Toyota Recalls 31,000 RAV4 Plug-In Hybrids — Owner Letters May Take Until December

Toyota is recalling about 31,000 examples of the 2026 RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid in the U.S. because a control-unit fault can shut down the plug-in hybrid system while the SUV is moving. The recall hits a model that buyers have waited months to get, and owner letters aren't due until early December.

Toyota's recall notice, dated October 7, says the fault occurs in an electronic control unit (ECU) for the plug-in hybrid system. If the system shuts down at higher speeds, the vehicle loses drive power, which raises the risk of a crash. Dealers will update the ECU's software at no charge.

Canada has a parallel campaign. Toyota Canada counts roughly 7,846 vehicles with the same defect, the same remedy, and the same December timeline. That brings the North American total close to 39,000 SUVs.

What owners can do before December

Toyota hasn't told owners to stop driving, and the notice sets no limits on using the vehicle before the repair. It ties the loss of power specifically to driving at higher speeds.

You don't need to wait for the letter to check your car. Enter the VIN or license plate at Toyota.com/recall or in NHTSA's recall lookup, or call Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

One caveat: as of October 10, we couldn't find a campaign number for this recall in NHTSA's records, so a search may come back clean for now. Toyota also says its list of involved vehicles can change after the filing date. Check again before assuming your SUV is clear.

The notice doesn't say when dealers will have the software, so a call to the service department is the quickest way to find out whether an appointment is possible before the letter arrives.

A recall on a model that's already hard to find

The plug-in is the top of the RAV4 line. It starts at $42,950 including destination, makes 324 hp, and carries a Toyota-estimated 52 miles of electric range, according to Cars.com's pricing report from March. It's also the most expensive option in our five-year cost comparison of Toyota's three RAV4-size SUVs.

It only reached dealers this spring, so every affected vehicle is a few months old at most. And supply is tight across the range: Toyota sold 253,664 RAV4s in the U.S. through September, down 29.2 percent from a year earlier, as production of the redesigned, hybrid-only model ramped up.

The recall adds a step for buyers still in line. Federal law bars dealers from delivering a new vehicle with an open safety recall until it's repaired, so any affected plug-in sitting in inventory needs the update first. Toyota hasn't said how many of the 31,000 are still unsold.

There's a pattern, too. This is the third time since June that one of Toyota's newest electrified models has been recalled for losing drive power, after the 2026 C-HR recall in September (8,521 vehicles) and a June campaign covering 20,991 Toyota bZ, Lexus RZ, and Subaru Solterra SUVs. Those were separate defects, but both were fixed with software installed at a dealer.

What Toyota hasn't said

• The NHTSA campaign number and the range of production dates involved.
• How many reports of the fault it has received, and whether any crashes or injuries are linked to it.
• Whether the update can be delivered over the air. The notice mentions only a dealer visit.

Those details normally appear in the defect report an automaker files with NHTSA. We'll update this story when it's published.