“Finally, the new Toyota bZ4X will be re-released! Recall Problem”” Solved! Was the cause “”hub bolts and wheels””? Resale of the new bZ4X will begin on October 26, with priority given to those waiting for delivery
The new “”bZ4X”” will be resold! What was the cause?
Toyota announced the resale of the new bZ4X on October 6, 2022.
On June 23 of the same year, a “”recall requesting the suspension of use”” was reported, but what countermeasures and improvements have been made for this resale?
Finally, the resale has resumed! The new futuristic Toyota SUV, the “”bZ4X”” .
Toyota’s new “”bZ4X”” to be introduced as the first model in the bZ series
The new bZ4X is the first model in Toyota’s new “”bZ Series”” EV strategy, which was announced on April 12, 2022 in the Japanese market and launched on May 12 of the same year for lease through the subsk KINTO.
Initially, applications for 3,000 units were accepted from May 12 as the first phase, followed by the second phase in early fall and sequentially thereafter, with production and sales of 5,000 units planned for the first year.
The Z grade (FWD and 4WD) was the only grade available, with 18-inch or 20-inch tires, a standard roof and panoramic moonroof as a package, and a reference price (including consumption tax) of 6 million yen for the FWD and 6.5 million yen for the 4WD.
As a car, the e-TNGA, a platform jointly developed with Subaru exclusively for BEVs, is adopted for the first time by Toyota to achieve a low center of gravity and high rigidity, resulting in an attractive driving experience. The X-MODE, Subaru’s 4WD technology, is adopted for the first time in a 4WD vehicle by Toyota, and Grip-Control is also included as a new function of the X-MODE.
In addition to the pursuit of aerodynamic performance and weight reduction of the body and units, the X-MODE is equipped with heat pump air conditioning, seat heaters, steering wheel heaters, and radiant heaters for the front seat passengers’ feet (a Toyota first) to reduce energy consumption other than for driving.
These efforts have resulted in a power consumption rate of 128 Wh/km and a driving range per charge (WTLC mode) of 559 km for the FWD model and 540 km for the 4WD model.
The charging environment is compatible with high output recharging in various regions of the world, with DC quick recharging at 150 kW, enabling recharging to 80% of charge level in 30 minutes.
The Japanese version is equipped with a DC external power supply function (V2H/V2L) that can be connected to a power feeder to supply high-output power to residences and home appliances during emergencies such as outdoor activities and disasters.
In addition, the “”roof solar panel”” can be set to generate electricity equivalent to 1,800 km of driving range in one year (in-house estimate), contributing to cruising range, and also enabling charging in parking lots where charging stations are not available, as well as in emergency situations such as disasters.
The new bZ4X was introduced to lead Toyota’s full-scale mass-production EVs, but as mentioned above, a “”recall for discontinued use”” was reported on June 23.
The defects include the possibility that the hub bolts used to attach the tires may loosen due to repetitive sharp turns or braking, resulting in abnormal noise when the vehicle is driven in this condition, and in the worst case scenario, the tires may fall off. Approximately 2,700 vehicles (approximately 100 in Japan and 2,600 overseas) were affected.
On October 6 of the same year, the recall was reported to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism after an investigation into the cause of the problem was completed and the details of the measures to be taken were determined. The measures include replacing the hub bolts on all new bZ4X models with countermeasure products and replacing the disc wheels with good quality ones for some destinations, as well as adding a note on hub bolts in the owner’s manual as a reminder.
Specifically, the hub bolts that fasten the wheel, brake rotor, and hub bolts together were loosening even when the vehicle’s driving force (force in the direction of tire rotation) was applied to the bolts at the specified torque.
In response to this problem, the hub bolts have been replaced with newly designed hub bolts with washers for all vehicles to improve and stabilize the force of the bolts, and for some destinations, the hub bolts have been replaced with wheels that have been manufactured to a higher quality to prevent slippage.
Masahiko Maeda, Toyota’s executive vice president and chief technology officer, had the following to say about the new bZ4X recall.
The reason it has taken so long since the recall was reported in June is that it took time to verify a variety of factors, including whether the design specifications were correct, whether the quality of the product was acceptable, how each part was procured, and the measurements of each part,”” said Masahiko Maeda, Toyota’s executive vice president and chief technology officer.
It also took a lot of time to develop a new hub bolt with washer as a countermeasure after the cause was identified.
The hub bolts are not a problem unique to battery EVs, but rather a common factor in vehicles that generate high torque.
Production resumed on October 6. For the KINTO, we are planning to resume orders on October 26.
The KINTO is scheduled to resume orders on October 26.
The recall also applies to the Subaru Solterra, a sister model of the new bZ4X, and priority will be given to those who are already waiting for delivery.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)”