Toyota is recalling approximately 31,000 model year 2026 RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid vehicles today over a defect in the plug-in hybrid system’s electronic control unit that can shut the system down without warning while the vehicle is moving.
The fault occurs inside the ECU that governs the plug-in hybrid system. When it triggers, the system cuts out entirely, stripping the driver of motive power at higher speeds. Toyota describes the result as an increased risk of a crash. No injuries have been reported in the filing.
The fix is a software update to the affected ECU, performed at a Toyota dealer at no charge. Toyota expects to begin mailing owner notifications by early December 2026. Owners who want to check their vehicle’s status now can visit Toyota.com/recall or nhtsa.gov/recalls and enter their VIN or license plate number. Toyota’s Brand Engagement Center is also available at 1-800-331-4331.
The 2026 RAV4 PHEV is the first model year to see a recall for this particular ECU condition. The nameplate does have recall history on this general theme: a 2021 action addressed a software condition in which hard accelerator input during cold-weather EV-mode driving could cause the hybrid system to shut down, and the 2025 model year was recalled twice, including for an instrument panel display issue affecting critical driver information. A software update resolved both of those as well.
Toyota has not shared the NHTSA campaign number in today’s filing. Owners can search by VIN on nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm their vehicle’s inclusion and pull the full campaign detail once it is indexed.
Source: Toyota. Images courtesy of Toyota.
