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Subaru didn't reinvent the wheel, but apparently keeping them ON the vehicle is proving to be a challenge. The company has issued an urgent safety recall for 1,182 Solterra vehicles telling owners to stop driving their vehicles immediately.  A 2023 Solterra drives off-road. Credit: Subaru of America  The wheels on the Solterra go round and round... and might still fall off. In the middle of 2022, shortly after the start of production for the Solterra and the Toyota bZ4X (they are built as a partnership between Subaru and Toyota), a recall was issued because "the hub bolts on the wheels may loosen, causing a wheel to detach from the vehicle after low-mileage use." It took Toyota and Subaru months to correct the problem, but it was fixed.. or so it seemed.  Now, Subaru is saying the third-party company (unnamed) that was contracted to conduct the repairs did not properly torque some bolts, which could lead to the wheels loosening and falling off the Solterra.
Owners are urged to stop driving their vehicles immediately and contact their local repair center. Luckily, it seems that the problem is much less complicated this time around and Subaru service centers will be able to inspect and tighten the wheel hub bolts to a proper spec. Owners will not be charged for the repair or the cost of having their vehicle towed to the service center. However, this isn't a good start to the production of the brand's first electric vehicle, and is likely to leave a bad taste for some owners. At this time there is no information that suggests the Toyota bZ4X is affected in the same way. The contractor for Subaru did not conduct the initial repairs for Toyota's vehicles. As with all recalls, Subaru will be contacting current owners to inform them that their vehicle may be affected. Owners can also visit Subaru's Recall Website and enter the VIN of their vehicle. VIN checking can also be done via NHTSA's website or by calling their Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 M-F 8am-8pm EST. |
