 may also be stored. This condition may be caused...
T-SB-0024-19 — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:ABS WARNING LIGHT
TSB: Some 2011 ? 2015 model year Prius and 2012 ? 2015 model year Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicles may exhibit a condition where the brake, ABS, and/or TRAC warning light(s) are on and/or a Check VSC message displays. Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) C1391, C1252, C1256, and C1253 may be stored....
F0B_TI_EXPIRED_S — EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
Technical Instructions: LSC Expired on December 31, 2017. TECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR LIMITED SERVICE CAMPAIGN F0B OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) SENSOR CERTAIN 2012 ? 2013 MODEL YEAR SIA CAMRY.
F0B_Expired_Deal — AIR BAGS
Dealer Package: January 8, 2018 A watermark has been added to the Dealer Letter to indicate that F0B expired on December 31, 2017 LSC Expired on December 31, 2017.
T-SB-0162-13_Rev — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TSB: REVISION NOTICE January 05, 2018 Rev1: ? Applicability has been updated to include 2012 ? 2017 Camry HV and Prius C, 2015 ? 2017 Prius V, 2006 ? 2017 Highlander HV, 2010 ? 2016 Prius, and 2016 ? 2017 RAV4 HV model year vehicles. ? The Repair Procedure section...
ZG8 Region Lette — ENGINE
Region Letter: In these vehicles, Toyota has received some reports where vehicles may exhibit a combination of abnormal engine noise and rough idle.
ZG8 Dealer Packa — ENGINE
Dealer Package: Toyota is announcing a Warranty Enhancement Program to extend the warranty coverage for certain 2012 ? 2013 model year Scion iQ vehicles that exhibit a rough idle and abnormal noise condition caused by internal carbon deposit in the combustion chambers.
F0B_LSC_Region L — AIR BAGS
RL: The front passenger seat assembly is equipped with sensors for the occupant classification system which are used to control the operation of supplemental restraint systems (SRS), including the front passenger airbag. The sensors classify the weight of the occupant and activate or deactivate the front passenger airbag accordingly. Additionally,...
T-SB-0101-11 Rev — EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
TSB: When servicing interior electrical switches and components, please note the precautions in this bulletin to avoid damaging electrical components and switches. Many lubricants, cleaners, and automotive chemicals contain silicone or other compounds that may contaminate electrical contacts, and therefore increase electrical resistance and decrease switch performance. The use of...
Showing 10 of 15 technical service bulletins.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2013 TOYOTA PRIUS C
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the TOYOTA PRIUS C
- 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS C — 87 complaints
- 2013 TOYOTA PRIUS C (current)
- 2014 TOYOTA PRIUS C — 52 complaints
- 2015 TOYOTA PRIUS C — 24 complaints
- 2016 TOYOTA PRIUS C — 15 complaints
- 2017 TOYOTA PRIUS C — 3 complaints
- 2018 TOYOTA PRIUS C — 9 complaints
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