Toyota Motors has issued a recall for more than 135,000 Prius hybrid cars in Japan due to a problem with the rear door handles. The recall comes after a transport ministry filing revealed that the affected cars were manufactured between November 2022 and April 2024. Fortunately, no accidents have been reported due to the fault thus far.
The company has announced that it will halt production and cease taking orders from dealerships until the issue is resolved. The transport ministry identified the problem which revolved around insufficient waterproofing in the electronic components of the rear doors. Should these components be exposed to moisture, they may short-circuit, leading to unexpected door openings while the vehicle is in operation. Although no accidents have been reported thus far, Toyota has deemed it imperative to address this flaw promptly to mitigate any potential safety hazards.
As part of the corrective measures, the Japanese automakers have announced a temporary halt in production and suspended order placements from dealerships until the issue is rectified.
While the recall specifically targets Prius cars in Japan, it remains unclear if similar actions will be taken for Prius models sold outside the country. However, Toyota has indicated that an assembly line previously suspended for quality checks on Prius cars will resume production of Corolla compact cars on Thursday.
One of Toyota’s suppliers, Tokai Rika Co, disclosed that door switches for Prius cars were the source of the issue. The company anticipates incurring approximately 11 billion yen (Rs. 19,707,477,100) in costs due to the product recall.
