625,000 Toyota Prius Models Recalled

Software settings on some of Toyota’s hybrid vehicles can see them suffer higher thermal stress in the transistors of the motor/generator control ECU and hybrid control ECU.

Sound familiar? That’s because back in February, Toyota recalled some 700,000 Prius models from 2012-2014 for exactly the same problem – though in that case, the recall wasn’t limited to the Prius V. The software can cause some of the hardware in those ECUs to overheat, forcing the vehicle into failsafe mode and limiting functionality.

The problem is linked to software which controls a power converter – a similar issue past year led to 1.9 million Prius cars being recalled.

The vehicles affected by the recall in New Zealand are the Prius v Hybrid vehicles manufactured from September 2010 to November 2014.

More than half of the vehicles in question were sold in Japan, while the rest had been distributed to European and North American markets, the company said.

Owners of the involved vehicles will be notified by first class mail.

Recently, in May, Toyota recalled 2.86 million vehicles covering 24 models globally with production dates ranging from April 2003 to December 2008 amid safety concerns over the faulty air bags, made by Japanese supplier Takata.

Toyota says the defect can cause the auto to lose power and bring it to a stop.