Toyota Recalls Its EV SUV Due to Tire Trouble

By B.N. Frank

Electric vehicles (EVs) from different carmakers continue to be recalled for various reasons – often because of fires (see 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) – and in April, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) started investigating safety defects in EV batteries. More recently, Toyota recalled its EV SUVs due to dangerous tire issues.

From ZeroHedge:

“Tires May Fall Off” – Toyota Recalls First Mass-Produced EV SUV

by Tyler Durden

Toyota is the world’s largest carmaker and planned to take on Tesla with its first mass-produced battery-powered sport utility vehicle called “bZ4X,” but had to recall the SUV only two months after launch because of a danger that wheels could fall off, according to Reuters.

“The hub bolt may loosen due to repeated sharp turns and sudden braking. Therefore, if you continue to drive in that state, abnormal noise will be generated, and in the worst case, the tires may fall off,” Toyota wrote in a Japanese recall notice.

About 2,700 bZ4Xs were recalled, 2,220 were sent to Europe, 280 for North America, 110 for Japan, and 60 for various Asian countries. Many of the vehicles have yet to be delivered to customers.

“We are examining if tightening the bolts will solve the problem, or if any change in components is needed,” the company told FT.

The bZ4X is Toyota’s first mass-market EV SUV and is a major setback as it attempts to compete with Tesla. Toyota has pledged a whopping $35bln to mass-produce 30 battery-powered models by 2030. So far, its entrance into the EV space has been similar to Ford Motor Company.

Last week, Ford halted sales of its new all-electric Mustang Mach-E due to concerns about a potential safety defect that would “cause the vehicles to become immobile.”

The Mach-E is Ford’s first mass-produced battery-powered vehicle and has been plagued with problems since it went on sale in December 2020, including software errors causing unintended acceleration, loose subframe bolts, and inadequate bonding for thousands of glass panel roofs.

Toyota might want to be extra cautious of its first mass-produced battery-powered SUV launch for the sake of its brand. The recall comes one day after the Japanese carmaker slashed global production targets for July as the global economy rapidly slows under the weight of central banks aggressively tightening monetary policy to get a handle on some of the highest inflation in decades.

Another serious warning that’s been reported about EVs – they emit high levels of harmful radiation emissions (see 1, 2, 3). No recalls for that though yet.