√Subaru Solterra recalled in the US after wheels fall off

The Subaru Solterra electric SUV has been recalled in the US for the second time – for the same fault – because the wheels could fall off.

More than 1100 examples of the Subaru Solterra have been recalled in the US for the second time – for the same fault – after the car-maker discovered the electric SUV’s wheels can fall off, despite a fix being issued last year.

In June 2022, more than 1600 Subaru Solterras – and approximately 2700 examples of its Toyota BZ4X twin – were recalled globally within two months of going on sale because the electric SUV’s wheels could wriggle loose, resulting in two known incidents where wheels completely detached from the car.

At the time, Automotive News reported: “The defect stemmed from not accounting for the high torque exerted on the wheels by the car’s all-electric drivetrain.

“The wheels are attached with hub bolts, but even in low mileage use, the wheels can come loose due to vigorous driving – such as turning sharply or braking aggressively.”

Last week, Subaru’s US division issued a recall notice and an immediate ‘do not drive’ warning to 1182 Solterra owners after it was discovered the third-party contractors who had been tasked with completing the first recall did not rectify the fault correctly.

“Subaru identified an issue with vehicles repaired at two port locations by one particular team of contractors,” said a media statement by Subaru USA.

“The teams did not properly complete the repair procedure resulting in the potential for significantly under-torqued bolts. Out of an abundance of caution, Subaru is recalling all vehicles repaired at all port locations supported by the third-party contractor.

“Vehicles without the original hub bolt concern and vehicles repaired at other facilities are not affected.”

Following a three-month production pause between June and October 2022, Toyota – which builds both the BZ4X and the Subaru Solterra, with different badges and bumpers – claimed a “new method” had been implemented on its production line to prevent the issue from happening again.

According to US publication Car and Driver, Toyota has not issued a second recall for the BZ4X because it used a different contractor team than Subaru to fix the initial fault.

A Subaru Australia spokesperson told Drive supply constraints and demand were behind the Solterra’s delayed local launch, rather than the wheel-related production pause.

“With global, industry-wide supply constraints and strong demand for Subaru vehicles, at times there may be a slight adjustment to the arrival times of new products, as experienced with the Solterra,” a spokesperson for Subaru Australia told Drive.

As reported earlier this week, the Subaru Solterra is due in Australia from the middle of 2023, before the Toyota BZ4X is expected to arrive in the final months of this year.

Toyota Australia has previously announced the BZ4X which comes to Australia will be an updated model. A spokesperson for the Japanese car giant told Drive the “timing is not impacted by recent events”, referring to the overseas wheel faults.

The post Subaru Solterra recalled in the US after wheels fall off – again appeared first on Drive.