2013 Toyota Prius transmission problems

Filed Sep 29, 2025 · Acceleration, Transmission · WA

Entering the highway the car suddenly learched and stopped excelerating, creating an unsafe situation, and went into a slow mode. It limped along. Caused cars issue around having to slow merge and driving only 10-15 miles per hour. The dealer could find no codes and said it could be an air bubble in fluid line??? No warning lights.

Filed Aug 22, 2023 · Transmission · CA

"Cooling Performance of the Hybrid Battery is Low" warning light turns on every 4-5 months on my 2013 Toyota Prius. Apparently, Toyota issued a bulletin to Toyota Service Departments re: Engine/Hybrid System Section Hybrid/Battery Control System Market USA. This info was never disclosed and is costly to repair every 4-5 months due to excessive buildup of dust, lint, or debris in the HV battery intake filter or cooling fan. When it first went off in June 2022 my vehicle was still under warranty up to the two additional repairs in December 2022 and May 2023 (for which the Toyota Dealership repair department didn't provide me a ticket either time but made the repair), and again now (August 2023). This is an issue that could cause the battery to fail while driving. Additionally, this issue is highly inconvenient, expensive and highly concerning. This ongoing issue affects the safety and value of my car if this issue must be repaired every 4-5 months or "every 5,000 miles). This information was never made public to Prius owners I don't believe as I never received notice. I would've sold my car sooner had i known. Here is the Toyota DOcument I received on 8.21.23 from Marina Del Rey Toyota T-SB-0062-20 dated June 18, 2020

Filed Jun 13, 2023 · Transmission · 167,000 miles · IL

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while attempting to shift to drive(D), the transmission failed to shift as needed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who informed the contact that a hose had detached from the valve. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 167,000.

Filed Dec 9, 2021 · Acceleration, Engine · MA

MY 2013 Prius' hybrid system failed as I was entering a very busy state highway (where several fatalities have been recorded) exit when a tractor trailer truck unexpectedly bore down on me. My engine reduced to half speed and there was no breakdown lane to pull over to. The dashboard lights lit up and indicated a hybrid system failure, but I could not get to safety for another 2-3 miles. This is an the federal safety agency recall (20V‑369) that was eligible for repair under an expanded warranty, but ONLY AFTER the vehicle has experienced the shutdown. The IPM (Intelligent Power Module/hybrid) system breakdown was confirmed by Toyota dealership's diagnostics, but the warranty period was not told to me and the charges amounted to almost $3000. My research and doggedness discovered that the costs would be covered in toto. But more importantly, I am among numerous Prius owners who experienced this problem and more could occur, risking injury if not death.

Filed Sep 2, 2020 · Acceleration, Electrical · TN

The car gave a triangle of death and looked it up if any recalls had been made that could possible cause this issue and there was 1 that called for an update to the system which I had done and they had told me if it didn't take they would have to do the invertor which was apart of the recall. A week after the system update the same issue arose and they refused to replace the invertor which drained the hybrid battery and ruined it also . This effects the driving ability and causes the car to shut down the lights to not work . It can stale at any given time and will not have power to continue

Filed Feb 12, 2020 · Electrical, Transmission · 110,000 miles · CA

While driving our 2013 prius on a 5 five-lane highway 2-10-20, our prius goes into limp home mode all the sudden and slows the car down significantly while driving at highway speed. This occurred at the same time as I was passing a car to exit the highway, also with another car close at the rear clearly intending to get ahead of me after I had passed the other car. I unexpectedly realized that I had no acceleration and that the all the dash lights had come on. I was very fortunately to be able to maneuver across the driving lanes to the highway exit without being hit as my speed go down. The situation was extremely hazardous. Took the car to the toyota dealership the next day on 2-11-20 and the tech discovered the car went into the limp home mode because of a catastrophe inverter failure. We did receive the updated software from the recall in 2014, yet the inverter still failed. The inverter was repaired by the toyota dealership 100% under warranty.

Filed Sep 11, 2018 · Transmission · 107,887 miles · CA

I was driving the car to the dealership to get an oil change and the check hybrid system warning light came on while driving on the freeway.

Filed Aug 8, 2018 · Transmission · 70,000 miles · CA

Vehicle loss power while driving residential roads

Filed Jul 17, 2018 · Transmission · 40 miles · CA

After driving for approximate 40 miles on freeay I was at a stop light and when accelerating I heard a popping sound and vehicle lost power. Would not acclelerate and the hybrid/ABS and check engine lights came on,luckly this happen on a stret and not on the highway. I pulled over and had vehicle towed to toyota dealer. They found that the ipm resistor for the inverter had failed. Dealer replaced ipm and inverter.

Filed May 26, 2018 · Engine, Transmission · PA

Excessive motor oil burning at a rate of 2 quarts every 5000 miles. Dealer claims is normal wear and tear. Dealer confirms that there is no leakage.