Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing will recall more than 800,000 hybrid vehicles after discovering a potentially dangerous electrical problems.
Do you own a lemon Toyota Prius? Contact Allen Stewart’s team of experienced lemon law attorneys today.
The Plano, Texas-based manufacturer notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Oct. 4, 2018 they will recall 807,329 2010-2014 Toyota Prius and 2012-2014 Toyota Prius V vehicles built between March 31, 2009 and June 30, 2014.
The vehicles involved contain Intelligent Power Modules (IPM) inside their inverter assemblies; part of the Prius hybrid system. Certain software characteristics can cause higher than normal thermal stress in specific IPM transistors. This thermal stress can damage the transistors over time, illuminating various warning lights and displaying a warning message on the dashboard. In some cases it could reset the electric motor’s electronic control unit. This can shut down the hybrid system while the vehicle is moving, increasing crash risk.
The NHTSA contacted Toyota following power loss allegations in January 2018. The affected vehicles experienced this power loss after receiving software updates following previous recalls. Toyota began its investigation after recovering parts from affected vehicles.
Toyota continued its investigation throughout March and April 2018, determining some vehicles suffering from power defects would shift into a “failsafe mode” and could be driven to safety while others would simply lose power.
Investigations continued through September 2018, with engineers eventually determining the software used to control the hybrid system can cause the system to shutdown instead of entering failsafe mode. Toyota decided to institute a safety recall on Sept. 28, 2018.
Toyota will notify owners and dealers will update the software for the motor/generator control electronic control unit (ECU) and the hybrid control ECU as necessary, free of charge. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk will begin Oct. 22, 2018. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy becomes available. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota’s number for this recall is J0V. The software updates in this recall are needed even if the vehicle had the software previously updated under earlier recalls.
Toyota owners can also visit the NHTSA’s website and enter their VIN to see if their vehicle is included in any recalls.
Your vehicle’s manufacturer is legally required to fix any recalled problems for free. If the dealership refuses to fix the part or tries to charge you for the repair, contact the manufacturer immediately. The Highway Safety Act of 1970, which created the NHTSA, requires car manufacturers to pay for the recall and replacement of a defective part.
If the manufacturer fails to repair, replace, repurchase, or provide your recalled vehicle’s loss value, they are violating the warranty and a lawyer may be able to help you. Lemon law attorneys help their clients by dealing directly with the manufacturer on the clients’ behalf, working to promptly resolve the issue and get their clients back on the road. Thanks to the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, attorneys can seek their fees directly from the manufacturer, meaning a client can obtain legal counsel without having to pay attorneys’ fees directly out of pocket.
Visit LemonLawUSA.org for more lemon law news.