Toyota has issued a recall on around 1,300 units of its Prius model in Singapore over a potential short-circuiting issue with the model’s rear door switches.
FAULTY SWITCHES
Toyota’s authorised dealer in Singapore, Borneo Motors, announced a recall for some 1,300 units of the Prius model. The model is being recalled for a defect in the rear doors, which may short-circuit and deactivate when wet.
The switch may become vulnerable if its protective seal is damaged. The seal may degrade over time due to thermal cycling. For example, during car washes, if the seal comes in contact with a large amount of water and the rear door is shut with force, water may enter the switch.
The risk of the switch short-circuiting may increase if the water contains detergent. If a short-circuit occurs, the doors may suddenly open while the car in motion.
So far, no accidents related to the defect have been reported.
CONTACT AND REPAIR
Though Borneo Motors did not disclose the affected model years, the company has already begun contacting Prius owners. According to the dealer, repairs are underway and will take only a day to be completed, free of charge. Prius owners may still use their vehicles while waiting for their repair appointment.
As for new Prius units, Borneo Motors stated that the defect will be repaired before delivery.
PREVIOUS RECALLS
This is not Toyota’s first Prius recall for the same issue.
In April of 2024, Toyota suspended orders for the Prius to address the defective rear door switch. This recall affected 211,000 units worldwide. Toyota reportedly incurred costs of JPY 11 billion ($98.6 million AUD) during this recall.
Earlier this year in January, Toyota issued another recall for the same issue in the US and Canada. The recall affected around 20,000 units in North America.
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