2026 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid

A vehicle was sold and delivered while under an active stop‑sale safety recall (manufacturer recall 26TB03). The recall was not disclosed at the time of purchase. When questions were raised about whether any recalls were present, the issue was dismissed and no recall information was provided. According to the recall documentation, the potential defect involves the rear door system possibly opening while the vehicle is in motion. Because the stop‑sale indicates the vehicle should not have been sold, the safety risk is that the vehicle was driven with occupants in the rear seats without anyone being informed of the potential hazard. This created a risk to the people inside the vehicle and to others on the road. The problem was later confirmed through the manufacturer’s official recall database and the published recall information. The issue has not been inspected or repaired by the manufacturer or dealer because the remedy is not yet available. The defect is not something the owner can see or detect on their own.

NHTSA ID

11739409

Incident

Apr 11, 2026

Infotainment screen failed to boot when the vehicle was turned on. Due to this failure, the rear view camera was not available when the vehicle was shifted to reverse. After backing out of the parking spot, I chose to park and restart the vehicle. The infotainment screen then proceeded to boot up and behave normally. There were no warnings or any other alerts or messages. A disabled rear view camera can impact pedestrian and vehicle safety by limiting rear vision while operating the vehicle in reverse. During the drive home, approximately 15 minutes later, the infotainment system went to a black screen and rebooted. After 10-15 seconds, the system had restarted and was available again. This did not appear to impact vehicle control or associated safety systems. It was a mild distraction while driving. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the dealer, this is scheduled a few days from now at their earliest availability.

NHTSA ID

11735804

Incident

May 1, 2026

The recall (Number 26V049) is a serious safety concern, however the dealer states there is no remedy available despite a clearly described available remedy ("Toyota dealers will modify the left and right rear door switch circuits FREE OF CHARGE, to prevent the switch from activating even if it is shorted.")

NHTSA ID

11723918

Incident

Jan 28, 2026

I was driving at a slow speed in a parking lot on October 10, 2025 at 4:20 p.m. when the car suddenly stopped. When I looked down I saw that it was in neutral. I had not done anything to the gear shift and there was nothing in the area that could have shifted the car from drive to neutral. The car is brand new - this happened at approximately 400 miles odometer.

NHTSA ID

11693137

Incident

Oct 10, 2025

2026 model year Toyota vehicles are equipped with driver side floor mat retainers to secure the floor mat in the correct position. In addition, some models may also utilize retainers for passenger side and rear seat floor mats. During Pre-Delivery Service (PDS), follow the appropriate Installation Procedure to attach the driver side, and if applicable, the passenger side and rear seatfloor mats to the vehicle carpet using the floor mat retainers.

During the manufacturing process, tires are mounted on the vehicle as matched sets to help reduce conditions such as pulling or drifting. If the wheels are replaced or refinished before vehicle delivery, it is important that the tires remain on the vehicle in the same location and in the same direction of rotation.

A battery in a stored vehicle is subject to conditions that can reduce its performance and service life. These conditions include storage period, temperature, parasitic drain, and battery load. Because of these factors, battery inspection and maintenance are required in order to ensure proper operation and optimal battery life.

Long-term or off-site storage requires special care to maintain vehicle condition. The following guidelines should be performed to minimize vehicle component/part degradation due to extendedvehicle storage conditions. Long-term storage can affect a vehicle’s systems and components. Any problems that are found should be corrected immediately.

Pre-Delivery Service (PDS) is a critical step in satisfying our new car customers. Customer feedback indicates the following areas deserve special attention when performing PDS: • Careful inspection for paint chips/scratches and body dents/dings. • Proper operation of electrical accessories (including interior light, clock, and radio reset). • Interior cleanliness. • Proper function of mechanical systems. The PDS process helps identify potential vehicle concerns before customer delivery. After completing the PDS process, maintain accurate PDS records by ensuring the required documents listed below are completed and recorded in accordance with Toyota Warranty Policy. • GTS+ Health Check • Completed PDS Check Sheet • Battery Charge Test Print Out • GTS+ Tire Pressure Information Customer retention and proper maintenance of vehicles are and have always been a major focus for Toyota. To help remind customers that regular service is essential to the proper maintenance of the vehicle, dealers are required to install a service reminder sticker before delivery. By doing this, customers will be reminded to return to your dealership for service. Your current service reminder sticker may be used. This bulletin contains the PDS procedures that apply specifically to 2026 model year Prius and Prius PHV vehicles.

Some Customers for the above vehicles may have complaint of the following: unable to charge the vehicle using the supplied level 1 or 2 charger. Additionally, most will indicate one or more of the LEDs on the charger will illuminate at the time of no charge. Charging at other stations is still possible.