Toyota is recalling nearly 142,000 Prius and Prius Prime vehicles in the US after discovering a defect in the rear door lock system that could cause doors to open while the car is moving.
The recall affects 2023–2026 Toyota Prius models, 2023–2024 Prius Prime vehicles, and 2025–2026 Prius Plug-In Hybrid models, NY Post reported.
The issue involves the electric rear door switches, which can malfunction if water enters the system.
A short circuit could cause a rear door to unlatch, potentially opening while the vehicle is in motion.
Toyota warned that this defect increases the risk of injury, particularly to rear-seat passengers. If the switch triggers while driving, the vehicle may display a warning on the dashboard and sound a buzzer to alert the driver.
"It's important that drivers address this issue promptly," Toyota said, adding that no injuries or crashes have been reported in the US linked to the defect.
The company first identified the problem during internal testing and following a reported incident overseas.
Toyota recalls 141,000 Prius vehicles over doors that have risk of opening while driving https://t.co/K9c5CNvh9T pic.twitter.com/j8z4MNNTOE
— New York Post (@nypost) February 10, 2026
Toyota to Fix Prius Door Lock Issue Free of Charge
To fix the problem, Toyota dealers will modify the left and right rear door switch circuits. The repair will prevent the switches from activating even if a short occurs. The service will be performed free of charge for affected owners.
Toyota plans to notify customers between March 15 and March 29, 2026. Owners who already paid for repairs related to this issue may qualify for reimbursement under Toyota's general reimbursement program.
Owners can check if their Prius is part of the recall by visiting toyota.com/recall or nhtsa.gov/recalls and entering their vehicle identification number (VIN) or license plate information.
According to Yahoo, the recall includes about 102,515 standard Prius models, 23,243 Prius Prime vehicles, and 15,528 Prius Plug-In Hybrid models.
While not every car built during the affected production periods is impacted, the recall targets vehicles from a specific supplier and production timeframe.
For drivers needing service, Toyota has 46 dealerships in Ohio and many more across the country. Appointments can be scheduled online through Toyota's website.
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