Toyota recalled over 267,000 vehicles in the United States and about 12,000 in Canada over stalling issues that could increase the risk of accidents, news outlets report.
According to the firm, impacted vehicles include the 2013 through 2015 Prius and 2014 through 2017 Prius V models. These units, which were sold across the United States, can expose drivers and occupants to accident risks due to unexpected engine stalls.
Impacted Prius cars are designed to enter a fail-safe mode when the hybrid system experiences a problem. Because the mode may not kick in in the impacted vehicles, the power steering and braking can continue to function whereas the engine may stall. In case the stalling happens when the vehicle is in motion, the driver can experience an accident.
Toyota Has History Of Recalls Over Stalling, Accident Risks
The firm had previously recalled other Prius vehicles over stalling risks, with two of these recalls happening in 2014 and 2019. The issue was even the cause of a lawsuit filed against the Japanese automaker.
In the legal documents filed against the manufacturer in 2019, a California dealer alleged the firm’s recall fixes did nothing to address the stalling risks.
Now, Toyota is reporting that impacted vehicle owners will be contacted in August and asked to visit a dealer where the issue will be addressed through a software update. In case the issue also impacts the inverter, Toyota added, dealers will have inverters replaced.
Considering this issue has exposed other hybrid Toyota car owners to problems, it’s imperative that impacted vehicle owners promptly respond to this recall, having their vehicles fixed as soon as possible.
If, after your car has been repaired, you experience stalling or related issues, make sure to report the problem to the manufacturer. Additionally, you can contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website to report a failure or an accident.
Regulators rely on these reports to initiate probes in case they see a pattern of failure that isn’t being addressed by the manufacturer.
For more on this recall, follow this link.
