Toyota bZ4x production restarts after wheel hub fix

The Toyota bZ4X is the firm's first electric car

Issue affected some 2700 examples globally, and 800 UK-bound cars

Toyota bZ4x production will restart today, after a three-month stoppage over concerns the wheels could fall off while driving.

The firm submitted a recall order to Japan’s safety regulator in June noting that sudden braking could cause a wheel hub bolt to detach, and that sudden turns could exacerbate this risk.

The stop order, affecting 2700 examples globally and around 800 UK cars, plus 2600 Subaru Solterra models, was made before deliveries began.

A spokesperson for Toyota GB told Autocar that the 800 customers who made orders before the stop will now be contacted shortly to arrange a delivery date.

A Toyota spokesman explained in June: “After low-mileage use, all of the hub bolts on the wheel of the subject vehicles can loosen to the point where the wheel can detach from the vehicle.

“If a wheel detaches from the vehicle while driving, it could result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

“The cause of the issue and the driving patterns under which this issue could occur are still under investigation.”

"No one should drive these vehicles until the remedy is performed."

The latest filing to the ministry notes that this problem has now been solved and that hub bolts will be replaced and properly tightened on the bZ4x.

Toyota also stated it discovered and resolved an issue with airbags which were improperly installed from the factory.