Toyota Prius recalled for rear doors that could pop open

Toyota has announced that it's recalling a total of 211,000 examples of 2023 and 2024 Toyota Prius models (both standard hybrid and Prime PHEV) worldwide. In the U.S., the recall effects about 55,000 cars. And it's all for rear doors that could open unexpectedly.

The current Prius features electronic door latches, something done to hide the rear handles around the windows for a sleek appearance. It's also far from the first example of a car using electronic door handles, going back at least as far as the C6 Corvette. But apparently on recalled Prius cars, water can leak into the electronic door latch, short circuit the switch, and release the door, causing it to open.

The fix is straightforward. Owners will be able to bring their car to a Toyota dealer, where new latch mechanisms will be installed. The fix will of course be free. Toyota will send notifications in the mail to affected Prius owners starting in June. Owners looking for more information can call Toyota's customer service line at 1-800-331-4331, or visit either toyota.com/recall or nhtsa.gov/recalls.