Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (NYSE: TM, 7203T) is recalling ~ 141,300 model year 2023-2024 Prius Prime, 2023-2026 Prius, and 2025-2026 Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. Water may enter the rear door switch and cause a short circuit, allowing an unlocked rear door to open unexpectedly. This recall – NHTSA Recall ID Number 26V049 or 26V-049 – expands and replaces NHTSA recall number 24V274. Vehicles repaired under the previous recall will need to have the new remedy performed.
“The subject vehicles are equipped with electric rear door lock system which includes a door opener switch and a rear door lock release actuator to release the latch from outside the vehicle. If the seal performance for this switch is reduced as a result of thermal cycling and water is present due to large amount of water splashes on the switch (for example, at a car wash), then closing the door with a high force can temporarily allow water to enter the switch.
“If the water contains detergent, this can lead to a short circuit that can cause the switch to activate. If the door is unlocked when this occurs, the door could open unexpectedly and there will be a notification on the combination meter, and a buzzer will sound if the vehicle is in motion. If the door opens unexpectedly while driving, this could increase the risk of injury to occupants,” Toyota said in the mandatory safety defect recall notification,” made public by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this morning.
Chronology
April 2024 – June 2025:
- In April 2024, Toyota submitted a Part 573 report (24V-274) to NHTSA for recall concerning an unexpected door opening due to insufficient waterproofing of the door opener switch.
- In February 2025, Toyota received a field report from the Japan market indicating that a rear right door had opened to a half-latch position while driving. The rear door outside handle, which had been repaired as a part of a recall on vehicles in Japan for the same issue (as 24V-274), was recovered and sent to the supplier for the investigation.
- The investigation of the recovered part by the supplier found signs of water intrusion and surfactants (such as from car wash detergent) on the circuit board inside the door opener. As a result, Toyota began conducting water splash testing on a current production part. It was confirmed during this test that water could reach the sealed portion of the switch. However, no water intrusion was found. The supplier further investigated the issue and compared the sealing condition between the recovered part and a newly produced part. It found that the seal contact area of the recovered part was reduced compared to a production part, but the sealing performance was maintained.
July 2025 – January 2026
- In July 2025, Toyota initiated good parts recovery from the field to confirm the contact area of the seal in vehicles in the field. From the recovered parts, Toyota observed that the seal contact area was reduced over time. Toyota hypothesized the reduction of seal contact area may be caused by a thermal cycling. The supplier then began thermal testing. The test indicated that the seal contact area had been reduced to a certain level; however, even the area with the least amount of seal contact still prevented water intrusion.
- Toyota hypothesized there would need to be another factor to reduce the seal contact area to the point of permitting water intrusion. In October 2025, Toyota conducted a test to evaluate whether the impact of closing the door affects the seal contact area. The test confirmed the seal contact area was temporarily reduced when closing the door with a high force. As a result, Toyota conducted water intrusion test again using the minimum seal contact area and confirmed that closing the door with a high force temporarily allowed water to enter the switch. Toyota also evaluated different mixtures of water and other substances to determine what can cause the door switch to activate in the event that water intrusion causes a short. Toyota found water with surfactants (e.g., car wash detergent) can cause the switch to activate.
- Based on the above investigation, Toyota determined that if the seal performance for this switch is reduced due to thermal cycling and water, with surfactants such as detergent, is present due to large amount of water splashes on the switch (for example, at a car wash), then closing the door with a high force can temporarily allow water to enter the switch, leading to a short circuit that can activate the door switch. If the door is not locked, the short circuit could cause the door to open unexpectedly.
- January 22, 2026: Based on the results of the above investigation, Toyota decided to conduct a voluntary safety recall campaign. As of January 21, 2026, based on a diligent review of records, Toyota’s best engineering judgment is that there are no Toyota Field Technical Reports and three warranty claims that have been received from U.S. sources that relate or may relate to this condition, and which were considered in the decision to submit this report.
Dealers will modify the rear door switch circuits, free of charge as required by U.S. federal safety regulations. Owner notification letters are not expected to be mailed 15 March 2026. Owners may contact Toyota’s customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota’s numbers for this recall are 26TB03 and 26TA03. (NHTSA Recall ID Number 26V049 or 26V-049)
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About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Toyota Recalls 2023-2024 Prius Prime, 2023-2026 Prius, 2025-2026 Prius Hybrids
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (NYSE: TM, 7203T) is recalling ~ 141,300 model year 2023-2024 Prius Prime, 2023-2026 Prius, and 2025-2026 Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. Water may enter the rear door switch and cause a short circuit, allowing an unlocked rear door to open unexpectedly. This recall – NHTSA Recall ID Number 26V049 or 26V-049 – expands and replaces NHTSA recall number 24V274. Vehicles repaired under the previous recall will need to have the new remedy performed.
“The subject vehicles are equipped with electric rear door lock system which includes a door opener switch and a rear door lock release actuator to release the latch from outside the vehicle. If the seal performance for this switch is reduced as a result of thermal cycling and water is present due to large amount of water splashes on the switch (for example, at a car wash), then closing the door with a high force can temporarily allow water to enter the switch.
“If the water contains detergent, this can lead to a short circuit that can cause the switch to activate. If the door is unlocked when this occurs, the door could open unexpectedly and there will be a notification on the combination meter, and a buzzer will sound if the vehicle is in motion. If the door opens unexpectedly while driving, this could increase the risk of injury to occupants,” Toyota said in the mandatory safety defect recall notification,” made public by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this morning.
Chronology
April 2024 – June 2025:
July 2025 – January 2026
Dealers will modify the rear door switch circuits, free of charge as required by U.S. federal safety regulations. Owner notification letters are not expected to be mailed 15 March 2026. Owners may contact Toyota’s customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota’s numbers for this recall are 26TB03 and 26TA03. (NHTSA Recall ID Number 26V049 or 26V-049)
AutoInformed on
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.