The Lemon IndexC1256 is a manufacturer-specific code, so its exact meaning depends on the make. Full C1256 page
34 owner complaints · the #2 code Toyota Prius owners name · 11% of Toyota Prius complaints that name a code (every car: 0.5%)
Middle of 111,000 miles · most between 104,000 and 177,000 (9 owners gave it)
Toyota Prius owners named C1256 in 34 complaints to the U.S. government (NHTSA), most often on the 2008, 2013 and 2012 model years, at a middle of 111,000 miles. The part they name most is the ABS module, pump or accumulator (18 complaints). Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Toyota Prius model years that report C1256
Owner complaints naming C1256, by model year. Raw counts: years that sold more get more complaints, so this is each model year's record, not a failure rate.
Mileage when it happened
111,000 miles is the middle of what 9 owners entered. Half were between 104,000 and 177,000 miles.
The mileage on the complaint form, when the owner gave one.
What owners say caused it or fixed it
The most-named part is the ABS module, pump or accumulator, in 18 of the 34 complaints (53%). 7 of those mention it being replaced or repaired, and 1 say the problem came back afterwards.
- ABS module, pump or brake accumulator18 complaints7 mention a repair or replacement, 1 of them says the problem came back · what Toyota Prius owners paid
14 complaints mention a recall and 12 mention a warranty.
Counted from the owners' own words: a part counts when a sentence names it with a cause or repair word. What owners wrote, not a diagnosis. A shop should confirm the cause before replacing parts.
Symptoms owners describe with C1256
- Brakes or ABS act up97%33 of 34 complaints
- Warning lights and electrical faults24%8 of 34 complaints
Share of the complaints naming C1256 whose text also describes each problem. A complaint can describe more than one.
Codes owners report with it
C1391 20 C1252 14 C1253 13 U0293 2
Other codes named in the same Toyota Prius complaints, and in how many.
Repair costs
Toyota Prius ABS module replacement cost
Recalls on these Toyota Prius years
- Brakes · 2010 · issued 2013
Nitrogen gas from a component of the brake booster pump assembly could leak into the brake fluid. NHTSA 13V235000 - Service brakes, air · 2010 · issued 2010
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS AND LEXUS HS250H PASSENGER VEHICLES. NHTSA 10V039000
2 recalls for the same systems (brakes) on the Toyota Prius model years above. A recall for the same system isn't proof it's behind C1256. Recall work is free at any dealer: check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with our VIN check.
Keep going
- C1256: meaning, causes and every car that reports it
- Toyota Prius reliability by year
- 2008 Toyota Prius problems and recalls
Other codes Toyota Prius owners report
C1256 on other cars
Toyota Highlander (13)
The details
How we count
We read every owner complaint in the NHTSA file whose text names this trouble code, and count the ones filed about this model (matched by the make, model and model year on the complaint). Mileage is what the owner entered on the form.
Parts: a complaint counts for a part when one of the owner's own sentences names that part together with a cause word (failed, bad, diagnosed, caused by, leaking ...) or a repair word (replaced, repaired, new, reprogrammed ...). "Came back" means the same complaint also says the problem returned or the repair didn't fix it. These are counts of what owners wrote, not a diagnosis, and one complaint can name several parts.
Complaints are reports, not proof of a defect, and most owners never file one. Popular models get more complaints, so the counts are not a failure rate. The code meaning is the standard SAE J2012 definition in our own words, or the carmaker's meaning where we verified it for that make.
What C1256 means
C1256 is a manufacturer-specific code: each carmaker decides what it means, so the same code can point to different problems on different brands. We haven't verified its meaning for Toyota yet. A dealer or a scanner with the maker's software can tell you exactly.
Check the complaints yourself
NHTSA complaint numbers (search them at nhtsa.gov): 11777065, 11770551, 11769470, 11754349, 11748062, 11744740, 11736173, 11725225, 11707029, 11696848, 11689579, 11670795 and 22 more.
Quick answers
Which Toyota Prius years have the most C1256 complaints?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners of the 2008 (8), 2013 (5), 2012 (5) Toyota Prius named C1256 most (34 complaints in all, 2004–2015). Raw counts, not a failure rate.
What fixes C1256 on a Toyota Prius?
Owners most often name the ABS module, pump or accumulator (18 of 34 complaints). That's what owners wrote, not a diagnosis: have a shop confirm the cause with a scan and tests before replacing parts.
At what mileage does C1256 show up on a Toyota Prius?
Owners who gave their mileage reported a middle of 111,000 miles; half were between 104,000 and 177,000 (9 owners).
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints that name C1256 on the Toyota Prius, counted by The Lemon Index; NHTSA recalls; repair bills owners named. Meanings: SAE J2012 in our own words. Owner reports, not a diagnosis or repair advice for your car.