ToyotaPrius2012Overview/toyota/prius/2012/base/

2012 Toyota Prius

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

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (variable gear ratios)

The 2012 Toyota Prius carries a passenger-car classification, EPA ratings of 49/46/48 mpg, and an automatic transmission with variable gear ratios, while routine service calls for 4.4 quarts of 0W-20 API oil. Recorded owner complaints total 682 across 8 recalls for this model year, a figure well below the 2010 high-water mark of 2,819 complaints tracked across the 2000–2026 span. That relative restraint places the 2012 Prius toward the lower-complaint end of the model’s long-term reliability history.

Model year202520242023202220212020201920182012

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 economy49/46/48 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI S46B24R · 325 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 S46B24R · 325 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnLEFTOEM · 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 blades8521247060 alt 8522247040
Thermostat1632637020 alt 1603137010
Cabin air filter8713907010 alt 8713950100

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (variable gear ratios)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length175.6 in
Overall width68.9 in
Overall height58.3 in
Wheelbase106.7 in
Curb weight3042 lb
Track (front / rear)59.8 / 60.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)60/40

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined49 / 46 / 48 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Prius of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

10.1–10.9 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 10.10 sec — 2012 V Five Wagon
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2012V Five Wagon 1.8L I-4 + Elec 1.3-kWh10.10 sec17.50 sec134 hpFWD
2012V Five Wagon 1.8L I-4 + Elec 1.3-kWh10.20 sec17.60 sec134 hpFWD
2012C Four Hatchback 1.5L I-4 + Elec 0.9-kWh10.60 sec17.80 sec99 hpFWD
2012C Four Hatchback 1.5L I-4 + Elec 0.9-kWh10.60 sec17.80 sec99 hpFWD
2012Plug-in Hatchback 1.8L I-4 + Elec 4.4-kWh10.70 sec18.00 sec134 hpFWD
2012C Four Hatchback 1.5L I-4 + Elec 0.9-kWh10.90 sec18.10 sec99 hpFWD
2011III Hatchback 1.8L I-4 + Elec 1.3-kWh9.70 sec17.30 sec134 hpFWD
2013Plug-in Hatchback 1.8L I-4 + Elec 4.4-kWh9.80 sec17.40 sec134 hpFWD

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 20.0 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 torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs20 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts140 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug20.0 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
Ignition Timing12-16 degrees
Ignition Timing Reference RPMIdle rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity.90-1.25 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity4.95 oz
Standard BCI Group NumberS46B24R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance325 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 Resistance0.3-100 ohms
Injector Primary Resistance11.6-12.4 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression89.5

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket25 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle42 ft-lbs / 101 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.039 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0059 in / 0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.354 in / 0.984 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.354 in / 0.984 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.295 in / 0.866 in

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; 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)
At 15,000 miCabin Air Filter (clean)
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 (clean) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
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 sits in the elevated middle of the third-generation arc, which is bookended by a sharp 2010 complaint spike of 2,819 and a steady decline through 2015 (160 complaints). At 682 complaints, 8 recalls, 4 investigations, and a generation-high 626 TSBs, the 2012 model year registers well above the 2011 (516 complaints, 6 recalls) and 2013 (399 complaints, 3 recalls) neighbors, indicating it inherited more of the early third-generation friction than it shed before the model year stabilized. The complaint profile is heavily skewed toward Service Brakes (254 of 682), followed by Engine (40), Exterior Lighting (33), and Electrical System (31), with 70 crash-related and 4 fire-related filings, though the dataset does not specify the underlying root causes for these clusters. Compared to the quieter post-2014 run (233 complaints or fewer annually) and the nearly negligible volumes seen from 2018 onward, the 2012 year remains a relatively active one for federal filings. The concrete takeaway: the 2012 Prius is a defensible buy only if a pre-purchase inspection verifies that the brake-related complaints have been addressed and the recall work has been completed, because on paper it carries more open exposure than the 2013-2015 model years in the same generation.

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 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. 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 take?

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

Does the 2012 Prius 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 get?

EPA figures are 49 city / 46 highway / 48 combined mpg.