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Toyota Prius tire blowout problems

81 of the 12,530 owner complaints about the Toyota Prius describe tire blowout or tread separation, most of them for the 2001 model year.

owner complaints
81
worst model year
2001
typical mileage
22,000
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall for this area of the car. See below

By model year

What owners say

Filed Apr 30, 2026 · Suspension · IL

After the car dealership completed the first tire rotations, at 30,000 miles I rotated the tires to find severe inner tread wear on the tires where the inside of the tire was wore to the sidewall while outside portion was intact. I took the vehicle to an independent shop and the right rear suspension/tire was out of specifications on camber causing said tire wear. Toyota did not manufacture the car so that camber could be adjusted. An aftermarket kit was purchased to be able to compensate for the lack of adjustment. This is a safety concern as if a person does not rotate every 5,000 miles it will lead to tire failure at highway speeds. This is a common problem while researching forums. I have contacted the manufacturer and was given a generic response. There are reports with documentation with tire failure as early as 11,000 miles. Toyota needs to be held accountable and make a remedy for this instead of offering consumers a run around and blame hitting pot holes or on tire manufacturers, when it is clearly a suspension limitation. Thank you.

Filed Feb 24, 2026 · Wheels · WI

We took delivery of our 2024 Prius XLE (Gen 5) on 09-05-2024. It came with Toyo 19" Low Profile tires (195/50R19). On 04-17-2025 we had to replace a tire at 10,848 miles due to sidewall damage. On 05-05-2025 we had to replace a second tire at 11,749 miles due to side wall damage. Our dealer stated both side wall failures were most likely due to potholes. We did not remember hitting any major potholes. However, we live in Wisconsin were potholes of all sizes are prevalent. Both tire failures happen at night. Toyota does not provide a spare tire for the Prius. On the second tire failure, my wife had to drive a few miles to get to a safe spot to stop. On 11-25-2025 I replaced these Toyo tires with 19" Michelin tires. At that time I was told one of our wheels was damaged. I expect that happen when my wife had to drive on the flat to get to a safe location. In researching these tire problems, I found many other Gen 5 Prius owners had similar problems with the 19" Toyo tires. Interestingly, most owners reporting these tire problems lived in cold climate areas as we do. My Toyota dealer refuses to cover the wheel damage under warranty. In addition, Toyota refuses to cover the wheel replacement under warranty. These are the expenses I have encountered addressing this problem. First tire: $216.81, Second tire: $233.48, Replacement set of tires: $952.92. The cost for a new wheel is estimated at $781.93. In my opinion, the 19" Toyo tires are Unsafe At Any Speed on cold climate roads. Can you provide me with assistance in getting Toyota to cover my replacement wheel under warranty? In addition, I feel Toyota should face a RECALL for the 19" Toyo tires on the Gen 5 Prius. I have all the documentation for these charges. In addition, if you want more data on other owners that have faced this problem, I can reach out to them on social media and get them to contact you. Thanks for your assistance. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6

Filed Feb 19, 2026 · Tires · 10,400 miles · MI

The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Prius Hybrid equipped with Bridgestone Tires, Tire Line: Ecopia EP422, Tire Size: 195/60/R17, DOT Number: Y9CDCJTX. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in for routine maintenance, during the tire rotation, the mechanic discovered that one of the front tires had developed a bubble on the sidewall. The contact was advised that the tire was unsafe to use and recommended that the tire be replaced. No further information was available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 10,400. The VIN was not available.

Filed Jan 15, 2026 · Fuel system · MD

2007 Toyota Prius touring edition WILL NOT TAKE ANY FUEL PROPERLY AND WILL OVERFILL AND "BURP" CAUSING GAS TO FLOW EXPLOSIVELY OUT OF THE FILLER NECK AND HOLE. Tank will not fill, at all, causing risk of running out of gas while on highway. FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. FUEL TANK will not fill properly, if at all, overfills and burps causing fuel to blow out of the filler hole with force. THIS IS A FIRE HAZARD as gas can spill all over near the filler area and possibly catch fire. Stopping the filler hose will not help, as the tank refuses to take any gas, even when close to empty. People need to put gas in, not guess. The car will ONLY TAKE BARELY 2 gallons in winter without overflowing. THIS IS A LIFE SAFETY AND FIRE HAZARD AS THIS OVERFLOWING GAS AND REVERSE FUEL FLOW CAN IGNITE, or catch fire. THE BLADDER IN THE TANK STOPS WORKING AND WILL NOT ALLOW FUELING ANS SPITS FUEL BACK OUT OF THE FILLER NECK AND HOLE.

Filed Sep 28, 2024 · Tires · IL

After an Interstate highway drive and when then discovering my tire had been punctured by a screw or other object, but with still enough air in the tire to drive to a tire repair facility, I drove to have the puncture repaired. On repairing the puncture of the 185/65R15 tire, the repairman observed a portion of the tire’s steel belt to be visible on the inside of the tire. An immediate replacement of the tire was recommended, but this facility did not have an identical tire to provide. The facility emailed me a picture of the protruding steel belt. This writer has twice reported the matter to the tire’s manufacturer, but still no response since the first report on 09/24/2024. No party other than the tire repair facility has inspected the tire. This writer has recognized no noticeable effect of the defect, but the repair facility stated it could cause a blowout at any time.

Filed May 6, 2024 · Tires · 6,200 miles · WI

The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Prius equipped with Michelin Tires, Tire Line: Primacy Season, Tire Size: 195/50/R19, DOT Number: (NA). The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 MPH on several occasions, the four tires experienced blowouts. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the driver's side rear tire needed to be replaced due to a sidewall failure. The tires were replaced with another brand. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer, Grieco Toyota (415 Taunton Ave., East Providence, RI 02914), who replaced the driver's side front and front passenger tires. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the rear passenger’s side tire. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 6,200. The tire failure mileage was approximately 6,200. The VIN was not available.

Filed Mar 10, 2024 · Brakes, Driver assistance · FL

Code C1391 - Abnormal Leak in Accumulator. Accumulator for the brake pump is not holding pressure so the pump has to keep turning on to refill. Brake pump and ABS unit have to be replaced. In emergency situations, a malfunctioning ABS module leads to increased stopping distances and loss of steering control during hard braking. Lastly, tires can be worn more easily, which could lead to tire blowouts. This puts myself and others at risk for deadly consequences due to an increased chance for collision if I am unable to control or stop my car. This problem has been confirmed by Toyota and multiple years of Toyota vehicles have had their brake actuator assembly warranty enhanced. The warranty enhancement program has secondary coverage, which is applicable for 10 years from the first date of use, or 150,000 miles, whichever occurs first. Currently I meet the 10 year requirement but have 162,000 miles on my prius, which is completely frustrating. Many have posted with the same problem of being just outside the warranty. The vehicle has been inspected at a Toyota dealership. A symptom was noticeable starting from over 1 ½ years ago when I was under 150,000 miles. The car produced clicking sounds when the brake pedal was held down at traffic lights. Once released, the clicking sound would stop. I spoke with a Toyota mechanic and he told me it was an issue with the brake pump and ABS unit, but Toyota would not repair it until it completely failed. He also mentioned that there was coverage available for the ABS unit once it failed as it was a common issue for the Toyota Prius. If Toyota warranty allowed for the brake pump and ABS unit to be replaced when the symptoms appear instead of when it completely fails, I would have qualified with my mileage. Not only is the repair costly, but for those who cannot afford it and need to continue to use their car despite the brake pump and ABS unit failure, risk their own and others safety when continuing to operate their vehicle.

Filed Aug 6, 2021 · Tires · IL

I was making a left turn into my subdivision after a full stop. My speed was no more than 5 MPH. The Toyota dealer informed me that the sidewall had blown and was not repairable. They had no definitive cause as to why the tire blew. The tire was retained by the dealer. The tire size is P 195/65R15 and is a Toyo NanoEnergy A41 Tire. It was original equipment on the Toyota Prius as built in Japan. I have found that the tire has no manufacturer's warranty. I just returned from a vacation three days ago driving from Hilton Head Island, SC. Had this happened on the interstate system, the results to me, my wife, or other drivers could have been very different. To the best of my knowledge, the tire has not been inspected by any party. I was not given any tire DOT information on the new tire.

Filed Mar 25, 2021 · Wheels · 190 miles · FL

While driving on the I 4 we had a blowout on the rear passenger tire. The car had less than 200 miles on it so it was brand new. The dealership found object in the tire that could have cause the problem the only conclusion I could come to is that this tire was defective. The dealership said I could have run over a large object or a large pothole, which I doubt.

Filed Sep 24, 2019 · 159,000 miles · CA

While I was driving straight in the morning on the highway I heard a huge pop thinking maybe my tire blew out when I went to look my sunroof had a huge crack and my tires were all fine. It wasn't a windy day but I drove a little slower to work not knowing what to do. 20 minutes later arriving later the glass shattered leaving a whole in my sunroof. Luckily the inside sliding cap to the sunroof was closed. I brought it to the dealership and they said something must have hit it but when I brought it to get fixed at an auto collision they said it exploded. From the looks of it, it looks like it exploded to me with the glass pointing up.

Related recalls

Tires: temporary/emergency spare tireReported May 2, 2017 · 409 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (Gulf States) is recalling certain 2017 4Runner , 86, Avalon, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Corolla, Corolla iM, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Prius, Prius C, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Sienna and Yaris vehicles. The spare tire air pressure was not adjusted to the proper pressure as stated on the Tire Pressure Label.
Risk
A spare tire that is not inflated to the proper value may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Gulf States will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the spare tires, adjusting their pressure as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 15, 2017. Owners may contact Gulf States customer service at 1‑800‑444‑1074. Toyota's number for this recall is 17R2.

Recall number 17V295000 · Recall details

Questions about the Toyota Prius tire blowout

Which Toyota Prius years have tire blowout or tread separation problems?

The model years with the most reports are 2001 (10 complaints), 2003 (7 complaints) and 2007 (7 complaints).

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