2010 Toyota Prius 1.8L Hybrid electric (clean) · GF60 VRK

A pattern of recurring advisories around the front suspension and steering is the defining mechanical story of this 2010 Toyota Prius, with the most recent test on 30 October 2025 recording a pass but only after a dangerous tyre failure and a major Macpherson strut top mount defect were identified three days earlier on 27 October 2025. The steering rack inner joint play has now been flagged across three consecutive annual tests (2022, 2024 and 2025), and the nearside front shock absorber reduced damping effect has appeared on the two latest tests, suggesting progressive wear in the front suspension assembly rather than isolated incidents. The earlier 2023 failures for missing road wheel fixings and multiple dashboard warning lamps (engine MIL, ABS and electronic stability control) are concerning in isolation but represent a single cluster rather than a sustained trend, while the failed registration plate lamp and defective wiper blade in 2022 are minor in context. Overall the trajectory shows a vehicle whose front-end refinement is gradually declining, with the dangerous tyre condition on the 2025 failure being the most pressing safety concern in the recorded history. With 131,220 miles recorded over roughly sixteen years, the Prius has accumulated approximately 8,200 miles per year, which is broadly typical for its age. The annual test entries show reasonably consistent presentation with no multi-year gaps that would suggest prolonged standing, though the mileage progression from the earliest to the latest entry should be verified against the odometer at the time of viewing. At this mileage on a hybrid of this generation, attention should logically turn to wear items proportional to use: front suspension components, brake discs and pads, steering linkage, and the hybrid system battery state of health are all areas where cumulative mileage bears directly on remaining life. For a prospective buyer, the steering rack inner joint play warrants particular physical inspection. On a test drive, listen for clonking or knocking from the front end over uneven surfaces, particularly over speed humps and potholes, and feel for any vagueness or sloppiness in the steering around the straight-ahead position where the joint play was specifically flagged. Check the rack boot and inner joint area for any signs of grease migration or wetness, as the persistent advisory across three tests suggests the wear is ongoing rather than repaired. Examine the front tyres for uneven inner or outer edge wear, which would corroborate the tracking and joint play concerns, and verify that all four wheel fixings are present and correctly torqued given the 2023 failure for missing fixings at all four corners. The suspension components flagged in late 2025 require close attention. With the nearside front Macpherson strut top bush or bearing and reduced shock damping effect both identified within three days of each other, the front strut assembly should be inspected for any knocking on compression, uneven nose-dive under braking, or visible corrosion around the top mount area in the engine bay. The rear brake disc advisory and front brake disc advisory from 2022 and 2025 indicate surface wear and pitting, so on a test drive feel for any vibration or judder through the brake pedal under firm application, particularly from higher speeds, and listen for any grinding or scraping from the caliper area. The 2023 ABS, electronic stability control and engine MIL lamp failures collectively point to a potential fault within the stability control or sensor network, so ensure that all dashboard warning lamps extinguish promptly after ignition and remain off during driving, as intermittent illumination would suggest the underlying issue has not been fully resolved. Finally, a Prius of this age and mileage should have its 12V auxiliary battery and hybrid system battery state of health independently checked, as neither falls within the MOT scope but both are known age-related failure items on this generation.