BUY WITH CARE

The gen-3 Prius carries two inverter recalls for the same failure mode: transistors in the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) inside the inverter can be damaged by high operating temperatures (14V053000, 2010-2014) or by excessive voltage (18V684000, 2010-2014), illuminating warning lamps, forcing reduced/limp-home power, and in the worst case shutting the hybrid system down completely so the car stalls while being driven. Both remedies are ECU software updates, and 18V684000 is required even on cars that already received 14V053000. 220 federal complaints on the 2010-2015 Prius mention the inverter or hybrid system.

Check — Run the VIN through Toyota's recall lookup and confirm BOTH 14V053000 and 18V684000 are closed, since the second supersedes the first. Ask about any past limp-mode, hybrid-warning, or stall events; an inverter that already failed may have been replaced rather than reflashed.