Reliable Auto DB

2015 Toyota Prius reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2015 Toyota Prius has 165 complaints with NHTSA after 12 years, or 11 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Prius years here — over the median of the other years, which is 7. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Inverter.

2010 Toyota Prius
Photo by Corvettec6r, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons Public domain
Complaints

165

Per year

11

Recalls

1

Years on the road

12

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Service brakes (88 of 165), then Electrical system (27) and Powertrain (13). Those filings include 29 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, 12 that report an injury, and 1 that reports a death.

Next to 2014 and 2016

The 2014 Prius has 237 complaints, 17 per year, and the 2016 has 179 complaints, 34 per year. The 2015 has fewer complaints per year than the 2014. The 2015 has fewer 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. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall hybrid propulsion, inverter 2020-06-24 · NHTSA campaign 20V369000
Summary Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Prius and 2014-2017 Prius V vehicles not included in recall 18V-684. Excessive voltage in the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) within the inverter may cause the hybrid system to shut down, causing the vehicle to stall while being driven.
Remedy Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will perform a software update for the hybrid system. If the vehicle has experienced an inverter failure with certain hybrid system faults related to this condition, the inverter assembly will be repaired or replaced, prior to software update. All repairs will be performed free of charge. This recall began July 24, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB10 / 20TA10.

Complaints by component (165 total)

Service brakes
88
Electrical system
27
Powertrain
13
Engine
8
Exterior lighting
7
Speed control
7
Air bags
6
Forward collision avoidance
6
Fuel and propulsion system
6
Structure
6
Hydraulic brakes
4
Visibility and wipers
4
Hybrid propulsion
3
Seats
3
Steering
3
Suspension
3
Seat belts
2
Tires
2
Wheels
2
Back-over prevention
1
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
Visibility
1
Show 14 more Show less
Crash-flagged

29

Fire-flagged

1

Injury reports

12

Death reports

1

Complaints filed per year

1120151320161020178201812201992020112021620226202382024402025312026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "I am reporting an active, severe safety hazard regarding the braking system on my 2015 Toyota Prius ( Mileage: 79,000). The vehicle has been officially diagnosed by Toyota Culver City with Diagnostic Trouble Code DTC…"
    Service brakes · filed 2026-09-17
  • "Problem: Brake Actuator is pulsing the Booster Pump to keep running intermittently, 5-10 seconds. Console lights lit up for ABS problem. Does not clear. Toyota Dealership Report: DCT C1391 Abnormal Leak: Monitored TEH…"
    Service brakes · filed 2026-08-31
  • "On XXX, I was driving my 2015 Toyota Prius with my family in the vehicle and approaching stopped traffic on dry pavement. An emergency vehicle was approaching from behind, so I began braking earlier than usual. When I…"
    Service brakes · filed 2026-08-26
  • "Code DTC C1391 - Abnormal leak of accumulator pressure. Internal failure of the brake booster pump assembly, preventing the system from maintaining proper hydraulic pressure. This means the brakes don't work, putting…"
    Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance · filed 2026-08-11
  • "I was rear-ended by a truck in my prius and my seat laid back on impact. I'm unaware if that was an intended thing or not but it potentially could have injured my neck. My car is currently in a storage lot awaiting the…"
    Seats · filed 2026-07-28

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2015 Toyota Prius 5 HB FWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2015 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid 5 HB FWD Not rated Not rated Not rated 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 1.8L, 4-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Front-wheel drive 50 46 48 MPG $1350
Prius Plug-in hybrid 1.8L, 4-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Front-wheel drive 51 49 50 MPG / 540 mi range $1300

Specs and fitment

3rd generation, 2012–2015
Body styles Liftback
Oil SAE 0W-20 , 4.4 qt capacity
Tire size 195/65R15, P215/45R17

Known issues for this generation

Recall 14V-053 covers certain model year 2010 through 2014 Prius vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) inside the inverter module may have transistors that become damaged from high operating temperatures, which can illuminate warning lamps and limit power. Recall 18V-684 covers certain 2010-2014 Toyota Prius vehicles (along with certain 2012-2014 Prius v vehicles in the same campaign). Excessive voltage in the IPM within the inverter may cause the hybrid system to shut down and the vehicle to stall while being driven. Dealers update software for the motor/generator control ECU and hybrid control ECU; Toyota states the 18V-684 updates are needed even if earlier inverter software campaigns were already performed. Recall 20V-369 covers certain 2013-2015 Prius vehicles not included in 18V-684, for the same IPM voltage condition; dealers perform a hybrid system software update.

Compare

Previous year 2014 Toyota Prius Next year 2016 Toyota Prius See every Toyota Prius model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2015 Toyota Prius reliable?

The 2015 Toyota Prius has 165 complaints with NHTSA after 12 years, or 11 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Prius years here — over the median of the other years, which is 7. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Inverter.

What are common problems with a 2015 Toyota Prius?

The complaints owners file most often name Service brakes (88 of 165), then Electrical system (27) and Powertrain (13). Those filings include 29 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, 12 that report an injury, and 1 that reports a death.

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

The 2014 Prius has 237 complaints, 17 per year, and the 2016 has 179 complaints, 34 per year. The 2015 has fewer complaints per year than the 2014. The 2015 has fewer complaints per year than the 2016.

Has the 2015 Toyota Prius been recalled?

The 2015 Toyota Prius 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?

Owners have filed 165 complaints about the 2015 Toyota Prius with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2015 Toyota Prius get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2015 Toyota Prius is 49 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What generation is a 2018 Toyota Prius?

4th generation (US model years 2016-2022).

What oil does a Toyota Prius hybrid take?

US manuals for recent Prius liftbacks specify about 4.4 qt with filter; viscosity is SAE 0W-20 on 2012-2015 models and SAE 0W-16 (with 0W-20 as a temporary substitute) on 2016+ models.

When did the fifth-generation Prius start in the US?

Fifth generation (XW60) US model years begin with 2023.