Toyota recalls 1,300 Priuses in SG for rear door defect

Borneo Motors Singapore (BMS), the authorised dealer for Toyota in Singapore, is recalling approximately 1,300 units of the latest fifth-generation Prius over a rear door defect.

The news was first announced by The Straits Times on Friday afternoon (27 February 2026), and later confirmed with Sgcarmart by BMS. The 1,300 units also refer only to Toyota Priuses sold by BMS, with a spokesperson for the dealer sharing that it does not have visibility of vehicles that may have been brought in through other channels.

The 1,300 units announced comprise only vehicles sold by Toyota's authorised dealer, Borneo Motors Singapore - although the Prius has also been available via parallel importers

Notably, the Prius is widely popular among taxi and private-hire vehicle rental fleets - likely owing to the outstanding fuel efficiency afforded by its full-hybrid drivetrain - and is also available via parallel importers.

The root of the defect lies with the rear doors of the latest Prius, which - unlike previous generations - rely on an electronic switch. 

According to The Straits Times, information revealed on the LTA's Vehicle Recall system has identified a potential short circuit in the mechanism as the root cause of the defect. This can cause the rear doors to unlock, and thus also swing open unexpectedly. 

The latest recall pertains to a defect in the electronic door switches of the latest Prius' rear doors, which can cause the doors to unlock expectedly 

As for how the short circuit can occur, the Prius' rear door switches are said to have a protective barrier that can degrade over time due to wear and tear, and even be exacerbated by the doors being repeatedly slammed shut with force. With the barriers damaged, a short circuit can then occur when large amounts of water enter the door opener switch, such as during a car wash, thus causing the switch to activate and unlock the doors. 

Sgcarmart understands from the dealer's spokesperson that BMS has not received any reports from customers locally regarding the issue.

Nonetheless, BMS has already notified owners of the involved vehicles by mail, and is in the process of communicating the issue to relevant customers. 

Borneo Motors Singapore has assured that it "remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety, quality and transparency for [its] customers"

To rectify the issue, BMS has shared that it will modify both the left and right rear door switch circuits to prevent the switch from activating even if shorted. "The necessary rectification will be carried out at no charge to customers," a spokesperson for the dealer assured, while confirming that the repair can be carried out within the same day. 

"Should customers have any questions or concerns, they may contact our authorised BMS workshop for assistance," the spokesperson added. The Straits Times earlier also noted that even drivers who have purchased parallel-imported Priuses can reach out to BMS for assistance. BMS has also assured that buyers still awaiting delivery of the Prius need not worry, as the fault will be duly addressed before their new cars are handed over.

The latest news comes amidst a notably busy February of recalls among local car dealers, with both BMW Group Asia and Volvo Singapore having issued advisories to local drivers earlier in the month.

Commenting on the Prius recall, BMS stated: "Borneo Motors Singapore remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety, quality and transparency for our customers."