Toyota recalls 1037 Prius and Prius Vs

TOYOTA Australia has recalled a combined 1037 MY15-MY19 Prius and Prius Vs amidst concerns the electrical contacts within the seat belt reminder switch may wear abnormally and malfunction due to improper assembly.

As a result, the seatbelt reminder system may fail to recognise the seatbelt is fastened and continue to chime and flash the warning light on the instrument cluster.

“If this condition occurs, the seat belt reminder cannot be turned off, even when the seat belt is correctly fastened, due to a short circuit between the contacts,” a Toyota Australia spokesperson said.

While there is no immediate risk to occupants or structural defects in the seatbelt mechanism, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has warned the continual chiming and flashing could become a distraction to drivers.

According to the Toyota spokesperson, only the driver’s seat is affected and that Toyota dealers will remove and replace the driver's seat belt buckle free of charge.

“It is expected that it will take approximately 1 hour to replace the driver's seat belt buckle,” they said.

Despite Toyota currently notifying affected vehicle owners in writing via SMS, email or mail, the spokesperson also encouraged people to proactively contact their preferred dealership to arrange the repair.

Customers can go to the ACCC’s product safety website to check if their vehicle is affected.