ToyotaPrius C2013Overview/toyota/prius-c/2013/base/

2013 Toyota Prius C

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2013 Prius C.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (variable gear ratios)

The 2013 Toyota Prius C is classified as a passenger car equipped with an automatic transmission utilizing variable gear ratios, EPA-rated at 53 mpg city, 46 mpg highway, and 50 mpg combined, and specifies a 4.4-quart oil fill of 0W-20 API viscosity. As the inaugural entry in the 2013–2019 model run, this year accumulated 403 total owner complaints—the highest volume in the nameplate’s documented history—with service brakes cited as the predominant concern area alongside three manufacturer recalls. This concentration of grievances stands in sharp relief to the model line’s later trajectory, particularly when compared to 2018’s low of six complaints, establishing the 2013 model year as the statistical high-water mark against which subsequent production is benchmarked.

Model year202120202019201820172016201520142013

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 9030169011. 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
Tire sizeP215-45R17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter9030169011 alt 04152YZZA6
Engine air filter1780137021
Spark plug9091901275
Battery2880037092
Front wiper blades8522247100 alt 8521247040
Thermostat1632637020 alt 1603137010
Cabin air filter8713950100 alt 8713907010

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. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

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

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs20 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts94 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts140 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug20.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug28.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs16 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
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)1000 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Ignition Timing12-16 degrees
Ignition Timing Reference RPMIdle rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity0.81-1.04 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil TypeND 11 oil
Oil Capacity3.90-4.50 oz
Standard BCI Group NumberS34B20R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance270 cca
Standard BCI Group NumberS46B24R

Service checks

RPM44.0-50.0 rpm
Residual Pressure21 psi
RPM44.0-50.0 rpm
Residual Pressure21 psi
Injector Primary Resistance.03-100 ohms
Injector Primary Resistance0.3-100 ohms
Injector Primary Resistance11.6-12.4 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression89.5

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH FN3 (16 inch) CALIPER PR NOS. 1LH/1ZG
Torque Caliper to Bracket25 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle101 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket25 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle42 ft-lbs / 79 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.039 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Brake ApplicationWITH FN3 (16 inch) CALIPER PR NOS. 1LH/1ZG

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
115 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9015 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages
136 ft. lbs.36 ft. lbs
290 degrees.90 degrees
345 degrees.; Lightly lubricate new cylinder head bolt, threads and flanges with engine oil.45 degrees
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
136 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9036 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
130 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9030 ft. lbs

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; 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 miFloor Mat (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect all fluid levels)
Every 10,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
At 15,000 miCabin Air Filter (clean)
Every 15,000 miAir Conditioning Condenser (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Hybrid Inverter (inspect coolant level)
Every 30,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (clean) · 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)

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 2013 Toyota Prius C sits at the very top of this generation's complaint arc, with 403 federal complaints — nearly double the 205 recorded for 2014 and roughly three times the 132 reported for 2015. Complaints and technical service bulletins decline steadily across the generation (550 TSBs in 2013 falling to 477 in 2014 and 402 in 2015), suggesting the 2013 model year absorbed the bulk of early-production issues before Toyota's service and engineering responses matured. The dominant complaint area is Service Brakes at 147 reports, far exceeding every other category, and the year also carries 44 crash complaints and 3 fire complaints; the data does not specify root causes for any of these. Recalls hold steady at three for both 2013 and 2014 before fluctuating later in the generation, so the recall exposure is not unusually elevated relative to adjacent years, but the sheer complaint volume is. For a used buyer, the 2013 model year represents the noisiest point in the generation's learning curve — a 2014 or 2015 Prius C offers substantially fewer reported problems at likely a modest price premium and is the stronger purchase.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
550
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
403
Owner complaints
44 involved a crash · 3 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 403 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes147
Unknown Or Other25
Electrical System16
Air Bags14
Exterior Lighting14
Engine12
Electrical System,Service Brakes9
Hybrid Propulsion System8

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 550 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-0058-23 Rev12025-06-13Electrical SystemThe air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the…
T-SB-0035-24 Rev22024-12-06StructureAcid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to…

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 2013 Prius C take?

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

Does the 2013 Prius C have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 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.