Toyota is already contending with problems tied to its V6 engines, and now fresh trouble has emerged, this time involving its four-cylinder hybrid lineup.
Toyota has issued a safety recall affecting approximately 55,000 hybrid vehicles, specifically certain 2025–2026 Camry Hybrids and 2026 Corolla Cross Hybrids. Notably, the current-generation Camry is offered exclusively with a hybrid powertrain, making this issue particularly significant for the model line.
The problem centers on a bolt inside the hybrid inverter that may loosen over time. If that happens, owners could experience a sudden loss of motive power or, in more severe cases, face a potential fire risk. This marks the first recall for the 2026 Corolla Cross and the second recall involving the 2026 Camry.
Possible Power Loss At High Speeds
At the time of writing, detailed technical documentation hasn’t been released, as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has yet to formally publish the recall notice.
That filing is expected soon. However, Toyota has confirmed that the issue could cause a loss of motive power at high speeds, arguably the most dangerous scenario for such a failure. The added fire risk only raises the stakes if the defect is left unresolved.
Toyota says affected customers should expect to receive notification by mid-February 2026, at which point repair details will be made available.
As is standard practice, whatever fix Toyota implements will be performed free of charge. So far, the company has not confirmed whether the loose inverter bolt has resulted in any fires, accidents, or injuries.
Toyota sells hybrids in massive volumes, and these two models represent a meaningful chunk of that footprint. During the first three quarters of the year, Toyota sold 24,594 Corolla Cross Hybrids in the U.S., alongside a staggering 234,369 Camrys.
While both vehicles are hybrids, they don’t share identical setups. The Camry’s 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid system produces up to 232 horsepower, whereas the Corolla Cross Hybrid relies on a smaller 2.0-liter four-cylinder hybrid generating 196 horsepower.
Although this is the first recall involving the 2026 Corolla Cross, the 2026 Camry has already been caught up in a separate recall earlier this year related to a faulty rearview camera image.
This hybrid-related recall comes on the heels of another major powertrain headache for Toyota. The company’s non-hybrid turbocharged V6, used in vehicles like the Toyota Tundra, Lexus LX, and Lexus GX, has suffered from a range of issues, including rough operation, loss of motive power, and engine knocking.
That V6 has already been subject to multiple recalls, including one just last month that affected an additional 127,000 vehicles. Toyota has attributed the problem to machining debris left inside the engine during the manufacturing process, an issue severe enough that thousands of engines have had to be replaced outright.
Against that backdrop, Toyota will be hoping the Camry and Corolla Cross Hybrid recall proves easier, and far less expensive, to resolve.
