Less than two months after the Toyota bZ4X's release, the electric SUV was involved in a serious recall for the SUV’s hub bolts. The bolts are what connect the wheels to the body and may become loose, potentially leading to a wheel coming off. The recall involves roughly 2,700 bZ4X SUVs globally. When Toyota announced the recall, it said that it didn’t have a fix. Over a month later, it sounds like Toyota still doesn’t know how to fix the issue, as the Japanese automaker is now offering to buy the vehicle back from owners.
As reported by Electrek, Toyota has sent bZ4X owners a letter offering a few choices to help them out as they work on a fix for the issue. In the letter, the automaker gives owners the ability to choose between a loaner and an incentive package or a complete buyback option. The outlet got its hand on a copy of the letter.
In the letter, Toyota tells owners to keep the bZ4X parked until a fix is available. “We recently advised you of a safety recall that involves your 2023 Toyota bZ4X and continue to ask that you not allow the vehicle to be driven until a remedy is available,” reads the letter.
Obviously, asking owners to keep their brand-new bZ4Xs parked is a lofty request. In light of the issue, Toyota will be offering affected owners with a few remedies. One is to provide owners with a loaner vehicle and a place to store their bZ4X. Toyota will even pay for gas that owners use in the loaner vehicle. For owners that paid in full or have a loan/lease on the bZ4X, Toyota will give owners a total credit of $5,000. Every bZ4X came with a year of complimentary charging at EVgo stations, which is useless now that the vehicle can’t be driven. But the automaker is extending the complimentary period through December 31, 2024. Lastly, Toyota will be extending the New Vehicle Limited Warranty based on the period of time when the bZ4X cannot be driven.
If none of these options sound good, Toyota has one last offer on the table – to buy the bZ4X back. “Alternatively, if you do not wish to proceed as described above, Toyota will offer to repurchase your vehicle,” states the letter. “The terms for the repurchase may vary, depending on your state and particular circumstances.”
A specialist from Toyota will be reaching out to bZ4X owners shortly. Owners can contact the automaker if they don't want to wait to be contacted.
It’s a little odd to see Toyota offer to buy back the bZ4X, as we expected this to be an easy fix for the automaker. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem that way, which is a shame. The bZ4X is Toyota’s first serious all-electric since the RAV4 EV bowed out in 2014. Toyota has emphasized hybrids and plug-in hybrids instead of EVs, but built the bZ4X in partnership with Subaru. The other Japanese automaker came out with the Solterra – a near carbon copy of the bZ4X. All of Subaru’s Solterra SUVs were still at dealerships when it announced the recall, which is why it managed to stay quiet during the predicament.