Recall issued for Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra

More than 5,000 examples of Toyota’s first electric model bZ4X and Subaru’s sister model Solterra are being recalled because of a serious safety problem.

++ This article has been updated. Kindly continue reading below. ++

During sharp turns and sudden braking, the wheel hub bolts can loosen to the point where the wheel can detach from the vehicle. Because of the problem, the start of deliveries of the Solterra in Europe could also be postponed.

Potentially affected are around 2,700 Toyota bZ4X and 2,600 Subaru Solterra worldwide, according to Reuters news agency. However, most electric cars have not yet been delivered to customers. In Toyota’s case, of the 2,700 vehicles, 2,200 are destined for Europe, 260 for the United States, 10 for Canada and 110 for Japan, the company said.

At the same time, Toyota is warning owners of the bZ4X not to use the car until the problem has been solved. Accidents caused by the problem have not been reported so far.

In return, Subaru Germany has said that the start of deliveries of the Solterra is on hold. “In the course of regular quality checks, potential problems with the wheels have been identified. This affects all vehicles produced until 15 June 2022. No Solterra has been delivered in Germany yet, so customers are not affected. The first customers are expected to be able to take delivery of their vehicle in late summer,” it said.

“Safety has always been Subaru’s top priority. This is reflected in the extensive standard equipment of every vehicle – and also in this current precautionary measure,” says Volker Dannath, managing director of Subaru in Germany. “So far, we are not aware of any problems and German customers are definitely not affected. Should there be any delays in vehicle delivery as a result of the checks, our dealers will inform customers accordingly.”

Update 05 August 2022

After the recall of more than 5,000 units of the all-electric Toyota bZ4X and Subaru’s sister model Solterra due to the danger of loosening wheels, there is apparently still no solution to the problem. Toyota is therefore now offering affected owners in the USA who cannot use their bZ4X because of the safety hazard, among other things, a buy-back of the vehicle. Alternatively, Toyota will not only continue to provide affected customers with a free loaner car, but will also cover the fuel costs for it. In addition, the warranty of the bZ4X will be extended by the period during which the vehicle cannot be driven due to the recall.

Update 06 October 2022

Toyota has apparently found a solution to the wheel hub bolt problem and wants to resume sales of the all-electric bZ4X. This is also likely to affect the sister model Subaru Solterra. However, Toyota did not provide details about the problem’s solution.

In June, Japan’s safety regulator said sharp turns and sudden braking could cause a hub bolt to loosen, increasing the risk of a wheel coming off the vehicle.

Masahiko Maeda, Toyota’s executive vice president, now said the automaker will gradually resume deliveries of bZ4X and prioritize demand for customers waiting for the car.

Update 13 February 2023

Subaru is recalling 1,182 examples of its 2023 model year Solterra electric car in the US due to sloppy repair work on an earlier recall. Last year, some 2,700 Toyota bZ4X and 2,600 examples of its sister model Subaru Solterra had to be recalled worldwide because of a serious safety problem: During sharp turns and sudden braking, the wheel hub bolts can loosen to the point where the wheel can detach from the vehicle. Of those 2,600 Subaru Solterra, 1,182 are now being recalled again in the US.

The manufacturer now explains that the third-party repairer did not “properly complete the repair process”, resulting in “potentially significantly over-tightened bolts”.

reuters.com, toyota.com, subaru-presse.de (in German), carscoops.com (update), autonews.com (update II), subaru.com (update III)