2011 Toyota Prius Electrical System Problems

NHTSA component category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · data through 07/12/2026

61Electrical System complaints

11.8%Of all 515 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How electrical system ranks on this vehicle

SERVICE BRAKES259 · 50.3%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM61 · 11.8%

EXTERIOR LIGHTING48 · 9.3%

ENGINE46 · 8.9%

AIR BAGS45 · 8.7%

Share of the 515 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2011 Toyota Prius overview page.

What owners report

“MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2011 PRIUS DURING STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. SHE SAID THE CAR JUST TOOK OFF ON HER ON IT'S OWN SHE…”NHTSA complaint 10734475 — filed 07/16/2015

“SECURITY AND SAFETY THREAT IN 2011 TOYOTA PRIUS DUE TO POWER LOCKS FAILING. ACTUATOR IN THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS IS DEFECTIVE AND FAILS VERY EARLY…”NHTSA complaint 10633661 — filed 09/16/2014

“THE DOOR LOCKS ON A GOOD PORTION OF TOYOTA PRIUS FAIL LEAVING THE BOTH THE CAR AND IT'S OCCUPANTS UNPROTECTED. IT IS MOSTLY THE FRONT…”NHTSA complaint 10631371 — filed 09/07/2014

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Electrical System complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2011 Toyota Prius have electrical system problems?

Electrical System is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2011 Toyota Prius: 61 of 515 complaints on file (11.8%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2011 Toyota Prius have in total?

515 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 36 involved a crash, 7 involved a fire, 17 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's electrical system category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ELECTRICAL SYSTEM category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.