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Toyota electrical recalls: fire risk, stalling and doors that pop open
⚠ 1 carries a park-outside (fire risk) advisory.
This is the broadest group, and fire is the thread running through its most serious entries: a 2016-2018 Prius engine wire harness that chafes at the hybrid Power Control Unit, a damaged DC-DC converter in 2021-2022 RAV4 Prime, a loose replacement 12-volt battery in 2013-2018 RAV4, and a corroding engine starter relay on the BMW-built Supra. Water intrusion is the second pattern — the Prius rear door switch shorting and letting a door open while driving, recalled twice, and an aftermarket Highlander windshield whose wire harness leaks into the engine control module. The rest are display and control-unit faults: a blank Prius instrument cluster, cold-weather RAV4 Prime stalling, Tundra rearview camera glitches and airbag ECU errors.
Warning signs to watch for
- Speedometer, odometer or fuel gauge going blank on the Prius
- The hybrid system shutting down or the engine stalling — in cold weather while driving a RAV4 Prime in EV mode, or after water damages the ECM on a Highlander with a replacement windshield
- An unlocked rear Prius door opening unexpectedly, the result of water reaching the door switch
- An airbag warning after start-up, when the airbag ECU wrongly detects a fault during its self-check
- A rearview camera that stays blank in cold weather or shows the front camera view instead of the rear
Is it safe to keep driving?
Mixed, and the differences matter. Only one recall here restricts you: the corroding starter relay on 2019-2021 BMW models and the Toyota Supra, where owners are told to park outdoors and away from structures until the starter is replaced. RAV4 Prime owners are told not to charge when the ambient temperature is below, or expected to drop below, 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Otherwise no notice orders you to stop driving, including the Prius wire harness and RAV4 battery fire recalls — but a fire risk, a stalling engine and a door that can open while moving deserve prompt appointments.
What the free repair involves
Repairs split three ways. Hardware: inspect and replace the Prius engine wire harness with added protective sleeving, replace the DC-DC converter, the battery clamp, tray and terminal cover, the engine starter, the Prius rear door switches, or the instrument cluster circuit board. Software: reprogram the airbag ECU, HEV ECU or parking-assist ECU. The aftermarket windshield is replaced and the ECM inspected by the glass maker. All free.
Severity at a glance
| Severity | Recalls |
|---|---|
| critical | 5 |
| high | 6 |
| medium | 6 |
Models affected most
Every recall in this group
Common questions
Can I charge my RAV4 Prime in winter before the converter is replaced?
No. Toyota advises affected 2021-2022 RAV4 Prime owners not to charge when the ambient air temperature is below, or expected to drop below, 41 degrees Fahrenheit, because the damaged DC-DC converter can short and cause a fire. Dealers replace it free.
Why is my Supra covered by a BMW recall?
BMW of North America files the engine starter recalls that include the Toyota Supra alongside BMW models. One of them asks owners to park outside and away from structures until the free starter replacement is done. Toyota owners can call 1-800-331-4331.
My Prius rear door switch was already replaced — does the newer recall apply?
Possibly. The later recall covers 2023-2026 Prius, 2023-2024 Prius Prime and 2025-2026 Prius Plug-in Hybrid for the same water intrusion problem, but the remedy changed from replacing the switches to modifying the rear door switch circuits. Check your VIN with Toyota.
A recall applies only to specific vehicles. Check your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.