Toyota recalls all the Mirais for software bug

[The Ga[M]er.]

Recalling a whole run of cars can get complicated and expensive, but Toyota's latest recall manages to do that without raising a massive ruckus.

Toyota issued a recall for every single Mirai hydrogen fuel cell vehicle sold around the world. That may seem like a ton, but bear in mind it's a niche vehicle utilizing an infrastructure that isn't fully fleshed out. Thus, only about 2,840 vehicles are affected.

The issue relates to the car's powertrain. A unique set of driving conditions -- for example, jamming the accelerator to the floor after driving on a long descent under cruise control -- might cause the fuel cell's boost converter to output voltage higher than the maximum. If that happens, a warning light will come on and the fuel cell system will stop running.

Since a bricked hydrogen car isn't worth a whole lot, Toyota issued the recall. A car that loses its ability to accelerate could also increase the risk of a collision, especially if it happens in traffic.

Toyota will fix the issue with a simple software reflash. This process is free to Mirai owners, and it should only take about 30 minutes at a nearby dealership. After that, everything should be hunky dory.