Recall 15V013 affects 4,971 2014-2015 Toyota Prius V vehicles for miscalibrated passenger-air-bag sensors. Repair is free at any franchised Toyota dealer.
Toyota is recalling 4,971 2014-2015 Prius V vehicles because the occupant classification system for the front passenger seat can be improperly calibrated. If the system fails to activate the passenger air bag in a crash, injury risk increases; Toyota dealers will complete the repair free of charge.
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What's wrong?
The occupant classification system in the 2014-2015 Toyota Prius V controls whether the front passenger air bag is active for the person sitting in that seat. Its calibration sets the baseline the system uses to recognize the seat occupant and turn the passenger air bag system on or off.
In NHTSA campaign 15V013, Toyota traced the problem to an off-line assembly process where the final calibration was done differently from the normal production flow. That process did not set the system's zero point properly on affected Prius V vehicles. With the baseline wrong, the system can fail to recognize a passenger and leave the passenger air bag inactive during a crash.
There is no warning sign before failure. The issue is in the system calibration, so an owner is not expected to hear a noise, feel a change, or see a clear symptom before the air bag fails to deploy.
Who's affected?
The scope is limited to Prius V wagons from 2 consecutive model years, with the same air bag system listed for both.
| 2015 Toyota Prius V | air bag system |
|---|---|
| 2014 Toyota Prius V | air bag system |
| Units affected | 4,971 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged no field incidents to date. |
The year and model narrow the scope, but the VIN decides. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific wagon is included.
What's the safety risk?
If the Occupant Classification System is out of calibration, the air bag can fail to deploy as intended in a crash, which raises the risk of injury. Schedule the recall repair soon. Repair is free at any franchised Toyota dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2014-2015 Toyota Prius V is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Toyota dealer to schedule the free OCS recalibration that corrects front passenger air bag classification.
- Bring the recall notice if Toyota mailed one. If not, reference recall number 15V013 when you call.
- Ask the Toyota dealer whether the front passenger seat should stay empty until the OCS recalibration is complete.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Toyota technician recalibrates the occupant classification system so the passenger seat air bag system reads the seat correctly. The recall repair is free, and Toyota covers the related parts and labor. If you already paid out of pocket for this OCS calibration or a related passenger air bag repair before recall service, Toyota's standard reimbursement plan covers documented expenses. Bring repair paperwork to the service desk.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| January 15, 2015 | Dealer notification began |
|---|---|
| January 15, 2015 | Dealer notification ended |
| January 16, 2015 | NHTSA published the recall |
| February 12, 2015 | Owner notification mailed |
| February 15, 2015 | VIN-searchable in NHTSA's database — Check your VIN to see whether this recall applies to your specific vehicle. |
| February 15, 2015 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 15V013?
Recall 15V013 covers 4,971 2014-2015 Toyota Prius V vehicles with an occupant classification system calibration problem. The system controls whether the passenger air bag deploys. If it is not calibrated correctly, the passenger air bag can fail to deploy in a crash.
What should I do if my 2014-2015 Toyota Prius V is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific Prius V is included in recall 15V013. If it is, contact a franchised Toyota dealer to schedule the OCS recalibration. Reference recall number 15V013 when you call. The dealer repair is free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires manufacturers to repair safety defects at no cost, and Toyota dealers will recalibrate the occupant classification system free of charge. Parts and labor are covered at any franchised Toyota dealer.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is that the passenger air bag can fail to deploy as intended in a crash. That increases the risk of injury to the front passenger. Toyota's remedy is to recalibrate the OCS system at a dealer for free.
What if I bought my Toyota Prius V used?
The free recall repair still applies. Recalls follow the vehicle, not the first owner. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific 2014-2015 Prius V is included, then call a franchised Toyota dealer and reference recall number 15V013.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/15V013000 |
|---|---|
| Toyota customer service | 1-800-331-4331 |
| NHTSA recall # | 15V013 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 15V013000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Owner Notice (PDF)
- Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Quarterly Report (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on June 1, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →