ToyotaPrius C2012Overview/toyota/prius-c/2012/base/

2012 Toyota Prius C

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2012 Prius C.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (variable gear ratios)

The 2012 Prius C is a compact passenger car built on Toyota’s hybrid platform and equipped with an automatic transmission that varies gear ratios to maximize efficiency, achieving an EPA rating of 53 mpg city, 46 mpg highway and a combined 50 mpg. Its power‑train uses 0W‑20 API oil and holds 4.4 qt of engine oil, a specification that supports the model’s low‑emission design. Across its first generation, owners reported 682 complaints—most frequently concerning service brakes—and the vehicle was subject to eight recalls, with the highest annual complaint count of 403 occurring in 2013 and a low of six in 2018, indicating that the 2012 model sits early in a reliability trend that improved markedly over the subsequent years.

Model year202120202019201820172016201520142012

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.4 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy53/46/50 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI S34B20R · 270 CCA battery, OE oil filter 90915YZZN1. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI S34B20R · 270 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnCANHOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter90915YZZN1
Engine air filter1780121060
Spark plug9091901265
Battery2880021182
Front wiper blades8521252220 alt 8522252270
Thermostat1632647020 alt 1603121010
Cabin air filter8713907020 alt 8713950100

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (variable gear ratios)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length157.5 in
Overall width66.9 in
Overall height57.1 in
Wheelbase100.4 in
Curb weight2502 lb
Track (front / rear)57.1 / 56.7 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)61/39

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined53 / 46 / 50 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.4 qt of 0W-20 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 28.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine Oil0W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.4 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts94 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug28.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub159 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)1000 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity.90-1.25 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity4.95 oz
Standard BCI Group NumberS34B20R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance270 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test17 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature176-183 °F
RPM44.0-50.0 rpm
Residual Pressure21 psi
Injector Primary Resistance.03-100 ohms

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket25 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle79 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.039 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.866 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.866 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.748 in

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 10,000 mi; spark plugs at 120,000 mi; coolant every 50,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 50,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 5,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Floor Mat (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect all fluid levels)
Every 10,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 miAir Conditioning Condenser (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Hybrid Inverter (inspect coolant level) · Radiator (inspect)
Every 30,000 miBrake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash)
At 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 100,000 miTransmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
At 120,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2012 Prius C, as the debut model year, generated a substantial number of complaints, with 403 recorded in 2013 alone—the highest in the dataset—and a pronounced concentration in the service brakes category (254 complaints). This early spike contrasts sharply with the rapid decline across the generation: complaints fell to 205 in 2014, then to 132 in 2015, and eventually to zero by 2019, indicating that later model years resolved many initial issues. The 2012 model also logged 70 crash-related complaints and 4 fire complaints, figures that are not repeated in later years. While the data does not specify root causes, the 2012 Prius C sits at the peak of a clear downward trend in complaints, suggesting it may carry more early-production risks than subsequent model years. For a buyer prioritizing long-term reliability, a later year in this generation would likely be a safer bet.

8
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
626
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
4
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
682
Owner complaints
70 involved a crash · 4 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 682 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes254
Engine40
Exterior Lighting33
Electrical System31
Unknown Or Other27
Visibility/Wiper24
Air Bags18
Service Brakes, Hydraulic14

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 6 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

18V684000Hybrid Propulsion SystemReported 04/10/2018

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2014 Toyota Prius and 2012-2014 Toyota Prius V vehicles. Excessive voltage in the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) within the inverter may cause… Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the motor/generator control electronic control unit (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU as necessary, free of…

16V487000Air Bags:Side/WindowReported 30/06/2016

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Toyota Prius, 2010 and 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid, and 2011-2012 Lexus CT200h vehicles. A weld in the curtain shield air… Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install retention brackets to the curtain shield air bags, free of charge. The recall began on October 17, 2016. Owners may contact…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 626 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
T-SB-0119-15 Rev22026-02-13EngineOBSOLETE NOTICE February 13, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0009-26.
T-SB-0009-262026-02-13EngineThis bulletin includes basic procedures for performing a rescue charge on Ni-MH high…
T-SB-0055-24 Rev22026-01-07Unknown Or OtherSome 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…
T-SB-0035-24 Rev22024-12-06StructureAcid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to…
T-SB-0038-24 Rev22024-12-06StructureTo prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Prius C. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2012 Prius C take?

4.4 qt of 0W-20 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2012 Prius C have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 8 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Prius C get?

EPA figures are 53 city / 46 highway / 50 combined mpg.