This is one of those times that I can say I told you so. As predicted Toyota is now recalling 2019 Toyota Prius for the instrument cluster going out. Here is what you need to know.
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In a previous article, 2019 Toyota Prius suffers a similar fate as 2009 I wrote about how this instrument cluster problem that happened in second-generation Toyota Prius, is now going to be an issue with 2019 Prius. I hate to say it, but I was right.
I want to discuss what the issue is and if you own a 2019 Prius, what you need to do about it. This story will be short and straight to the point article. This article is written to get you the information you need. Here is what you should know about the 2019 and 2020 Prius instrument cluster recall.
What Is The Recall For?
The recall is for 2019 Toyota Prius has been issued due to the possibility of an electrical short. The short may cause the instrument gauge clusters to blackout.
A similar problem does occur with 2004-2009 Toyota Prius, where a capacitor on the circuit board becomes faulty. The problem, which is happening in 2019 and some 2020 Toyota Prius models, is caused by poor manufacturing of the circuit board.
Does This Recall Effect My 2019 Or 2020 Prius?
Excellent question. The issue is fairly small with Prius vehicles made from July 9th through July 31st of 2019. In total, 3,751 potentially affected Prius cars that could have this issue.
Not all of these cars had found homes yet, though. 605 are reported to still be on dealer lots as of December 10th, with a stop-sale placed on them. As for the 2020 Prius, there is no current information to say how many units could be affected.
How Did This Happen?
When things like circuit boards are assembled, they must follow a strict set of procedures. If something in the process goes wrong, the ripple can affect hundreds or even thousands of units.
With this particular circuit board for 2019 and 2020 Prius, the documentation states that an insulation layer on a chip that controls the main display can crack. The crack causes the circuit to break and the dash to go black.
A 2019 and 2020 Prius owner can lose the ability to see the fuel level and, more importantly, the speedometer.
What Can I Do If I Think My Prius Has An Issue?
First, contact your dealer and give them your VIN. With that, your dealer can let you know if your Prius has a potential issue or not.
Owners of the suspected Prius vehicles will be getting notifications as soon as February 2020. If you are a 2019 or 2020 Prius owner that feels uncomfortable driving your car. You can visit your dealer, call 888-327-4236, or visit www.safecar.gov.
Toyota takes the best care they can of their customers. I have worked at the corporate level and have witnessed how these recalls take place. Toyota will make sure that they set everything right with its stakeholders; it is their top priority.
Conclusion
Thank you for reading, and I hope that your Prius is okay also. If you have any questions that you feel are not getting answered, drop me a line on twitter.
Have a wonderful Christmas Eve, and I look forward to seeing you in the next story 2 Reasons Now Is The Time To Get Your Toyota Prius
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Peter Neilson is an automotive consultant specializing in electric cars and hybrid battery technologies. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Automotive Service Technology from Weber State University. Peter is also an Instructor of Automotive Technology at Columbia Basin College. Peter can be reached on Linkedin and you can tweet him at The_hybrid_guy on Twitter. Find his page on Facebook at Certified Auto Consulting
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