Japan’s transport ministry said that in affected vehicles, the wire harness which connects to the hybrid power control unit can come into contact with the covering at the connection point.
If dust builds up on the wire harness or cover, the insulation on the wires could wear down due to vehicle vibrations, increasing the risk of short circuit and/or fire.
The recall affects Toyota vehicles manufactured in Japan from June 2015 to May 2018, and includes the plug-in version of the Prius and C-HR compact crossover SUV sold in Japan, Europe and Australia. Only the Prius model is affected in the U.S., where around 192,000 vehicles will be recalled.
The issue has been linked to at least one incident of a short-circuiting in Japan which produced smoke from the vehicle, Toyota said.
Source: CNBC