RECALLS — MAKE · MODEL · YEAR
2016 Toyota Prius V recalls
8 safety recall campaigns have been filed for the 2016 Toyota Prius V with Transport Canada and the U.S. NHTSA. Here is what both agencies say.
- Canadian recalls
- 07
- U.S. recalls
- 01
- Total campaigns
- 08
Transport Canada recalls
07- Electrical#2021723
55,683 units affected
Issue: This recall is for certain block heater kits installed on certain vehicles or sold as accessories at Toyota or Lexus dealerships. On certain vehicles, the engine block heater cable may not have enough heat protection and could be damaged by high temperatures. If this happens, the cable could short circuit while plugged in, and cause the wiring to overheat or melt. Note: This recall only affects the following block heater/cord part numbers: C014003034 PK5A408J09 PU14000904 C014003151 PK5A408J13 PU14000905 C014000885 PK5A489J11 PU14000907 C014000888 PK5A489J22 PU14000909 C014000907 PK5A410H00 PU14000911 C014100904 PU14000900 PU14000913 C014100907 PU14000901 PU14003571 C014100911 PU14000902 PK5A489J14 PK5A408J05 PU14000903 Safety Risk: Engine block heater wiring that overheats or melts could create the risk of a fire. Corrective Actions: Toyota recommends that you should stop using the engine block heater immediately. Toyota will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to disable the engine block heater. For some vehicles, the corrective actions for this recall are under development. For others, a new engine block heater cannot be installed, and the owner will receive a refund of the purchase price of the engine block heater.
- Electrical#2020284
11,576 units affected
Issue: The Intelligent Power Module (IPM), which is part of the hybrid drive system, could become damaged under certain driving conditions. This could cause various warnings to appear on the instrument panel and cause the hybrid system to shut down. If this happens, there can be a loss of power to the wheels. Safety Risk: A loss of power to the wheels could create the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Toyota will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to update the software for the hybrid system.
- Electrical#2018477
7,200 units affected
On certain vehicles, the hybrid vehicle Power Control Unit connector cover could come into contact with the wiring harness and could cause wear on the wiring insulation. If bare wires become exposed, an electrical short circuit could occur, which could increase the risk of fire causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will inspect the wiring for damage and, as necessary, install protective tape or replace the wire harness assembly with a new one, which includes a protective sleeve.
- Airbag#2018061
4,571 units affected
On certain vehicles, the airbag system pressure sensors and/or acceleration sensors used to detect vehicle impact may contain manufacturing defects. As a result, the airbag warning light may illuminate and the side/curtain shield airbags and/or front airbags may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash. Correction: Dealers will inspect and replace the defective sensors as necessary. Note: This will not affect the front airbags of the Prius model.
- Electrical#2017363
39,189 units affected
On certain vehicles, the electrical power cords of some dealer installed block heaters may have been improperly manufactured, causing the wires to contact each other, resulting in a short circuit. A short circuit could lead to a fire which would increase the risk of injury and/or damage to property. Correction: For vehicles where the subject block heater was approved for installation, the dealer will replace the block heater assembly with a new one of an improved design. For vehicles where the subject block heater was not approved for installation, dealers will remove the block heater assembly. In the interim, until the remedy can be performed, dealers will cut the plug end from the block heater cord to disable the block heater's operation.
- Brakes#2016501
2,780 units affected
On certain vehicles, the parking brake cables may disengage from the crank lever at the rear caliper. This could cause the parking brake to become inoperative. If this occurs and the transmission is left in a gear other than ‘Park’ while the ignition is on and the driver leaves the vehicle, the vehicle could roll away, increasing the risk of a crash causing injury and/or property damage. Correction: Dealers will install a clip at the parking brake cable end to prevent the cable from disengaging from the rear brake caliper crank lever.
- Airbag#2016449
185 units affected
On certain vehicles, a defect in the passenger airbag inflator could cause stored compressed gas to be released into the airbag. This would cause an unwarranted partial inflation of the airbag. If this were to occur while the vehicle is being driven, it could startle the driver, potentially leading to a crash, or the airbag could contact a passenger seated in the front passenger seat. These issues could increase the risk of injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will replace the front passenger airbag assembly.
Canadian data updated August 24, 2026
U.S. NHTSA recalls
01- HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER#20V369000
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Prius and 2014-2017 Prius V vehicles not included in recall 18V-684. Excessive voltage in the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) within the inverter may cause the hybrid system to shut down, causing the vehicle to stall while being driven.
Risk: An unexpected hybrid power system shut down may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will perform a software update for the hybrid system. If the vehicle has experienced an inverter failure with certain hybrid system faults related to this condition, the inverter assembly will be repaired or replaced, prior to software update. All repairs will be performed free of charge. This recall began July 24, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB10 / 20TA10.
Does this recall apply to my vehicle?
Matched by make, model, and model year. Many recalls affect only specific VIN ranges — confirm with your dealer using your full VIN.
What to do
Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer in both countries. To confirm a recall applies to your specific vehicle, or to book the work, contact your manufacturer or dealer with your full VIN, or use the official channel:
- NHTSA recall lookup (search by VIN) — U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Defects and recalls database — Transport Canada
Check a 2016 Toyota Prius V VIN
A VIN decode confirms your vehicle's exact model year, trim and assembly plant, then runs this same recall check against it.