Toyota recalls 1,000,000 Prius' for fire hazard

[djc]

The latest model, produced mid 2015 to mid 2018; about 200k of these are in the U.S.   Over-heating potential caused by wear to the wiring harness:

 

https://money.cnn.com/2018/09/05/news/companies/toyota-prius-recall/index.html

[SnowStorm]

Hmm... the harness "can wear away over time, generating heat."  Seems an odd way to put it.  The insulation might wear away resulting in a short circuit - that could make some heat!  I guess they look for the most benign sounding way to word it.  Not much of a recall though compared to 20 million air bags!

[plus 3 golfer]

I wonder if some of the many splices / wire connector terminations in the harnesses are failing (wearing away over time) and developing high resistance causing excessive heating.   Several tenths of an ohm increase at a pinpoint location with several Amps flowing can generate heat and increased temperature at that point causing ever increasing resistance and heat in the splices / terminations.

[djc]

More detail from Consumer Reports / Reuters:      https://www.consumerreports.org/car-recalls-defects/toyota-prius-recall-for-fire-risk/

 

Reuters is cited as saying only one known fire has been reported:  a Prius in Japan.

 

CR:

 

The problem: A bundle of wires wrapped in a protective sleeve—known as a wire harness—could wear out after contact with the cover of the vehicle’s Power Control Unit, which controls electricity within the hybrid drivetrain. If the harness wears, it could cause an electrical short circuit and lead to a vehicle fire.

 

The fix: Dealers will check the vehicle’s engine wire harness assembly and replace it if a wire core is exposed. The new harness will include a protective sleeve. If the wire core is not exposed, dealers will apply protective tape.

 

[so the usual repair is almost literally a Band-Aid.]