Hybrids recalled in relation to the risk of fire

Toyota is recalling more than a million of its hybrid vehicles worldwide, because of a potential fire hazard.

The automaker said Wednesday that the safety recall covers its Prius, Prius plug-in and C-HR SUV models.

More than half of the vehicles involved are in Japan, and just under 200,000 in the United States. The rest has been sold in Europe and in other markets. US drivers will start receiving reminder notices by mail this month.

Toyota (TM) stated that the problem involved wiring harnesses that connect to the cars' power control units. These can wear over time, generating heat.

"If enough heat is generated, there is an increased risk of a vehicle fire," a Toyota spokeswoman in Tokyo told CNN on Wednesday. He declined to comment on whether the defects resulted in injury or death.

The recall applies to cars produced between June 2015 and May 2018. The company said it would provide patches to customers for free.

The Japanese automaker has already had problems with the Prius.

In 2016, he recalled more than 1.7 million vehicles on issues related to their air bags and their parking brakes.

More generally, the company has also had to recall more than 20 million of its cars in recent years in response to the scandal of Takata's air bag explosion.

CNNMoney (Hong Kong) First published on September 5, 2018: 6:35 AM ET