Toyota Finally Has A Fix To Keep The bZ4X's Wheels From Coming Off

This week Toyota announced that it had finally found a solution to the bZ4X's problem. As a result, production has started back up again after a three-month hiatus.

It turns out the solution to Toyota's problem is remarkably simple. In a submission to Japan's Transport Ministry, Toyota said it would replace all the hub bolts and ensure they were properly tightened. The original recall was for wheels falling off in the event of a sharp turn or sudden braking.

"We apologize again for the concern, anxiety, and inconvenience we have caused to our customers, our dealers, and our stakeholders," said Masahiko Maeda, Toyota's chief technology officer.

While production was halted and the car was under investigation, Toyota found another problem with the car. It discovered that some airbags had been improperly installed, and there was a risk of injury because of the placement of a strap within the airbag. Since this problem was discovered while production was halted, no recall is necessary.

The bZ4X is built in Japan and China. It's unclear how long it will take the next batch of cars to reach the USA or whether Toyota currently has stock waiting. Whatever the case may be, it will be interesting to see whether future sales will be affected by this snafu.

GM proved this week that coming back from a public relations nightmare is possible. As you might know, the Chevrolet Bolt EV had that fire issue. The problem wasn't Chevrolet but rather the manufacturer of the batty packs. Even so, the Bolt's reputation was seemingly battered beyond repair, and Chevy had to resort to insane discounts, even during these times when you can't buy anything at MSRP. But Chevrolet recently announced that it would increase Bolt production after a strong sales year.

The Inflation Reduction Act is another potential issue that could hamper the bZ4X. Since Toyota's EV is not built in America, it no longer qualifies for the $7,500 tax credit, giving the upper hand to the Mustang Mach-E.