2018 Toyota Prius C recalls and problems

The 2018 Toyota Prius C has 2 safety recalls and 6 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Toyota dealer.

Recalls

Complaints

Crashes / fires

1 / 0

Injuries / deaths

3 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2018 Toyota Prius C vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2018 Toyota Prius C recalls

Recall 19V-491: Hybrid Propulsion System

Reported Jun 26, 2019 · 464 vehicles affected · Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Prius C vehicles. The DC-DC converter may fail resulting in the auxiliary battery no longer receiving power from the converter, which may cause a loss of drive.

Risk: A loss of drive increases the risk of crash.

Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the DC-DC converter with a new one, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is K0K.

Recall 18V-176: Equipment

Reported Mar 15, 2018 · 19 vehicles affected · Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018 Toyota Prius C vehicles sold in Puerto Rico. The front passenger air bag and recommended child occupant seating positions label may not have been attached during assembly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Risk: If the label is missing, occupants may not follow the proper restraint usage guidelines, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Fix: Toyota will notify owners and will mail the removable labels to all known owners of the subject vehicles, free of charge. The recall began on April 11, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J0L.

2018 Toyota Prius C problems reported by owners

Problem area	Reports
Unknown or Other	3
Visibility/Wiper	1
Steering	1
Electrical System	1
Engine	1
Power Train	1
Vehicle Speed Control	1

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 10,233 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2018 Toyota Prius C complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Engine · reported Jul 4, 2023

I entered a large, strip mall parking area and was driving at the vastly reduced speed one would use in such a situation. My intention was to park my car to enter a store in the mall. I turned a corner to park on the side of the building (parking options were limited). As I entered a parking space (moving at the speed one would drive to do so; essentially INCREDIBLY slowly; moving forward into the space at almost 0 MPH and already applying the brake). Suddenly and with no warning, the car violently lurched forward at a vastly increased speed. I pressed down on the brake harder to try to stop…

Electrical System · reported Dec 1, 2021

Certain 2018+ and all later Toyota Prius C modes have a 12V battery for which there is currently no OEM or aftermarket replacement. The battery has a form factor (shape and size) that is exclusive to these vehicles and not used in any other car sold in North America. Vehicles with failed batteries (like mine) cannot be operated. Toyota should retrofit these cars to accommodate the battery used in early (pre-2017) model cars which is electrically identical and available as an aftermarket replacement item.

Steering · at 24,578 miles · reported Sep 27, 2020

Ireceived the warning that "pre-collision system malfunction" while I was driving on the highway this morning. The warning message asked me to stop the car at a safe place and visit the dealer. As soon as I got off the highway, the car stopped itself, and the steering was locked. The car was completely disabled. After turn off the car completely for a few minutes, I can restart the car with the warning message persists. While I was looking for a safe place to park the car, the car gradually stopped itself again, and the wheel steering locked itself again. The car failure and the fact that the…

Unknown or Other · at 1,500 miles · reported Mar 19, 2019

The pre-collision has never worked , took it in to toyota and they said it was good and that there was no way to test in real life . But it has not worked since car was new . There have been many times when there was a car very close stopped or moving slow in front of car and I AM apparently ready to hit ,but no alarm or signal.

Other Toyota Prius C years

201920182017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012

Compare all Toyota Prius C years · All Toyota models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2018 Toyota Prius C have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2018 Toyota Prius C: 19V-491 (hybrid propulsion system), 18V-176 (equipment). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2018 Toyota Prius C?

Owners report unknown or other problems most often (3 reports), followed by visibility/wiper (1). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 10,233 miles.

Are Toyota recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Toyota dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.