Toyota has recalled nearly 3,000 of its new bZ4X electric SUVs due to their wheels falling off. Thankfully, there have been no reported accidents.
Toyota has recalled nearly 3,000 of its new bZ4X electric SUVs over potential accident risk. The bZ4X was launched earlier this year as part of the Japanese automaker’s push to roll out 30 EV models by 2030. Most of Toyota’s current EVs are hybrid vehicles powered by a combination of internal combustion engines and battery-operated electric motors. The company, however, is looking to change that and is investing $35 billion to expand its EV portfolio and increase its global EV sales to 3.5 million units by the end of this decade.
The Toyota bZ4X was initially launched for the U.S. and Japanese markets in April before being released in Europe in the following weeks. It is based on the company’s e-TNGA architecture that is specifically designed for electric vehicles. The mid-size SUV is expected to rival the likes of the Kia EV6, Hyundai Ioniq5 and the Tesla Model Y, among others. It is available in both FWD and AWD configurations, with a claimed range of 347 miles and 335 miles, respectively. They are also reasonably fast for their segment, doing the 0-60 run in under seven seconds.
According to Reuters, Toyota has recalled its bZ4X mid-size SUV two months after its launch because its wheels could fall off while driving. The problem stems from the bolts that are used to connect the wheels to the vehicle. According to an advisory issued by Japan’s safety regulator, if a driver takes a sharp turn or brakes suddenly, that could cause the hub bolt to loosen. Thankfully, there have been no reported accidents due to the defect so far.
Toyota Is Investigating The Defect
In a statement explaining the problem, Toyota said that the issue is still under investigation, and the company is checking whether simply tightening the bolts will solve the problem or if any of the components will need to be changed. The company also apologized for the defect and said that the repair might take some time as the problem requires a thorough investigation.
Out of the 2,700 vehicles that have been recalled, 2,200 were meant for the European market, 260 for the U.S., 20 for Canada, 110 for Japan and 60 for the rest of Asia. Fortunately, most of the vehicles were yet to be delivered to owners, but the few owners who have already taken delivery are being urged not to drive the car until the issue has been rectified.
Interestingly, Subaru also announced a recall of around 2,600 units of its first all-electric vehicle, the Solterra, for the same reason. The car has been jointly developed with Toyota, and like the bZ4X, its wheels also have a risk of coming loose during driving. Again, not many of these vehicles can be found in the wild as most of them had only been delivered to dealers.
