Toyota recalls 8,521 2026 C-HR battery electric vehicles over software that can cut drive power

Toyota is recalling 8,521 model year 2026 C-HR battery electric vehicles because a software programming error in the battery electric vehicle electronic control unit (BEV ECU) can let the drive battery become overcharged under certain driving conditions. If that happens, the electric drive system can shut down and the vehicle loses drive power. Toyota filed the recall with NHTSA on September 2, 2026. Dealers will update the BEV ECU software free of charge, and owners can check their VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is wrong

The BEV ECU runs drive battery protection logic meant to limit how much charge goes into the battery. According to Toyota’s Part 573 safety recall report, the way that software is programmed means the battery may become overcharged, “particularly in low temperatures, when its state of charge is high and the vehicle remains in regenerative mode, such as coasting long distances downhill.” Warning lights then come on and a warning buzzer sounds to show the electric drive system has shut down. Toyota’s filing says this can cause a loss of motive power while driving at a higher speed, increasing the risk of a crash.

All of the recalled vehicles carry the affected software, by Toyota’s estimate, but whether the shutdown actually occurs in a given car depends on those driving conditions.

How Toyota found it

In late April 2026, during development testing, Toyota found an incorrect software parameter in the BEV ECU of a future BEV model. A review of other BEV models on the market found an incorrect parameter in the C-HR’s battery charging control. Bench and simulation testing in July 2026 confirmed the drive system could shut down from overcharging during long stretches of regenerative braking, particularly in low temperatures with a high state of charge. Toyota decided on August 28, 2026, to recall the vehicles. As of August 26, it reported no field technical reports and no warranty claims from U.S. sources related to the condition.

The fix

Any authorized Toyota dealer will reprogram the BEV ECU at no cost. Toyota’s dealer FAQ puts the repair at about 45 minutes. Reprogramming resets two things: the drive mode setting returns to NORMAL, and learned values related to energy consumption efficiency are cleared. Until the update is done, the same FAQ says charging the vehicle to 80% state of charge can help avoid overcharging during regenerative braking.

California dealers are asked to give owners a Vehicle Emissions Recall Proof of Correction form after the repair, because the recall includes emission-related parts; owners may need it to renew registration. New C-HRs in dealer stock, about 2,550 as of August 2026, may not be sold until they are repaired.

Dates and record numbers

Dealers were notified on September 2, 2026. The NHTSA record says owner letters are expected to be mailed October 18, 2026, and the Part 573 report gives an owner notification window of October 18 through November 1, 2026. In its dealer notice, Toyota says it will notify owners by mail by early November 2026, with in-vehicle head unit notices starting in late October.

Production dates differ between the documents. The Part 573 report lists February 6, 2026, through July 10, 2026, and notes that not every vehicle built in that span was sold in the U.S. The dealer notice gives late October 2025 to mid-July 2026. No other Toyota or Lexus vehicles are part of this recall, according to the dealer notice.

The NHTSA recall number is 26V-570, and Toyota’s campaign code is 26TA17. The NHTSA record lists Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.