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Toyota recalls over a million vehicles due to fire risk

On Behalf of | Oct 1, 2018 | Auto Recalls |

Toyota Motor Corp. is recalling 2016-2018 Prius and C-HR crossovers because the vehicles could catch fire from a short in the electrical system.

The Wall Street Journal stated the recall includes over a million Toyotas, but affects only 192,000 Prius vehicles in the U.S. The hybrid version of C-HR is not sold in the states.

Wires can wear and cause an electrical short

Wire harnesses connected to the hybrid power control unit can wear, causing a short circuit which could generate excess heat. If there is sufficient heat from the wiring harness, vehicles may catch fire.

A vehicle caught fire due to the flaw

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the defect was discovered by Toyota after a dealer in Japan reported odor, smoke and flames from a vehicle.  Toyota has said that one U.S. warranty claim in the U.S. may be related to the defect. 

Toyota said it will contact all affected Prius owners through U.S. mail by the end of September.

This is a large recall for an automaker plagued by other recalls. The Takata airbag recall is one of the biggest and most complicated safety recalls in the country’s history. The airbags were installed in vehicles from 2002 to 2015. These faulty airbags could rupture and propel metal shards into a vehicle, which could injure or kill passengers.

You may want to check if your vehicle has a recall

If you are concerned your vehicle may be included in this latest Toyota recall or a previous recall, you can check your car’s status at https://www.safercar.gov/.  If you believe that your vehicle was damaged from a fire prior to the recall, you should consider contacting an experienced Lemon Law attorney.

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