Toyota Prius and Prius Prime owners in the United States and various global markets are facing a looming repair situation, as it has come to light that their vehicles may harbor defective rear door latches.
Toyota's announcement on Wednesday revealed a recall affecting around 55,000 2023-2024 Prius and Prius HEV hybrid electric vehicles in the U.S. Furthermore, an additional 156,000 vehicles across Japan, Canada, Europe, and Asia are also subject to the recall.
The concern revolves around potential water ingress into the electronic rear door latches of Prius and Prius Prime models manufactured between November 2022 and April 2024. This water infiltration poses the risk of a short circuit, potentially leading to unintended door openings if the doors are not properly secured. Such incidents could occur even while the vehicle is in motion.
Initially identified in the Japanese market, where over 135,000 vehicles require rectification, the issue has now extended to impact approximately 55,000 vehicles in the U.S. Toyota is taking proactive measures, recalling a total of approximately 211,000 Prius and Prius Prime models worldwide.
While Toyota is actively working on a resolution, a definitive fix for the problem has yet to be confirmed. In the interim, the automaker advises owners to ensure that the automatic locking feature remains enabled. This feature automatically locks the doors upon the vehicle's movement out of park. Further details regarding the recall are expected to be communicated to customers in early June, with Toyota committed to replacing the rear door opener switches at no cost to owners.
For U.S. owners of 2023-2024 Prius and Prius Prime models, Toyota has established an online recall portal where owners can input their vehicle identification number (VIN) to determine whether their vehicle is affected by this specific recall or any other recalls.