C1256 on Toyota vehicles
C1256 is named on 9 Toyota model years (2016–2019): 12 manufacturer filings and 1 owner report in NHTSA’s files, across Highlander, Prius c, Prius, Prius v.
Which Toyota model years name C1256
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints| Model year | Filed under | Bulletins | Owner reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Toyota Highlander | Service Brakes | 1 | 1 |
| 2017 Toyota Prius c | Service Brakes | 2 | — |
| 2016 Toyota Highlander | Service Brakes | 2 | — |
| 2016 Toyota Prius c | Service Brakes | 2 | — |
| 2019 Toyota Highlander | Service Brakes | 1 | — |
| 2018 Toyota Prius | Lane Departure | 1 | — |
| 2017 Toyota Highlander | Service Brakes | 1 | — |
| 2017 Toyota Prius v | Electronic Stability Control | 1 | — |
| 2016 Toyota Prius v | Lane Departure | 1 | — |
A model year is listed because the code is named in its own record — a bulletin filed against it, or an owner’s complaint about it — not because every one of these vehicles sets it. Counts are documents in NHTSA’s files, not failure rates.
Toyota filings that name C1256
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communicationsBulletins and campaigns Toyota filed with NHTSA whose summary names C1256. Quote the document number at the service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
- T-SB-0014-25 Service bulletin2025-01-29 · Service Brakes
- Some 2017 – 2019 model year Highlander Hybrid vehicles may exhibit a condition in which the brake, ABS, and/or TRAC warning lights are on and/or a Check VSC message displays. One or more of the following specific Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs): C1391, C1252, C1256, and/or C1253 will be stored in the vehicle memory to be used as verification. This condition may be caused by a small internal brake
- TSB000924 Service bulletin2024-02-21 · Service Brakes
- TSB: Some 2014 ? 2016 model year Highlander Hybrid vehicles may exhibit a condition in which the brake, ABS, and/or TRAC warning lights are on and/or a Check VSC message displays. One or more of the following specific Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs): C1391, C1252, C1256, and/or C1253 will be stored in the vehicle memory to be used as verification. This condition may be caused by a small internal b
- 24TE01 Service campaign2024-11-04 · Service Brakes
- This Customer Support Program provides coverage as it applies to Brake Booster and Brake Booster Pump Assemblies on Certain 2014-2016 Model Year Highlander HV and certain 2017 Model Year Prius V Vehicles. The specific condition covered by this program is related to certain internal malfunctions of the Brake Booster Assembly. One or more of the following specific Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) C13
- TSB000824 Service bulletin2024-02-21 · Service Brakes
- TSB:Some 2015 ? 2017 model year Prius C vehicles may exhibit a condition where the brake, ABS, and/or TRAC warning lights are on and/or a Check VSC message displays. One or more of the following Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs): C1391, C1252, C1256, or C1253 will be stored in the vehicle memory to be used as verification. This condition may be caused by a small internal brake fluid leak ins
- T-SB-0013-23 Service bulletin2023-03-09 · Lane Departure
- TSB: Some 2016 ? 2018 model year Prius V vehicles may exhibit a condition where the brake, ABS, and/or TRAC warning lights are on and/or a Check VSC message displays. One or more of the following Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) C1391, C1252, C1256, and/or C1253 will be stored in the vehicle?s memory to be used as verification. This condition may be caused by a small brake fluid leak inside the bra
What C1256 means
Source: SAE J2012 / OBD-IIC1256 is a manufacturer-specific code: the second character is a 1, which under the OBD-II standard hands the definition to whoever built the vehicle. The same code can mean one thing on a Ford and something unrelated on a Hyundai. Any site that prints a single definition for it is guessing.
A stored code names the test that failed, never the part that caused it. The record above is what Toyota and its owners have filed about it; the code’s page across every make has the whole file.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA files and the OBD-II standardIs C1256 a known problem on Toyota vehicles?
It is a documented one: NHTSA's files hold 12 manufacturer filings and 1 owner report naming C1256 on 9 Toyota model years (2016–2019). Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count — but a bulletin that names the code on your model year is the place to start.
Which Toyota models does C1256 appear on most?
2018 Highlander (2 documents), 2016 Highlander (2 documents), 2017 Prius c (2 documents).
Does C1256 on a Toyota mean it is recalled?
No. Recalls are filed by campaign and matched by VIN; no recall is triggered by a scan tool. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or open the model year's page here for the campaigns filed against it.