Another week, another recall. This time, it is Toyota, with a fault rising on its famous hybrid-powered models. The issue? A very low risk of fire – but over a million Toyotas in Japan, North America, Europe and more are affected.
Japanese-made Toyotas built between June 2015 and May 2018 are involved the recall. Affecting the plug-in versions of the Prius and the C-HR crossover, the risk is said to originate from the engine wire harness.
The harness that connects to the hybrid power control unit can, in rare instances, come into contact with the connection point covering. Dust accumulation on the harness could cause wire insulation to wear down over time with the vibrations of the vehicle. This in turn could lead to a short circuit, producing sparks, heat and, therefore, possibly lead to a fire.
Half of the total cars to be recalled are in Japan, while 192,000 Prius models are affected in the USA.
In the UK numbers are smaller, but still significant. The Prius, Prius Plug-in and the C-HR plug-in hybrid models are affected, with 32,393 cars to be recalled, according to Toyota GB. Owners are to be contacted directly and prompted to visit their Toyota retailer to have the car checked.
The recalls will involve cursory checks, with a protector to be installed if no damage to the engine wire harness assembly is found. If there is damage, a replacement assembly will be installed, complete with a protector.
Installation of a protector without the need for assembly replacement should take as little as 20 minutes. If, however, damage is found and replacements need to be installed, that will take significantly longer: just under five hours for the Prius and Prius plug-in and four hours for the CH-R.
There will be no charges for any work carried out. No accidents or injuries related to the issue have been reported in the UK.