ToyotaPrius C2015Overview/toyota/prius-c/2015/base/

2015 Toyota Prius C

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2015 Prius C.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (variable gear ratios)

The 2015 Toyota Prius C is a passenger car paired with an automatic variable gear ratio transmission and an engine requiring just 3.6 quarts of 0W-20 or 5W-20 viscosity oil, achieving an EPA-estimated 53/46/50 mpg city/highway/combined. On the reliability front, this model year carries 2 recalls and 132 total owner complaints, with Service Brakes serving as the top complaint area. When contextualized within the model's 2013-2019 complaint history—which peaked at 403 complaints in 2013 and dropped to a low of just 6 in 2018—the 2015 model sits well below the highest mark, meaning it reflects a significantly improved and stabilizing reliability trend for the lineup.

Model year202120202019201820172016201520142013

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3.6 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-20 / 5W-20OEM · 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
Tire sizeP175/65R15, P195/50R16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim5-J, 6-J inOEM · 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 weight2496 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 3.6 qt of 0W-20 / 5W-20 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque the oil drain plug to 30.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity3.5-3.6
Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity3.6
Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantHOAT
Engine Oil0W-20 · 5W-20
Engine Oil Capacity3.6 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts94 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug30.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts36.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel HubInstall a new nut and torque to 159.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)1000 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerToyota
Spark Plug Gap.028 - .032 (4) in
Spark Plug Torque13 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing14 degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance2 degrees

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

Service checks

Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)44-50 @ idle or fuel pump running psi
Engine Compressionpsi 96-126 / max variation 15 psi
Intake Valve Lash0.006-0.010 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.010-0.014 in

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier Torque25 / Front: 25; Rear: NA
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt Torque79 / Front: 79; Rear: NA
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.039 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: .748; Rear: NA
Maximum Rotor RunoutFront: .002
Maximum Drum DiameterParking Brake 9.040

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 150,000 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) · Windshield Wiper Blade (inspect)
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) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Hybrid Inverter (inspect coolant level)
Every 30,000 miBrake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
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)
At 150,000 miHybrid Inverter (drain, flush & refill coolant) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 200,000 miHybrid Inverter (drain, flush & refill coolant)

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 2015 Toyota Prius C sits in a favorable position within its generation's federal record, with complaints dropping to 132—a significant decline from 403 in 2013 and 205 in 2014—and recalls holding at just 2, the lowest count up to that point aside from the 2019 model. This year also marks the start of a downward trend in technical service bulletins (402) and maintains a steady two investigations, though the following 2016 model sees a spike to 5 recalls and a slight complaint uptick to 162, suggesting some issues may have been deferred or emerged later. The top complaint area for 2015 is service brakes (40 reports), with 27 crash complaints and a single fire report, but the data does not specify root causes for these incidents. Overall, the 2015 model year falls in the middle of an arc where early-generation teething problems have been mitigated but before the recall surge of 2016, making it a comparatively low-risk choice. Based solely on this federal record, the 2015 Toyota Prius C is a good year to buy, offering reduced complaints and recalls relative to earlier models.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
402
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
132
Owner complaints
27 involved a crash · 1 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 132 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes40
Unknown Or Other13
Electrical System9
Exterior Lighting6
Power Train6
Visibility/Wiper4
Structure4
Air Bags3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

15V514000Tires:Pressure Monitoring And Regulating SystemsReported 13/08/2015

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2015 Toyota Prius C vehicles manufactured April 20, 2015, to June 30, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)… Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will re-calibrate the TPMS, free of charge. The recall began on September 15, 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 402 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 2015 Prius C take?

3.6 qt of 0W-20 Preferred. If 0W-20 is not available, 5W-20 may be used. However, 0W-20 must be used at the next oil change., per the factory manual.

Does the 2015 Prius C have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 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.