Toyota has recalled about 55,000 Prius cars from model years 2023 and 2024 in the U.S. because the rear doors can open without warning while in motion in an accident.
“Water can enter and short circuit the electronic rear door latches in the involved vehicles,” the company explains. “If the doors are not locked, they could open while the vehicle is moving or in a crash, increasing the risk of injury to occupants.”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the government agency that handles recalls, hasn’t issued a statement on this one yet. But Toyota sometimes beats the NHTSA to announcing safety recalls.
Dealers will replace the right and left door opener switches with models better sealed against moisture to fix the problem, the company says.
If you’re driving a Prius, Toyota asks that you “ensure that the feature that automatically locks the doors when shifting from Park is activated” until you’ve had yours repaired. That should help keep them closed even in a collision.
Dealers never charge for recall repairs.
Automakers recall many cars, often more than once, during their lifespan. Automakers try to contact every owner but don’t always reach them all. Find out whether your vehicle has any outstanding recalls with the easy VIN tool at our recall center.
