Toyota Motor Corporation has issued a recall for 2,700 of its relatively new electric vehicles (EV) around the world – of which some 270 are in the US and Canada – over a wheel hub risk that could potentially lead to passenger injuries.
In a filing with the Japanese transportation ministry, Toyota indicated that it is recalling 2,700 of its bZ4X SUVs – which just rolled out less than two months ago. The recall affects 2,200 vehicles in Europe, 260 in the US, 10 in Canada, and 110 in Japan. Representatives of Toyota have explained that all of the cars being recalled in Japan have not yet been delivered to customers, since they are the models used for test drives and displays.
As reported by Reuters, Japan’s safety regulator said that sharp turning and sudden braking could cause a hub bolt in the affected vehicles to loosen, which raises the risk of a wheel coming off. The regulator said that it was not aware of any accidents related to the issue so far.
Owners of the affected SUV have been advised by Japan’s safety regulator to stop using the vehicle until a more “permanent” repair measure was in place.
"We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this causes you," a statement on Toyota’s website said. "We would have repaired it as soon as possible, but we are investigating the details."
Reuters reached out to a Toyota representative, who said that not every model was subjected to the recall but declined to elaborate on how many the automaker had built overall.
