Toyota is recalling 1.9 million Prius hybrids to fix a serious bug in the engine control unit that can cause transistors to overheat — and potentially cause the hybrid system to shut down while driving. The bug can see the car revert to failsafe mode in the case of overheating, and it can still be stopped — but it sure needs fixing.
The bug affects the third-generation Prius. Reuters reports the overall number of affected vehicles to be 1.9 million.
The problem can be solved in 40 minutes at a dealer by installing a software patch. Sadly, it can’t be done over the air — like on a Tesla — so that means that each and every owner will have to stop in for the update. That’s a lot of work for Toyota to undertake, but it’s also likely to tarnish the image of the world’s best-known hybrid. [Toyota]
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