The best-selling sedan in America and its smaller crossover sibling are the subject of a new recall. Specifically, we're talking about the Toyota Camry Hybrid and the Corolla Cross Hybrid, and more specifically, new models built for the 2025 and 2026 model years. The quick description of this problem is a loose bolt that could pose a fire risk. The detailed explanation is a bit more complicated.
Before we explain that, know that 55,405 vehicles are included in the recall and nearly all – 51,644 to be exact, are Camry Hybrids. The remaining 3,761 vehicles are the Corolla Cross Hybrid. Toyota issued the recall as of December 16 under manufacturer recall numbers 25TB15 and 25TA15. At this time, the automaker doesn't know what percentage of vehicles actually have a defect. Also, it's worth noting that, as of now, the Corolla Hybrid sedan is not part of this recall.
The Problem In A Nutshell
The recall only applies to hybrids because, as you'd expect, the issue involves components in the hybrid system. In early November 2025, Toyota became aware of a vehicle that would not turn on. An investigation found that a bolt within the vehicle's inverter assembly had worked loose and was lying on a circuit board. The inverter takes power from the hybrid battery and converts it for the electric motor to use.
A further investigation found that this may not have been an isolated case. The inverter came from Denso, a Toyota supplier, and the company found an incorrect bolt torque setting in one of its machines used to assemble said inverter. Per a chronology report filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), "Toyota and the supplier confirmed that this torque condition was low enough to allow for the bolt to completely lose contact with the threaded hole and drop into the assembly."
The Consequence Of A Loose Inverter Bolt
With the problem established, what can happen if the bolt comes loose? For starters, the loose bolt can lead to a loose connection on the terminal it's connected to. That can cause the vehicle to not turn on, as mentioned above. It could also cause the car to turn off while moving, or put the car into a limp mode. If this happens, Toyota says a warning light should illuminate to confirm that something is definitely wrong. Losing power in traffic certainly constitutes a safety issue.
The more concerning issue is that, if it comes off completely and rolls around in the inverter assembly, it could cause a short circuit. Short circuits lead to heat, which leads to the potential for a fire. Per the recall, this could only happen if the ignition is turned on, so that's at least some good news. Better news is that Toyota makes no mention of any fires or injuries resulting from this problem. But the company is aware of 34 field technical reports and 15 warranty claims that may be related to this problem.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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This article originally appeared on CarBuzz and is republished here with permission.
