Toyota Recalls ~10,000 C-HR Electric Crossovers Over Software Bug That Can Cut Drive Power
· EVTrader EV News
Toyota is recalling approximately 10,000 model-year 2026 C-HR electric crossovers in North America after a software defect in the battery ECU was found to overcharge the traction battery during regenerative braking at high states of charge, triggering a safety shutdown that causes an abrupt loss of drive power; owners can have the ECU software updated free of charge at any authorised Toyota dealer.
Toyota announced a safety recall covering approximately 10,000 model-year 2026 C-HR electric crossovers in North America, filed in early September 2026. The defect involves a software bug in the battery electronic control unit (ECU): when the traction battery is already at a high state of charge, the ECU can continue to feed energy into the pack during regenerative braking rather than capping the input. The battery protection logic detects the overcharge condition and shuts the system down as a safety measure, causing an abrupt and unexpected loss of drive power while the vehicle is moving.
The sudden loss of propulsion increases the risk of a crash. Toyota confirmed it is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to the defect at the time of the recall announcement. Power steering and power-assisted braking remain fully functional during the fault.
The remedy is a software update to the battery ECU. Toyota will make the update available at authorised dealers free of charge; owner notification letters are scheduled for early November 2026. Drivers who see the associated warning light are advised to contact their nearest Toyota service centre.
The Toyota C-HR launched in North America in 2026 as a compact electric crossover. This recall is unrelated to the separate June 2026 recall covering the Toyota bZ, Lexus RZ and Subaru Solterra, which involved a different ECU memory-conflict defect.