Multiple Car Makers Issue Recalls For Safety: Recall Roundup

Nearly 400,000 cars, trucks and SUVs from different manufacturers are the subject of recalls, including one that warns owners to park outside and away from their homes due to a fire risk and another to fix a software defect that may cause rear doors to suddenly fly open, endangering back-seat passengers.

Also, the Food and Drug Administration has expanded recalls of a chocolate candy branded with company logos for the holidays, and a Chips Ahoy! snack that may cause a choking hazard for both young children and older adults.

Sources for this report are the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Food and Drug Administration, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and company statements.

SUV Fire Risk: Park Outside, NHTSA Says

Volkswagen Group of America has recalled more than 44,000 vehicles in two separate recalls, including one in which owners are urged to park outside their garages and
away from their homes because of an increased fire risk.

One of the recalls covers 43,881 ID.4 SUVs. The second, more urgent recall, which includes a “park outside” warning immediately after charging due to fire risk, covers 670 vehicles. In December, 629 of the ID.4s were recalled due to the risk of battery fire.

Dealers will inspect ID.4 batteries, install updated diagnostic software, and replace defective high-voltage battery modules found through testing, free of charge. Vehicles in a smaller, more urgent recall will have battery packs immediately replaced due to fire risk. The defect is misaligned electrodes from manufacturing, confirmed by the supplier, SK Battery America, a subsidiary of SK On.

Until a fix is available, owners of ID.4 vehicles are advised to avoid using Level 3 DC public chargers and to restrict their vehicle's maximum battery charge to 80 percent. Letters to owners for both recalls are expected to be mailed on March 20.

The two recalls follow a multi-year investigation into battery fires in ID.4 EVs with SK Battery America cells. On rare occasions, defective cells can cause “thermal propagation,” where heat or fire from one failed cell spreads to others in the high-voltage battery pack, potentially causing a dangerous chain reaction and fire.

Prius Drivers, Beware Of This Scary Defect

Toyota is recalling U.S. model year 2023-2026 Prius vehicles because there’s a possibility the rear doors can fly open while the car is being driven. About 142,000 vehicles are included in the recall.

In certain circumstances, water can enter the electric door switches on the rear doors and cause the switch to activate, Toyota said in a statement.

“If this occurs while the rear doors are unlocked, a rear door can open while driving, leading to an increased risk of injury to occupants.”

Toyota dealers will modify the left and right rear door switch circuits to prevent the switch from activating, even if it is shorted, free of charge. Owners of involved vehicles will be notified by late March.

Toyota Recalls 161,000 Trucks

Toyota is recalling more than 161,000 Tundra and Tundra Hybrid pickup trucks (2024-2025 models) in the U.S. due to a software defect in the panoramic view monitor system that prevents the rearview camera image from displaying when shifting into reverse, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

This issue increases the risk of a crash. The recall affects 161,268 vehicles, with all estimated to contain the defect. Toyota dealers will update the parking assist electronic control unit software free of charge.

Kia Recalls 42K Vehicles

Kia America is recalling thousands of vehicles over panel display issues, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The recall includes certain 2025 Kia K4, 2025-2026 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, Sorento Plug-In Hybrid Electric, 2026 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage PHEV, K5, EV9, Carnival, and Carnival Hybrid vehicles. It’s estimated that 42,677 vehicles are affected.

The affected vehicles have a software error that may cause the instrument panel display to fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards numbers 101, “Controls and Displays,” and 138, “Tire Pressure Monitoring System.”

Excessive signal noise in the instrument cluster’s power management circuit could cause it to overheat and temporarily go blank while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Kia said it will update the instrument panel display software, either remotely or at dealerships, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed by March 26.

Chips Ahoy! Recall Expanded

A Chips Ahoy! Baked Bites Brookie snacks nationwide recall is expanding, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

The snacks were initially recalled on Dec. 24. The characteristics and size of the small starch Mondelez Global, the brand owner, said the characteristics and size of the small starch clumps could pose a choking hazard, especially for young children and the elderly.

The Chips Ahoy! Baked Bites Brookie recall has expanded to include an additional code date (10MAY2026) and two additional UPCs/pouches within the recalled cartons. No other Chips Ahoy! products are affected, and no injuries or illnesses have been reported.

Company-Branded M&Ms Recalled

Repackaged M&M’s have been recalled in 20 states, the Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday. The popular chocolate candies were repackaged by Beacon Promotions Inc. and initially recalled on Jan. 26 due to undeclared milk, soy, and peanut allergens.

The FDA gave the recall the second-highest risk level, Class II, as the M&M’s can cause severe allergic reactions in people with milk, soy, or peanut allergies.

The candies were repackaged and distributed for marketing purposes by Beacon Promotions Inc. and weren’t sold in stores. The recall applies to 1.3-oz bags of peanut M&M’s labeled as “Make Your Mark,” with lot code M1823200 and a best-by date of April 30, 2026.

The recall also includes 1.3 oz bags of regular M&M’s with different company names, such as “Subaru,” “Adobe,” and “xfinity.”

The candies were distributed in Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Traveling? Check Your Steamer

Nearly 200,000 PurSteam Mighty Lil Steamers (119,000) and PurSteam Elite Travel Steamers (75,400) have been recalled due to a serious burn hazard, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Wednesday.

The steamers can expel hot water from the nozzle during use.

Between December 2020 and 2024, the company received 80 reports of hot water expulsion and 14 burn injuries for the Elite Travel Steamer (Model: PS-510) and 392 reports of hot water expulsion and 40 burn injuries for the Mighty Lil Steamer (Model: PS-550).

The steamers sold for between $10 and $35 online by Puresteam, Amazon and Walmart from December 2020 to
April 2025.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled steamers and visit recall.pursteam.com to submit a request. To receive a refund, consumers must provide contact information and upload a photo of the device with the cord severed. Consumers must keep the device, as some may be asked to return it to the importer, Aterian, Inc.

Glow-In-The-Dark Coloring Sets Are Toxic

Primark is recalling “The Nightmare Before Christmas” Glow-in-the-Dark Coloring Sets because the crayons contain high levels of strontium and aluminum, which could pose a poisoning risk if ingested by young children.

The set includes five coloring sheets and five glow crayons (purple, yellow, pink, blue, orange) with the product code “0309401.” Approximately 600 sets were sold between October 2024 and July last year at Primark stores in the Northeast, Florida, Maryland, and Illinois.

No injuries have been reported.

Consumers should stop using the set immediately and return it to any Primark store for a full refund. Customers can also contact Primark customer service at 617-946-3236 or visit the company’s recall page.