Following a Week of Toyota Recalls, the C-HR Gets Its Turn

It’s only 700 vehicles from the 2019 model year, but the voluntary recall issued by Toyota today involves the possibility of the rear wheels falling off. That seems a little more concerning than having your Prius go into limp mode.

The issue with the C-HR lies in its rear axle hub bearing bolts, one or more of which may not have received a proper tightening at the factory. Should they come loose while on the road, the C-HR could end up a three-wheeler.

In a masterful bit of understatement, Toyota’s recall stated that loosened axle bearing bolts could lead to rear brake damage or a detached wheel, “resulting in reduced brake performance or a potential loss of vehicle stability. This could increase the risk of a crash.”

Given that there’s no stop-sale order mentioned, it would seem this batch of vehicles has already made it into the hands of customers. Once notified (starting in early November), affected owners can have their C-HR’s rear end examined at the dealer, which may decide to replace the axle hub bearing assembly if bolts are found to be loose.

A perusal of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s complaints page shows no mention of consumer troubles or accidents associated with the 2019 C-HR. Worried your front-drive subcompact CUV might be among those afflicted? Visit toyota.com/recall and type in your VIN.

Elsewhere in the Toyota lineup, some 807,000 Prius vehicles are being recalled in the U.S. in order to receive a software update. The vehicles, which were already recalled in 2014 and 2015, can unexpectedly go into “failsafe mode” (aka limp mode) while underway. The recall impacts the 2010-2014 Prius and 2012-2014 Prius V.

Moving up in size, some 168,000 Toyota Sequoia and Tundra vehicles from the 2018 and 2019 model years, as well as a number of 2019 Avalons, were recalled late last week to fix improperly programmed airbag electronic control units. In the event of a crash, the side, side curtain, front, and knee airbags (all, or a combination thereof) might not deploy.

[Image: Toyota]