2023-2026 Toyota Prius Switches Recall (26V049)
Toyota Motor Corporation · 141,286 vehicles · Reported January 28, 2026
Toyota Motor Corporation is recalling 141,286 2023-2026 Toyota Prius; 2025-2026 Toyota Prius Plug-IN Hybrid; 2023-2024 Toyota Prius Prime vehicles. Water may enter the rear door switch and cause a short circuit, allowing an unlocked rear door to open unexpectedly. A door that unexpectedly opens while the vehicle is moving increases the risk of injury. Dealers will make the repair free of charge.
Recall 26V049 at a glance
| NHTSA campaign number | 26V049000 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer recall number | 26TB03 / 26TA03 |
| Date reported to NHTSA | January 28, 2026 |
| Manufacturer | Toyota Motor Corporation |
| Vehicles | 2023-2026 Toyota Prius; 2025-2026 Toyota Prius Plug-IN Hybrid; 2023-2024 Toyota Prius Prime |
| Units affected | 141,286 |
| Component | Electrical System > Wiring > Switches / Knobs / Buttons |
| Safety risk | A door that unexpectedly opens while the vehicle is moving increases the risk of injury. |
| Fix | Available at dealers |
What is wrong with the 2023-2026 Toyota Prius in recall 26V049?
Water may enter the rear door switch and cause a short circuit, allowing an unlocked rear door to open unexpectedly.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Prius Prime, 2023-2026 Prius, and 2025-2026 Prius Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. Water may enter the rear door switch and cause a short circuit, allowing an unlocked rear door to open unexpectedly.
Is it safe to drive a 2023-2026 Prius with recall 26V049?
NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: A door that unexpectedly opens while the vehicle is moving increases the risk of injury.
NHTSA describes the risk this way: A door that unexpectedly opens while the vehicle is moving increases the risk of injury.
NHTSA has not issued a do-not-drive or park-outside warning for this recall. Still, get the repair done as soon as it is available, and stop driving if you notice symptoms related to the switches and knobs and buttons.
Which vehicles are included in recall 26V049?
Recall 26V049 covers 141,286 vehicles: 2023-2026 Toyota Prius; 2025-2026 Toyota Prius Plug-IN Hybrid; 2023-2024 Toyota Prius Prime.
NHTSA lists 141,286 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.
| Model years | Make | Model |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-2026 | Toyota | Prius |
| 2025-2026 | Toyota | Prius Plug-IN Hybrid |
| 2023-2024 | Toyota | Prius Prime |
What is the fix for the Prius switches recall?
Yes. Dealers will modify the rear door switch circuits, free of charge.
Dealers will modify the rear door switch circuits, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed July 13, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26TB03 and 26TA03. This recall expands and replaces NHTSA recall number 24V274. Vehicles repaired under the previous recall will need to have the new remedy performed.
Manufacturer recall number: 26TB03 / 26TA03.
When was recall 26V049 announced?
Toyota Motor Corporation reported recall 26V049 to NHTSA on January 28, 2026.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| October 13, 2022 | First affected vehicle built (per Toyota Motor Corporation's filing). |
| January 28, 2026 | Toyota Motor Corporation filed the defect report with NHTSA; NHTSA assigned campaign 26V049000. |
| July 13, 2026 | Letters mailed (per NHTSA). |
This recall was filed 8 months ago. If your Prius was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.
How do I check if my Prius is part of recall 26V049?
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 26V049 is open on your Prius, it will be listed there.
The fastest check is NHTSA’s VIN lookup. Type in the 17 characters from your registration or insurance card. Because only some 2023-2026 Prius vehicles are included, the VIN check is the only reliable way to know. A brand-new recall may take several days to show up.
What should Prius owners do about recall 26V049?
Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.
- Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 26V049000 applies to your Prius.
- Call a Toyota dealer and schedule the recall repair. Ask how long the repair takes and whether parts are in stock.
- Get a repair order for every visit, even if the dealer only inspects the vehicle. Read it before you leave and make sure your complaint is written the way you described it.
- Keep a simple log of any switches and knobs and buttons symptoms with dates and mileage. Video of a warning light or the problem happening is strong evidence.
- Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
- If the recall repair does not fix it, or the vehicle keeps going back for the same issue, talk to a lemon law attorney.
What are Prius owners reporting to NHTSA?
Owners have filed 91 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 28 of them about the electrical system.
Since recall 26V049 was reported on January 28, 2026, owners have filed 17 complaints with NHTSA about the electrical system on these vehicles. 0 of them (0%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt.
How we counted: we matched NHTSA owner complaints for the model years in this recall that list the electrical system and were received on or after January 28, 2026, then flagged narratives that describe a repeat failure or a problem returning after a dealer repair, recall service or software update. Data from NHTSA, accessed October 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports and may involve a related electrical system issue rather than this exact defect; automated text matching can miss or misread some reports.
NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 91 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 28 of them involve the electrical system. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.
- 2024 Toyota Prius: 26 complaints in total, 4 about the electrical system
- 2023 Toyota Prius: 19 complaints in total, 5 about the electrical system
- 2025 Toyota Prius: 16 complaints in total, 6 about the electrical system
- 2024 Toyota Prius Prime: 12 complaints in total, 5 about the electrical system
- 2023 Toyota Prius Prime: 6 complaints in total, 3 about the electrical system
- 2026 Toyota Prius: 6 complaints in total, 2 about the electrical system
- 2026 Toyota Prius Plug-IN Hybrid: 4 complaints in total, 2 about the electrical system
- 2025 Toyota Prius Plug-IN Hybrid: 2 complaints in total, 1 about the electrical system
Here is what some owners told NHTSA, in their own words (excerpts, unverified):
There is an unexplained loss of 12V power from the 12V battery, and the car will not start. This was reported to the local Toyota dealership on 12/5/25. The car had to be jumped in order to drive it to the dealership/service department.
2023 Toyota Prius Prime owner, CA, NHTSA complaint 11720026, filed February 23, 2026
The vehicle exhibits an unaddressed factory programming defect where the Plug-In Charge Control ECU fails to enter sleep mode while plugged in or resting. This causes continuous, heavy parasitic drain on the 12V auxiliary battery, causing chronic low-voltage state across critical systems.
2023 Toyota Prius Prime owner, SC, NHTSA complaint 11758058, filed August 19, 2026
Since Nov 23, 2024 I have had three occasions where the 12 volt battery for the ICE has depleted leaving me stranded. The only indication of the problem is the car will not start. In my last incident I had to charge the battery (disconnected from the car) but inadvertently closed the hatch.
2024 Toyota Prius Prime owner, CA, NHTSA complaint 11665791, filed June 9, 2025
Can recall 26V049 make my Prius a lemon in California?
Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.
Owners often ask whether this switches and knobs and buttons recall means their Prius qualifies as a lemon. Not by itself. Song-Beverly looks at whether a defect covered by the warranty substantially impairs use, value or safety and was not fixed after a reasonable number of repair attempts (Civ. Code 1793.2(d)).
Intermittent electrical problems are a frequent source of repeat repair visits: the dealer cannot reproduce the fault, the owner brings the 2023-2026 Toyota Prius back, and the problem shows up again.
This campaign follows an earlier recall for the same issue. A second recall can mean the first remedy failed, and repeated repair attempts on the same defect are the core of most lemon law claims.
Earlier campaigns on these vehicles involving the same component: 24V274000.
Civil Code 1793.22(b) sets out a presumption that applies in the first 18 months or 18,000 miles: two or more repair attempts for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, four or more attempts for the same defect, or more than 30 total days out of service for repairs. Written notice to the manufacturer is required in some cases. Owners outside that window can still have a claim.
An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
In our cases, a recall repair visit counts as a repair attempt, and it's strongest when the owner complained about the problem before the recall came out. A recall shows the defect is real and that enough owners reported it for the manufacturer to issue a fix.
The biggest mistake I see is waiting too long. The mileage offset starts at your first repair visit for the problem, so the sooner you take it in, the better. If the problem comes and goes, take it in when it happens. You can't go back to that date later.
If you get a recall notice, call a lemon law attorney right away. You may have taken the car in for the same problem before and forgotten, or there may be other recalls related to it.
Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320), Founder and Managing Attorney. Quotes lightly edited for clarity. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Has your Prius been back to the dealer for this problem?
Call 877-536-6620Other Toyota Prius recalls
Frequently asked questions about recall 26V049
Did the recall 26V049 fix work?
Since recall 26V049 was reported on January 28, 2026, owners have filed 17 complaints with NHTSA about the electrical system on these vehicles. 0 of them (0%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt. If your vehicle still has the problem after the recall repair, go back to the dealer, get a repair order, and talk to a lemon law attorney.
Is the 26V049000 recall repair free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge at authorized dealers.
How do I know if my Prius is part of recall 26V049000?
Enter your 17-character VIN in NHTSA's recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or call a dealer. The VIN is on your registration, insurance card and the lower corner of the windshield.
Does a recall mean my car is a lemon?
Not on its own. A lemon law claim depends on whether a covered defect keeps coming back or keeps the vehicle out of service. A recall repair that fails, or repeat visits for the same problem, can support a claim.
What should I keep for a possible lemon law claim?
Keep every repair order, the recall owner letter, your purchase or lease contract, and notes on dates, mileage and symptoms. Make sure each dealer visit is written up, even when the dealer says it cannot find a problem.
Does the recall fixing my car mean I have no case?
Not necessarily. Even if the recall repair fixed it, you may still have a case, and a car that's a year or more old can still qualify.
Do used cars qualify for California lemon law?
We take certified pre-owned, demo and dealer vehicles. Since the California Supreme Court's Rodriguez decision in 2024, ordinary used cars generally do not qualify.
How long does a recall lemon law case take?
Recall-related cases typically resolve in one to three months from your first call. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What does a lemon law attorney cost?
You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
Sources
- NHTSA recall record 26V049000 (recall report and owner letters are posted there)
- NHTSA complaints and recalls data, accessed October 1, 2026
- California Civil Code 1793.2 and 1793.22
Attorney advertising. America’s Lemon Lawyer is a trade name of Wynn Law Group, APC. Responsible attorney: Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320). This page is general information, not legal advice. America’s Lemon Lawyer is not affiliated with NHTSA or Toyota. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.