Toyota recalls more than 1 million vehicles over fire risk

Toyota Motor Corp. is recalling over one million Prius and C-HR crossover sport-utility vehicles globally to repair a portion of the electrical system that could cause a fire. The problematic wiring harness is associated with the vehicle's hybrid power unit, and vibrations and accumulating dirt can wear down the harness insulation at the connection point. In time, there is a possibility of an electrical short, creating a fire risk.

No fires have been reported, but the company says one incident was reported where smoke came from the vehicle.

The recall affects certain 2016-2018 model-year Prius vehicles, Prius Prime plug-in hybrids and hybrid gas-electric versions of the C-HRs. In the U.S., the recall covers about 192,000 Prius and Prius Prime vehicles. The bulk of the vehicles covered by the recall were sold in Japan.

Around 192,000 vehicles in the US are affected, according to Toyota.

Toyota said the problem was caused by issues with the assembly of the vehicles at plants in Japan. Wires leading to the hybrid power-control unit could be subject to wear, “exposing the core wire, potentially causing an electrical short to occur between the damaged wires,” a company spokesman said. That could lead to an engine fire, Toyota said in its recall notice.

In one reported incident in Japan in September, a Toyota vehicle was damaged by a fire started by the defect, the spokesman said. No one was injured in that incident, he said. The spokesman declined to comment on whether there were any other accidents or injuries associated with the defect.