2016 Toyota Prius Recalls
TL;DR
5 recalls on the 2016 Toyota Prius. Recall repairs are always free. Enter your VIN at NHTSA or your dealer to confirm which apply.
Recalls for the 2016 Toyota Prius
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
NHTSA campaign 18V085000 · 2018-31-01
Issue: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016 Toyota Prius and Lexus RX 350, RX 350 F Sport, RX 450h F Sport and RX 450h vehicles and 2015-2016 Lexus NX 200T, NX Turbo and NX 300h vehicles. The air bag pressure sensors and/or the acceleration sensors may fail causing the side/curtain shield air bags and/or the front air bags to not deploy in the event of a crash.
Risk: If the air bags fail to deploy in a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the sensors as necessary based on their serial numbers, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 12, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are JLA, J0F.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
NHTSA campaign 18V579000 · 2018-05-09
Issue: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Toyota Prius vehicles. A portion of the engine wire harness connected to the hybrid Power Control Unit (PCU), could contact the cover at this connection and wear, causing an electrical short circuit.
Risk: An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine wire harness assembly and replace it if damage is found. A protective sleeve or protective tape will be included to prevent any future damage. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began October 30, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J0T.
HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER
NHTSA campaign 17V658000 · 2017-18-10
Issue: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016 Prius vehicles. A capacitor within the hybrid system may not have been properly bolted to the inverter housing.
Risk: If the capacitor was not properly secured, vibrations from driving the vehicle may damage the capacitor, shutting down the hybrid system, causing a loss of motive power and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inverter, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin by early December 2017. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is H0U.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
NHTSA campaign 16V672000 · 2016-16-09
Issue: Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Prius vehicles manufactured November 30, 2015, to June 14, 2016. An air bag inflator manufacturing error may result in the inadvertent partial inflation of the front passenger air bag.
Risk: A front passenger air bag that unintentionally inflates can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began November 10, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G0W.
PARKING BRAKE
NHTSA campaign 16V741000 · 2016-14-10
Issue: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Prius vehicles manufactured August 6, 2015, to October 3, 2016. The affected vehicles are equipped with a foot-operated parking brake system that has a parking brake cable that may disengage.
Risk: If the parking brake cable disengages from the mechanism and the transmission is left in a gear other than 'Park' while the ignition is on and the driver leaves the vehicle, the vehicle may roll unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install a clip at the parking brake cable end to prevent the cable from disengaging, free of charge. The recall began November 10, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is G01.
What to do about a recall
- Recall repairs are free — the manufacturer pays, regardless of car age.
- Confirm which recalls apply to your exact car by entering your 17-digit VIN.
- Contact any franchised dealer for that brand to schedule the free repair.
Check engine light on your 2016 Toyota Prius?
A recall is a known defect the manufacturer fixes for free. A check-engine light is different — it's a stored trouble code you can read yourself. Start here:
Frequently asked questions
Are Toyota Prius recall repairs free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are performed free of charge by franchised dealers, no matter how old the vehicle is.
How do I check recalls for my exact Prius?
Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup or any Toyota dealer. The VIN tells you precisely which campaigns affect your car.
Is it safe to drive a Prius with an open recall?
It depends on the defect. Read the "Risk" line for each recall above — some are minor, others advise reduced use until repaired. When in doubt, contact a dealer.