2013 Toyota Prius C: sudden loss of power

Filed Aug 28, 2026 · Acceleration, Electrical · AZ

While I was driving on the freeway the dash lit up with multiple lights. Simultaneously, I lost power to the car and could not accelerate and only break. The steering was tight and I could not steer correctly. Then a message that said, CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM STOP THE VEHICLE IN A SAFE PLACE IMMEDIATELY. The was slowing down and I had to pull over on the side of the freeway. There were no fluids leaking from the car.The car did not power back on nor run for over 10 minutes. The incident put my safety and other safety at risk by turning off while driving highway speeds. I was afraid for my life. There is an open recall which has not yet been resolved Major Safety Recalls for the 2013 Prius •The Hybrid Inverter Module (Critical Recall): Excessive voltage inside the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) can cause the hybrid system to overheat, shut down completely, or put the car into "limp home" mode while you are driving.

Filed Oct 1, 2025 · Electrical · TX

My 2013 Toyota Prius has a failed inverter/converter assembly, including the Intelligent Power Module (IPM). This component is critical for vehicle operation and designed to last the life of the car. Premature IPM shorting and inverter failure is a known defect acknowledged by Toyota through multiple recalls and service campaigns for other VINs with the same part number. My vehicle is giving codes P0A94 and P0A1A which are also listed in the recalls for other Prius models of similar age. My vehicle experiences the same failure, yet Toyota has denied goodwill coverage, claiming “insufficient service history.” Routine maintenance like oil changes and brake inspections does not affect this component, making the denial unreasonable. There is nothing to service on the inverter. This defect poses a serious safety risk, sudden inverter failure caused total loss of power while driving and loss of power steering, it was difficult to pull my car off the road. This poses a danger to drivers, passengers, and others on the road. Toyota’s exclusion of my VIN from coverage leaves me financially responsible for a known safety defect. I request the federal safety agency to investigate Toyota’s handling of inverter/IPM failures, the denial of goodwill assistance for affected VINs, and ensure that Toyota addresses this life-threatening defect consistently across all affected vehicles instead of narrowing the scope on who gets coverage when this is a dangerous electrical malfunction.

Filed Aug 16, 2023 · Acceleration, Fuel system · CA

I was going on my way to work on the freeway at approximately 65 miles per hour, suddenly I felt as if my car shut off will driving and I lost power. I pressed on the gas Pedal as I was pulled into the emergency lane to the right of the freeway, the gas pedal did not work. I pulled to the side and I shut the car off. I waited about 20 minutes and I turned the car back on.

Filed May 5, 2023 · Electrical, Engine · CA

My vehicle has under 150,000 miles. I was driving on the highway and my Prius lost power and left me on the side of the road. I took it to Toyota to run a diagnostic in Elk Grove Ca. I was told the ipm inverter, control computer had to be replaced and it would cost me $5,200.00. This is a real disappointment because I don’t have this money to fix the vehicle.

Filed Dec 28, 2020 · Electrical, Engine · 200,717 miles · CA · crash

Toyota is trying to cover up the true number of vehicles subject to the hybrid system recall.. Toyota claims this vehicle is not the subject of recall, yet the vehicle displays all the symptoms described in the recall.. 1.) the vehicle was in motion at freeway speed on westbound hwy 92 on 12/27/2020 at approximately 6:30pm 2.) the vehicle lost all power.. Dashboard lights came on.. Error message said "hybrid system failure" 3.) power to braking and steering remained 4.) vehicle went off the freeway, with no power, down an exit ramp, and came to a stop, luckily, in a legal parking place, at the curb on de anza blvd.. This is what toyota said publicly: 'the involved vehicles were designed to enter a failsafe driving mode in response to certain hybrid system faults', the automaker explained. 'toyota has found that in rare situations, the vehicle may not enter a failsafe driving mode as intended. If this occurs, the vehicle could lose power and stall. While power steering and braking would remain operational, a vehicle stall while driving at higher speeds could increase the risk of a crash.'