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2014 Toyota Prius Engine Problems

13 owner-reported engine complaints from NHTSA data

13
Complaints
1
Crashes
Jan 2023Dec 2019
Date Range

Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.

Owner Complaints (13)

criticalENGINE
Filed: Mar 2026

Your cylinder head gasket failed, likely due to a design issue with the intake manifold and EGR system. This caused a severe knocking sound in the engine (sometimes called "death knock") that started during highway driving, with no warning lights to alert you beforehand. The failure allowed coolant to enter the combustion chamber, which may have damaged your connecting rods. Fixing this will require disassembling the engine, replacing the gasket, and potentially repairing or replacing internal engine components.

NHTSA #: 11724395
highENGINE
Filed: Mar 2026

Your car's head gasket has failed, allowing combustion vapors to leak into the engine coolant. You may notice misfiring in cylinders 2 and 4, severe engine knocking, and coolant contamination—but the check engine light may not appear. A chemical test can confirm the problem. Fixing this will require replacing the head gasket and inspecting the cylinder head for damage.

NHTSA #: 11721338
highENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Dec 2025

Your Prius is experiencing engine misfires and rough starts, especially under light acceleration. You may notice hesitation when the engine is starting or running at low power demands. The issue is related to Toyota Technical Service Bulletin TSB-0116-15. Fixing this typically involves inspecting and replacing spark plugs, ignition coils, or fuel injectors to restore smooth engine operation.

NHTSA #: 11706254
mediumENGINE
Filed: Jun 2023

The contact owns a 2014 Toyota Prius C. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to move the vehicle to the shoulder of the roadway safely. The contact stated that before losing motive power, an unknown warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure had recurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 73,211.

NHTSA #: 11528077
mediumENGINE
Filed: Jan 2023

The car has oil consumption and over heat the try to fix it but no no one can d it so far

NHTSA #: 11504237
mediumENGINE
Filed: Dec 2019

CAR IS BURNING OIL INTERNALLY. OIL IS BURNING UP IN 4 WEEK S TUME

NHTSA #: 11291370
mediumENGINE
Filed: Jul 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 TOYOTA PRIUS. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED ON THE ROAD. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO VEER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TOWED TO WHITE RIVER TOYOTA (303 SYKES MOUNTAIN AVE, WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VT 05001, (802) 299-2800) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE MECHANIC ALSO STATED THAT IF THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE, THEN THERE WAS NO FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000.

NHTSA #: 11235086
mediumENGINE
Filed: Feb 2019

DEALER MECHANICS AT TOYOTA BERKELEY, TOYOTA VALLEJO AND CITY IN DALY CITY ALL HAVE STATED THAT THE CRACK IN MY OIL TANK IS A 'WELL KNOWN' MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE MECHANICS STATE WHEN BUILDING THAT PART, A MACHINE CLAMPED THE 2 PARTS TOGETHER. BUT THE MACHINE DOESN'T WIPE IT DOWN BEFOREHAND AND ANY OIL WILL KEEP THE 2 PIECES SEPARATED, WHICH EVENTUALLY FORM A CRACK. WHEN THE OIL IS LEFT UNCHANGED FOR A PERIOD OF TIME THE CRACK GETS BIGGER, THE OIL LEAKS AND EVENTUALLY DOESN'T WORK. I WAS TOLD IF I KEEP UP WITH MY REGULAR OIL CHANGES, IT SHOULD WORK. BUT I GET ANXIETY NOW EVERY TIME THAT MAINTENANCE LIGHT GOES ON AND I FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO CHANGE THE OIL IMMEDIATELY OR ELSE.

NHTSA #: 11176429
mediumENGINE
Filed: Nov 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 TOYOTA PRIUS C. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE MANAGED TO RESTART AFTER A FEW ATTEMPTS AND THE FAILURE WAS CORRECTED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME. A DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 49,000. *DT CONSUMER STATED DEALER RAN COMPLETE DIAGNOSTICS AND FOUND NO FAULTS LOGGED. CONSUMER WILL REPLACE INVERTER. *JB

NHTSA #: 11154525
mediumENGINE
Filed: Nov 2018

I WAS GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 70 MPH WHEN ALL THE SUDDEN THE PRIUS LOST POWER. THE PRIUS DROPPED DOWN TO ABOUT 55 MPH. AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME THE POWER PICKED UP. I GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY AND TOOK THE BACK ROADS. IT WAS A VERY HOT DAY.

NHTSA #: 11151409
mediumENGINE
Filed: Apr 2018

I ACTUALLY WOULD LIKE TO FILE A CONCERN REGARDING THE 2010 - 2014 INVERTER/COMPONENT FAILURES. THIS PROBLEM WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BY MY DEALER INDICATING THAT THE MOTOR/GENERATOR ECU COULD RESET, CAUSING THE HYBRID SYSTEM TO SHUT DOWN, RESULTING IN MY VEHICLE STOPPING WHILE BEING DRIVEN AND SUBJECTING ME OR WHOM EVER IS DRIVING AT RISK OF A CRASH. I CALLED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SHOW LITTLE CONCERN FOR THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM BUT JUST TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD VERIFY WITH MY DEALER THAT THE EOE-PRIUS RECALL TO REFRESH SOFTWARE IN THE INVERTER WAS PERFORMED. IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS PERFORMED ON MY CAR ON 2/14/14 AT SAN FRANCISCO TOYOTA AND THAT THEY TENDED THE WARRANTY FOR 15 YEARS, UNLIMITED MILEAGE. MY DEALER TOLD ME THAT SOME VEHICLES THAT HAVE HAD THE EOE-PRIUS RECALL HAVE STILL SUFFERED INVERTER FAILURE. IS TOYOTA GOING TO WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO DIE, BEFORE THEY WILL CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. A VERY CONCERNED PIRUS OWNER! IM JUST WONDERING IF I SHOULD SELL MY PIRUS BEFORE IT (TOYOTA) KILLS ME OR SOMEONE I LOVE.

NHTSA #: 11090167
mediumENGINE
CrashFiled: Apr 2017

I WAS DRIVING IN SAN FRANCISCO I HAD THREE PASSENGER WITH ME IN THE CAR AND WHEN I WAS GOING UP TO THE HILL THE CAR POWER STARTS GETTING WEAKER AND I WAS HEARING THAT CARES IN THE CAR I DON'T WANT TO GO UP THE HILL NOW I'M LIKE IT'S KEEPS GOING WEAKER AND WEAKER AND WEAKER AND ALL THE SUDDEN THE CAR STARTED ROLLING BACK ON ME I THINK THE CANNOT TAKE MORE THAN FOUR PEOPLE IN THE CAR AND I THINK YOU CANNOT DRIVE THE SCORE IN SAN FRANCISCO AND THIS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE AND THE FIRST TIME I HAD AN ACCIDENT AT THE CORNER BEHIND ME BECAUSE THE CAR COULDN'T GO UP THE HILL AND IT'S NOT EVEN BIG HILL IS A SMALL HILL IT'S ALL OVER SAN FRANCISCO THOSE HILLS.

NHTSA #: 10970913
mediumENGINE
Filed: Apr 2014

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS A SERIES OF YELLOW TRIANGLES SUDDENLY FLASHED ON THE DASHBOARD ALONG WITH SOME BEEPS. THE ENGINE THEN STALLED AND THE GAS PEDAL NO LONGER RESPONDED TO ANY INPUTS. DUE TO A COMBINATION OF SHEER LUCK AND DRIVER PRESENCE OF MIND THE CAR WAS STEERED TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY WHERE IT CAME TO A HALT. THE EXPERIENCE OF TRYING TO CONTROL A CAR WITH A STALLED ENGINE AND SAFELY STEER IT TO THE SHOULDER IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WAS TERRIFYING TO SAY THE LEAST. THE CAR WAS TAKEN STRAIGHT TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS LEFT FOR SERVICE. AFTER DIAGNOSIS A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER THE DEALER CALLED BACK AND SAID THAT THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE HAD FAILED WHICH IS WHY THE ENGINE HAD STALLED. THE CAR IS STILL WITH THE DEALER SINCE THE PART IS NOT AVAILABLE AND NEEDS TO BE SHIPPED FROM TOYOTA. THE DEALER CLAIMED THAT THIS WAS SUCH A RARE OCCURRENCE THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE THE PARTS AVAILABLE. THEY ALSO CLAIMED THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW ANYONE ELSE FOR WHOM THIS HAD HAPPENED. MAYBE SO BUT THIS WAS AN INCIDENT THAT COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL. THE FACT THAT NOBODY GOT KILLED IS JUST PLAIN LUCK. *JS

NHTSA #: 10579397

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