The launch of the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra, the two electric siblings from Japan, was marred by a recall involving wheel hub bolts. After a long delay, production resumed in October 2022, but it appears that the problem may not be fully resolved yet.
Subaru recently announced that select 2023 Solterra vehicles (1,182 of them) in the United States are being recalled due to an issue with the original hub bolts. The company discovered that the repair procedure for these vehicles was not properly completed by a team of contractors at two port locations, leading to the potential for under-torqued bolts. To ensure the safety of its customers, Subaru is recalling all vehicles repaired by this particular contractor at all port locations.
See also: Toyota bZ4X And Subaru Solterra gets 5 stars rating from Euro NCAP
However, other Solterra vehicles in the US, including those without the original hub bolt concern and vehicles repaired at other facilities, are not affected. Customers whose vehicles are part of the recall will be instructed to contact their retailer and have the vehicle towed for inspection. The inspection and any necessary repairs will be done at no cost to the customer.
It is worth noting that, according to sales data, the Solterra has been well-received by customers despite the recall. In the US, a total of 1,418 Solterras were sold by the end of January 2023 (919 in 2022 and 499 in January 2023). On the other hand, Toyota sold 1,220 bZ4X in 2022, but there is no data for January 2023.
With this latest recall, Subaru hopes to finally resolve the issue with the wheel hub bolts. Until the inspection and repairs are completed, affected customers are advised not to drive their vehicles.
