Photo: Toyota. The image shows the C-HR+ for Europe; the campaign described covers the C-HR BEV sold in North America.

Toyota is recalling about 10,000 electric C-HR vehicles from the 2026 model year in North America because of a software error that can shut down the propulsion system while the car is moving. The fix is a free update of the electronic unit that controls the electrical system, carried out at an authorised workshop.

The campaign does not cover the Toyota C-HR Hybrid or Plug-in Hybrid sold in Romania. The Toyota C-HR+ for the European market has also not, so far, been included in an equivalent campaign announced publicly by the manufacturer.

How regenerative braking can cause a loss of power

The problem appears under certain conditions when the traction battery is already at a high state of charge. During deceleration, the electric motor acts as a generator and converts part of the kinetic energy into electricity, which is sent back to the battery.

Because of an error in the electric vehicle control-unit software, the system can allow the battery to be overcharged through regenerative braking. The car’s protections may then shut off the propulsion system, and the vehicle loses tractive force.

Toyota does not describe steering and brakes as being disabled, but a loss of power at higher speeds can raise the risk of an accident. The manufacturer is not asking owners to stop using the car, but affected vehicles must be booked in for the update.

The update cannot be installed remotely

Although the defect is software only, the work requires a dealer visit. The update is not distributed over the air for this control unit.

Toyota said in its communication for Canada that dealers will update the BEV electronic-unit software free of charge. Owners are due to be informed by early November 2026. The Toyota campaign is identified in North America by the code 26TA17.

Detailed NHTSA documents had not yet been published at the time of writing. For that reason, the figure of about 10,000 vehicles for all of North America should be treated as an estimate given in the first information about the campaign, not as the US authority’s final total.

Toyota Canada separately confirmed about 1,310 vehicles affected on the Canadian market. Owners there can check a vehicle’s status using the VIN on Toyota’s local recall page.

Is the C-HR sold in Romania affected?

There is at present no announcement covering cars in Romania. Confusion is possible because Toyota uses the C-HR name for different models depending on the market:

  • in Romania, the C-HR is the hybrid or plug-in hybrid SUV;
  • in Europe, the new electric SUV is called C-HR+;
  • in the United States and Canada, the electric version is sold as the C-HR BEV.

The recalled North American model is the 2026 model-year C-HR BEV. Toyota USA offers it as standard with all-wheel drive, through one electric motor on each axle, and with steering-wheel paddles to adjust the intensity of regenerative braking.

Toyota has not publicly confirmed whether the European C-HR+ uses exactly the same version of the control unit and the software involved. The fact that the models are technically related is not enough to assume that a North American campaign automatically applies in the European Union as well.

What owners should do

Owners of an electric C-HR bought in North America should check the VIN in Toyota’s database or in NHTSA’s recall tool. If the car is included, the update should be scheduled at a Toyota dealer.

For a vehicle imported privately into Romania from the United States or Canada, checking the VIN in the origin-market database matters: campaigns are not always shown automatically in European systems, and the North American specification differs from the one type-approved here.

Sources: Toyota Canada, Toyota USA, NHTSA and Motor1.