Toyota C-HR 2026 recall: regenerative braking, battery overcharge and loss of drive
Toyota is recalling about 1,310 C-HR EVs in Canada because a BEV ECU software error can overcharge the traction battery during regeneration and shut down propulsion.
Regenerative braking, which is supposed to return energy to the battery, has become the reason for a recall of the 2026 Toyota C-HR EV. At a high state of charge, a software error may allow the traction battery to be overcharged, after which the electric powertrain can shut down while the vehicle is moving. Toyota warns that a loss of propulsion at high speed increases the risk of a crash.
The problem is not in the battery cells or the electric motors. According to Toyota, dealers will update the software of the BEV ECU. In Canada, the campaign covers about 1310 C-HR vehicles, and owners are due to be notified by early November.
The defect appears only under specific conditions. The C-HR offers several levels of regenerative braking: when the vehicle slows, the electric motors convert kinetic energy back into electricity and send it to the battery. When the battery is already highly charged, incorrect control logic can push the state of charge beyond the permitted limit.
The U.S.-spec electric C-HR uses a 74.7 kWh battery, all-wheel drive and produces 338 hp, or about 343 metric horsepower. The 2027 model is technically almost unchanged from the 2026 vehicle, including its four regenerative-braking levels.
This is Toyota's second software-related EV defect in several months that can lead to loss of propulsion, although the causes are different. In June, NHTSA recall 26V393 covered 20,991 Toyota bZ, Lexus RZ and Subaru Solterra vehicles from the 2026 model year; that issue involved the high-voltage battery control unit. The new C-HR case is directly related to charge management during regeneration.
An important difference in the current campaign is that no hardware repair has been announced. Toyota does not require replacement of the traction battery, electric motors or inverter: the fault is addressed by reprogramming the BEV ECU. For owners, that is a relatively simple fix, although the failure scenario itself is serious because the vehicle can lose propulsion while moving.
Toyota Canada announced the campaign on September 2, 2026, covering about 1310 vehicles. Dealers will update the BEV ECU software free of charge, with owner notification planned for early November 2026. A regulator campaign number was not listed in Toyota's published notice at the time of verification.