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2009 Toyota Prius Reliability & Recall Report

Based on 6 NHTSA recalls and 501 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.

F
23/100

Avoid This Year — 2009 Toyota Prius

The 2009 Toyota Prius is among the worst-performing model years for this vehicle. NHTSA data shows high complaint and recall activity. Strongly consider a different model year.

6
NHTSA Recalls
6 recalls on record
501
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
64
Crashes + Injuries
4 fire reports

Own or buying a 2009 Toyota Prius?

Check your specific VIN for open recalls, market value, full specs, and a free AI buyer summary.

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NHTSA Recalls — 2009 Toyota Prius (6)

All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized Toyota dealer at no charge to the owner.

🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #13V014000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #12V537000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #12V536000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #09V388000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #10V036000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #10V035000
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Most Common Problems — 2009 Toyota Prius

Based on 501 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.

Service Brakes
175
Exterior Lighting
98
Vehicle Speed Control
56
Electrical System
47
Power Train
16
Fuel System
16
Air Bags
14
Unknown Or Other
13
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Toyota Prius — Complaints by Year

Spike in a year = known problem year. The 2009 model year is highlighted.

2010 0 complaints 2011 513 complaints 2012 679 complaints 2013 395 complaints

✅ Best model years: 2010 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.

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Frequently Asked Questions — 2009 Toyota Prius

Is the 2009 Toyota Prius reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2009 Toyota Prius has 6 recalls and 501 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated issues — consider alternatives or a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How many recalls does the 2009 Toyota Prius have?
The 2009 Toyota Prius has 6 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Toyota Prius?
The most commonly reported problems for the 2009 Toyota Prius are: Service Brakes, Exterior Lighting, Vehicle Speed Control, Electrical System. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.
Is the 2009 Toyota Prius safe to buy?
The 2009 Toyota Prius has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 6 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.
What year Toyota Prius should I buy?
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the Toyota Prius are: 2010. These show the lowest complaint rates.
Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update. For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit NHTSA.gov/recalls.