The Toyota Motor Corporation announced on Wednesday that will be recalling almost 200,000 Priuses from the United States, and more than 1 million hybrid vehicles from markets around the globe, including Australia, Europe, and Japan.
The recall was announced after the company discovered a defect in the wiring of the “hybrid power control unit.”
According to Reuters, the wire’s sheath could potentially wear out over time, leaving the wire exposed and free to contact a covering close to the control unit. If that occurs, it could cause a short circuit, which could trigger a fire inside the car’s engine compartment.
According to United Press International (UPI), the recall in the United States is only for the company’s popular Prius Sedan, specifically those manufactured in Japan between 2015 and 2018. In total, 192,000 U.S. Toyotas are slated to be recalled.
Toyota has not disclosed as to whether any injuries or deaths have been attributed to the defect, reports UPI. According to Reuters, however, there has been at least one case of short-circuiting in a Japanese hybrid.