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Toyota announced on Wednesday that it is recalling more than one million of its hybrid vehicles worldwide over a potential fire risk.
The safety recall covers Toyota Prius, Prius plug-in hybrid and C-HR SUV models and is intended to repair a problem with their electrical systems, which in some cases can cause fires. The recall applies to cars produced between June 2015 and May 2018.
“A portion of the wire harness could contact the cover at this connection and wear over
time, causing an electrical short circuit, which can generate heat,” Toyota said in a statement. “If sufficient heat is generated, there is an increased risk of a vehicle fire.”
The company said dealers will inspect and repair vehicles for free, and customers will be notified directly if they are affected. But they can also check at Toyota.com/recall or nhtsa.gov/recalls.
According to the automaker, the problem involved wire harnesses that connect to the cars’ power control units. These can wear away over time, generating heat.
This is not the first time the Japanese carmaker is announcing a problem with the Prius.
In 2016, it recalled more than 1.7 million of the vehicles over issues related to their air bags and parking brakes.
The company has had to recall more than 20 million of its cars in recent years in response to the Takata exploding air bag scandal.