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Just like a job interview or a date with a girl, the first impressions are everything. From a firm handshake to being a kind gentleman, in any scenario having a good first impression is crucial to a further success. With that being said, the 2023 Toyota bZ4X was kind of like that guy who goes on a date and makes a good impression, but after starting to date him you see a few little blemishes. The world was ready for the bZ4X, and we wrote reviews and posted YouTube videos on how great the car is. Then all of the sudden Toyota hits us with a recall that could be catastrophic in any driving situation.
On June 23rd, Toyota released a press statement saying that they are issuing a recall on approximately 260 Toyota bZ4X models because of a fault on the lug nuts. According to Toyota, “After low-mileage use, all of the hub bolts on the wheel can loosen to the point where the wheel can detach from the vehicle.”
Now, you don’t have to be a car guy to know that if your wheels come off during driving, at any speed, it is not a good outcome however you want to spin it. Toyota also said that it is still investigating how this happened, but we do know that Toyota will recall the bZ4Xs back and fix them free of charge.
With any brand-new car like a re-design or a completely new model, especially this being Toyota’s first mass produced EV, it is safe to say that having a few complications here and there are meant to be. The brand new redesigned 2022 Toyota Tundra had a list of issues and even the newly re-designed RAV4 had some cable issues.
However, because this model was highly anticipated, it may lead to some negative speculation.
For instance, If I was in the market for an EV, I would most likely go with the car brand with the most credibility on reliance. However, I think that there is also an upside to this recall. It didn’t make major news like the Ford Bronco recall did however any publicity is good publicity. I think that this recall takes into account the meniscal things that Toyota is ironing out in their brand-new EV SUV.
True, loose lug nuts are kind of embarrassing as a recall matter but it’s the fact of contrition rather than what the damage really is. The fact that Toyota knows their new EV is kind of “meh” shows just how dedicated they are to making sure they don’t release it on an affordable scale with multiple problems.
What do you think? Have you been struck by this recall? Let us know in the comments below.
Harutiun Hareyan is reporting Toyota news at Torque News. His automotive interests and vast experience test-riding new cars give his stories a sense of authenticity and unique insights. Follow Harutiun on Twitter at @HareyanHarutiun for daily Toyota news.
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Comments
Hey editor, that’s a photo of
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Hey editor, that’s a photo of the Venza.
You honestly put multiple
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You honestly put multiple images of the wrong vehicle in your article?
Really excited about my new
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Really excited about my new car but then I got a call the tow truck was on the way.
Glad they found the problem but wish they would hurry up with the repair. Been without it for 7 days so far and no end in sight.
Dealer rented me a camry and that works for now.
Mike
With no end in sight, does
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With no end in sight, does that mean Toyota will return the funds that we consumers gave Toyota to purchase this vehicle that I have not been able to drive since 6/24/2022? I am ready to request a refund and purchase another vehicle since this expensive vehicle does not seem to be worth the money I have spent on it.
Hi Cynthia,
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In reply to With no end in sight, does by Cynthia Byrd (not verified)
Hi Cynthia,
I have neither driven nor seen the new bZ4X so I cannot tell you whether it is worth the buy or not. However, I can say that it is going to be extremely hard to get your hands on one considering the small output numbers for the first year. I would suggest you maybe get the refund and find a better EV SUV. For the price, I highly suggest the new mustang mach-e.
Hi Cynthia
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In reply to With no end in sight, does by Cynthia Byrd (not verified)
Hi Cynthia
I contacted the manufacturer number on the recall notice and asked for my money back. They are working on that for me now. You could try that too.
I have called 4+ times and
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In reply to Hi Cynthia by Lindsay Clarke… (not verified)
I have called 4+ times and once spoke with someone that claimed she is working get me a refund. Now she will not return my calls. When she does contact me, I will tell her I want to be reimburse the interest on my down payment that I lost should I had left the funds in my banking account.
Loved the bz4z for almost 30
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Loved the bz4z for almost 30 days, then Toyota pulled the rug out from under me! If it was an issue with the technology I would maybe give them a pass, but come on! They have been building cars for almost 70 years and they can't design wheels that won't fall off!?!!?!?
Sure, I got a rental car, and they agreed to reimburse for gas...which I had not planned on purchasing after buying an EV! But I have totally lost my enthusiasm and excitement about having a brand new car...isn't that part of why we paid a premium for these vehicles?
California Lemon Law says that if your vehicle is in the shop for more than 30 cumulative days under warranty, it may qualify for full refund. Is anyone pursuing this? Will they refund the entire amount, plus sales tax, plus additional warranties purchased?
And, if I decide to keep the car, will Toyota extend all the the trial connected services, warranties, etc. for the duration that the car is out of commission? What about my insurance premiums and vehicle registration paid for the months that it is not even road worthy? I have been told it could be anywhere from 30-90 days....
What are other people doing to pressure Toyota to make it right?
Loved the bz4z for almost 30
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Loved the bz4z for almost 30 days, then Toyota pulled the rug out from under me! If it was an issue with the technology I would maybe give them a pass, but come on! They have been building cars for almost 70 years and they can't design wheels that won't fall off!?!!?!?
Sure, I got a rental car, and they agreed to reimburse for gas...which I had not planned on purchasing after buying an EV! But I have totally lost my enthusiasm and excitement about having a brand new car...isn't that part of why we paid a premium for these vehicles?
California Lemon Law says that if your vehicle is in the shop for more than 30 cumulative days under warranty, it may qualify for full refund. Is anyone pursuing this? Will they refund the entire amount, plus sales tax, plus additional warranties purchased?
And, if I decide to keep the car, will Toyota extend all the the trial connected services, warranties, etc. for the duration that the car is out of commission? What about my insurance premiums and vehicle registration paid for the months that it is not even road worthy? I have been told it could be anywhere from 30-90 days....
What are other people doing to pressure Toyota to make it right?
We put a deposit down on a
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We put a deposit down on a bZ4X at our Toyota dealers in the first week of June. We've been told that the car arrived in New York. But we can't find out any further information on it, or any estimate on how or when it will be fixed. The waiting is hard. If anyone hears any updates on this recall, I'd love to hear about it!
Me too. Bought it on June 13
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Me too. Bought it on June 13 and towed on June 23.
Wrote complaint to Toyota engagement center and GM of dealer.
Rented me a Camry- not happy.
In 30 days going to see lemon law attorney
Mike
Thanks for commenting, Mike.
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In reply to Me too. Bought it on June 13 by Mike (not verified)
Thanks for commenting, Mike. I'm anxious to hear any further updates! And best of luck!
I was absolutely loving my
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I was absolutely loving my new bz4x for the two weeks I got to drive it. Then it was recalled. Toyota has been great about getting me a nice Camry to drive in the meantime and said it would take two weeks to fix the problem. It's now been over three weeks and the rep I spoke with today said they don't have a "remedy" yet. I do hope they find one soon because I really love this car and want to end my reliance on fossil fuels. It really is a fantastic car -- as long as they can make sure the wheels stay on. I have hopes it will be my car for the next twenty years.
Thanks so much for posting,
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In reply to I was absolutely loving my by Clark Carlton (not verified)
Thanks so much for posting, Clark! We are waiting on a bZ4X that is sitting somewhere in NY, and haven't heard anything about when it might arrive. I'm so glad you were loving yours while you had it before the recall. When you finally get any word about Toyota coming up with a "remedy" it would be wonderful if you would post that. I'll post again, too, if I ever hear anything as well. Thanks!
Does anyone know how this
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Does anyone know how this might effect orders that haven’t been delivered yet? The salesman at my local dealership is now saying our pre-order will take even longer to deliver now. He’s saying they stopped production and delivery completely because of this and it could add as much as 6 months to the original estimated wait time. I haven’t been able To find anything online to confirm this though.