A problem that could result in rear doors opening unexpectedly is the reason Toyota is recalling roughly 55,000 cars in the United States.

The carmaker announced on Wednesday that it was recalling roughly 55,000 of its 2023–2024 Prius and Prius HEV hybrid electric cars in the United States and an additional 156,000 in Japan, Canada, Europe, and Asia due to the possibility of water getting into and short-circuiting the rear door latches, which could lead to the doors opening while the vehicle is moving or in an accident.

If the rear doors of the small car are not locked, the doors may open. Toyota stated in a recall notice that unexpected door openings, particularly when the vehicle is moving or in an accident, may raise the risk of damage to occupants.

Customers will get mail-based notifications by the beginning of June 2024 regarding this issue. Visit the Toyota recall website to find out whether your car is covered by the recall.

According to the firm, Toyota dealers will upgrade the rear door opener switches on the left and right for free.

Owners of cars in the United States and Canada should be sure to turn on the feature that locks the doors automatically when moving from “park” to assist stop the doors from opening in the case of a short circuit, according to Toyota, until that fix is ready.

Toyota issued a recall for more than 381,000 of its 2022–2023 Tacoma trucks earlier this year due to an axle problem that might impair brake performance and vehicle stability, raising the possibility of an accident.

Additionally, the manufacturer issued a recall for over 280,600 Lexus LX600, 2023–2024 Sequoia Hybrid, and 2022–2024 Tundra and Tundra Hybrid models due to a potential brake problem that might allow the cars to travel while in neutral and without applying the brakes.