Reliable Auto DB

2015 Toyota Prius C reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2015 Toyota Prius C has 17 complaints with NHTSA after 12 years, or 2 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Prius C years here — over the median of the other years, which is 0. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Tire pressure monitoring.

2015 Toyota Prius c
Photo by MercurySable99, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

17

Per year

2

Recalls

1

Years on the road

12

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (5 of 17), then Engine (3) and Service brakes (3). Those filings include 2 that report a crash and 1 that reports an injury.

Next to 2014 and 2016

The 2014 Prius C has 2 complaints, 0 per year, and the 2016 has 2 complaints, 0 per year. The 2015 has more complaints per year than the 2014. The 2015 has more complaints per year than the 2016.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2015 Toyota Prius C. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall tires, tire pressure monitoring 2015-08-13 · NHTSA campaign 15V514000
Summary Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2015 Toyota Prius C vehicles manufactured April 20, 2015, to June 30, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) may be improperly calibrated and, as a result, the TPMS may fail to warn the driver that the tire pressure is low. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
Remedy SET will notify owners, and dealers will re-calibrate the TPMS, free of charge. The recall began on September 15, 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET15E.

Complaints by component (17 total)

Electrical system
5
Engine
3
Service brakes
3
Air bags
2
Structure
2
Wheels
2
Exterior lighting
1
Seats
1
Crash-flagged

2

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

1

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

120164201752018220191202112022120241202512026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "While driving the hybrid battery light turned on. The car then began to reduce its speed and I had to pull over. I restarted the car and on one of the fuses to the computer to restart it. I began to drive the car back…"
    Electrical system, Engine · filed 2026-07-04
  • "I purchased my 2015 Prius C in July of 2016. Since then I have consistently had issues with the lock actuator going out on various doors. As follows: 3/12/18 - Driverside 6/13/18 - Passenger Front 8/3/20 - Driverside…"
    Electrical system · filed 2025-07-11
  • "Unknown brake issues"
    Service brakes · filed 2024-04-09
  • "Prius was rear-ended at highway speeds, forcing it into the vehicle ahead of it. Airbags did not deploy, & driver's seat failed to stay locked, moving forward then rearward during crash."
    Air bags, Seats · filed 2022-10-22
  • "OUR VEHICLE WAS STRUCK IN THE SIDE THIS WEEK, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. WE WERE ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET TRAVELING AROUND 30MPH."
    Air bags · filed 2021-01-30

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2015 Toyota Prius C 5 HB FWD 4 stars 4 stars 4 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Prius c 1.5L, 4-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Front-wheel drive 53 46 50 MPG $1300

Specs and fitment

First generation (2015 refresh), 2015–2020
Body styles Hatchback
Oil 0W-20 , 3.9 qt capacity
Tire size 175/65R15, 185/60R15, 195/50R16 (trim-dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 15V-514 covers certain model year 2015 Toyota Prius c vehicles manufactured April 20, 2015, to June 30, 2015, sold through Southeast Toyota Distributors. The Tire Pressure Monitoring System may be improperly calibrated and may fail to warn the driver of low tire pressure, failing FMVSS 138.

Compare

See every Toyota Prius C model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2015 Toyota Prius C reliable?

The 2015 Toyota Prius C has 17 complaints with NHTSA after 12 years, or 2 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Prius C years here — over the median of the other years, which is 0. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Tire pressure monitoring.

What are common problems with a 2015 Toyota Prius C?

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (5 of 17), then Engine (3) and Service brakes (3). Those filings include 2 that report a crash and 1 that reports an injury.

Is the 2015 Toyota Prius C more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2014 Prius C has 2 complaints, 0 per year, and the 2016 has 2 complaints, 0 per year. The 2015 has more complaints per year than the 2014. The 2015 has more complaints per year than the 2016.

Has the 2015 Toyota Prius C been recalled?

The 2015 Toyota Prius C has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2015 Toyota Prius C?

Owners have filed 17 complaints about the 2015 Toyota Prius C with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2015 Toyota Prius C get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2015 Toyota Prius C is 50 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

Is oil specified for the Prius c on this record?

Not yet with a sourced fill here — confirm SAE grade from the owner’s manual for your model year.

What does recall 15V-514 cover on the Prius c?

Certain model year 2015 Prius c vehicles manufactured April 20, 2015, to June 30, 2015, sold through Southeast Toyota Distributors: the Tire Pressure Monitoring System may be improperly calibrated and may fail to warn of low tire pressure.

What years does this site cover for Prius c?

2012-2014 and facelift 2015-2020.