Toyota has just started selling the bZ4X this year but it's now facing a recall. According to a voluntary safety recall issued by the automaker, its first mass-produced EV is facing an issue that causes its wheels to fall off.
Affected owners have already been notified through various channels – including email, phone calls, and first-class mail – instructing them not to drive their vehicles.
The Subaru Solterra, which was developed and being produced side-by-side with the Toyota bZ4X, is also part of the said recall. However, since there haven't been any Solterra units delivered to dealers and retailers, no Subaru owners are involved in the said recall.
Gallery: 2023 Toyota bZ4x
The cause of the issue is still under investigation. However, Toyota has recorded three instances involving wheels coming off – one from Taiwan and two from the US. In all three cases, all of the hub bolts on a wheel loosened, to the point where the wheel detached from the vehicle, which was the case in two of the reported cases. After confirming and replicating the defect through Toyota's own tests, the automaker issued a voluntary safety recall.
The remedy for the issue is still being developed at this time. Affected owners will not need to pay for the repairs when rolled out as part of their vehicle warranties.
There are 661 Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra units involved in the said recall, all manufactured between March 30 to April 21, 2022 (up to June 3 for the Solterra).
Although the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) documents show that only one percent of the said number is affected, Toyota has yet to determine which specific ones of the 661 units are affected. The NHTSA noted that the "1%" entry in the documents means "unknown."
The 2023 Toyota bZ4X has a starting price of $43,215, while the 2023 Subaru Solterra has a retail price that starts at $46,220.
