Toyota recalls Prius hybrids that may stall

Plano, TX – November 1, 2021 – Toyota (NYSE:TM) is recalling 8,411 Toyota Prius hybrid vehicles over a concern that the hybrid system may shut down, causing a loss of power. This may cause cars to stall, increasing the risk of a crash. The affected models include:

  • 2022 Toyota Prius
  • 2022 Toyota Prius Prime

The affected component is the “Hybrid Vehicle ECU” with multiple part numbers that begin with “89981.”

Recall summary  

The recall centers around faulty software with the car’s Electronic Control Unit (ECU), which is the part that controls all the electronic functions of the vehicle. The ECU may falsely detect an error on the affected vehicles and shut down the vehicle’s hybrid system, resulting in an immediate loss of power.

To the best of our knowledge, the Prius battery ECU is unaffected by this recall.

Recall risks

A loss in power can cause the vehicle to come to a sudden halt. As reported, stalling while driving may result in the car getting hit from behind, injuring both cars’ drivers and passengers.

Warning signs

The vehicle warning lights may come on, letting the driver know of the impending shutdown.

Other Toyota recalls

​​The 2022 Prius and 2022 Prius Prime have not been subject to any other recalls. Last year, older Prius models were recalled over a power loss issue. However, the affected component was a faulty inverter and not the ECU software. 

Another recent Toyota recall included the 2019-2020 Toyota Yaris to fix a faulty fuel pump that increased the risk of stalling.

The repair

Toyota dealers will update the ECU software on the affected vehicles. 

Owners will be notified on November 20, 2021.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 8,000 cars are part of this Toyota Prius recall. To check if your vehicle is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Vishal VenugopalToyota recalls Prius hybrids that may stall