Toyota issued a major recall in April 2024 after discovering Prius doors could fly open while driving.
They told 55,000 owners to bring their cars in for a fix that would solve the problem once and for all.
Turns out that repair didn't work – because Toyota just announced they're recalling 141,000 Prius vehicles for the exact same defect, and anyone who got their car "fixed" last year has to go back to the dealer for a second repair.
Toyota Prius Recall 2026: Water Damage Problem Still Isn't Fixed
Water gets into the electric door switches on the rear doors and causes a short circuit that can unlatch the door while you're driving down the highway – assuming you didn't lock the doors.
Toyota's "improved" switches from 2024 apparently weren't improved enough.
The recall covers 2023 through 2026 Prius models, 2023-2024 Prius Prime vehicles, and 2025-2026 Prius Plug-In Hybrid models.
That's 141,286 vehicles in the U.S. alone – nearly triple the number from last year's recall.
2024 Prius Prime Recall Owners Must Return For Second Repair
This recall is officially listed as an "expansion" of the previous one.
Translation: Toyota's first attempt to fix the defect failed.
Anyone who already had their door switches replaced last year has to bring their Prius back to the dealer for a second modification to the door switch circuits.
The dealers are supposed to modify the circuits so the switches won't activate even if they short out from water damage.
That's different from last year's fix, which just replaced the switches with supposedly better ones.
Toyota confirmed the issue after internal testing and a reported incident overseas – meaning someone somewhere experienced this exact problem even after getting the 2024 repair.
The company claims there are no reported injuries or crashes in the U.S. tied to the defect, but that doesn't explain why they're recalling three times as many vehicles this time around.
The Pattern Toyota Doesn't Want You Noticing
The Prius isn't the only Toyota with serious quality control problems lately.
Last November, the company recalled over 1 million vehicles for a rearview camera software glitch that could freeze the screen or display nothing when you shift into reverse.
Before that, also in November 2025, Toyota recalled 126,691 Tundra and Lexus vehicles for engine failures caused by metal debris left in engines during manufacturing – an expansion of an earlier recall for the same issue.
Last year, Toyota recalled 106,000 Tacoma pickups because mud and dirt could damage brake hoses and cause brake fluid leaks.
Seeing a pattern here?
Toyota built its reputation on reliability, but these repeated failures on the same defects suggest the company can't fix problems correctly the first time.
When you have to recall vehicles twice for the identical problem, someone at Toyota headquarters isn't doing their job.
Toyota Safety Recall: How Prius Owners Check VIN and Get Free Repair
Toyota says owner notification letters will start going out March 15, 2026.
Until then, the company recommends activating the automatic door-locking feature – which is basically admitting their cars aren't safe unless you remember to lock the doors.
Dealers will perform the repair free of charge, which is the least Toyota owes them considering they already failed to fix it once.
Owners can check if their vehicle is affected by visiting Toyota.com/recall or nhtsa.gov/recalls and entering their VIN or license plate number.
If you already brought your Prius in for the 2024 door switch recall, you'll need to schedule another appointment – because Toyota's first attempt at a fix clearly didn't work.
Sources:
- Toyota USA Newsroom, "Toyota Recalls Certain MY2023-2026 Toyota Prius Vehicles," January 28, 2026.
- Car and Driver, "Toyota Recalls 141,286 Priuses for Doors That Could Unexpectedly Open," February 9, 2026.
- Autoblog, "Toyota Recalls the Prius Again Over Doors That Can Open While Driving," February 6, 2026.
- Top Class Actions, "Toyota Recalls 142,000 Priuses Due to Faulty Door Switches," February 9, 2026.
- Consumer Reports, "Toyota Prius Recalled Because the Rear Doors May Open When the Car Is in Motion," April 22, 2024.
- Fox Business, "Toyota Recalls 141K Vehicles Over Doors That Could Open While Driving," February 10, 2026.