Toyota RAV4 and Lexus NX recalled over wheels, brakes

Recalls happen, but usually the problems are relatively minor. Maybe the sticker is missing, or the owner was able to adjust the position of the headlights when they shouldn’t. In other cases, like the new recalls from Toyota and Lexus, the safety concerns are obvious.

According to the automaker, they will recall about 70 vehicles from the U.S. market. These models include the Toyota RAV4 and Lexus NX, both produced in September this year. The reason is that their wheels and brakes can come off.

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Yes, both wheels and brake calipers can accidentally become detached from the vehicle. Toyota says this:

“Certain bolts may not have been tightened correctly during the manufacturing process and may loosen over time, potentially causing the front brake calipers or front wheels to separate. If this occurs, stopping distances may be increased or vehicle control may be lost, resulting in Increased risk of crash.”

To be very clear, the RAV4 and NX don’t use a single bolt or set of bolts to hold these two things to the car. These are separate parts and the fact that both can come off is really surprising. While NHTSA has not released details about the issue, Toyota has hinted at it.

It is said that during the recall remediation process, technicians will check the torque on the hub axle nuts and caliper bracket bolts. Again, these are completely separate parts. It is unusual for the same car to come out of the factory with loose fasteners on both. These components and how they work together are described below.

The second part in the picture shows the axle nut. One of its primary responsibilities is to keep the wheel assembly and brake assembly securely connected. Figures five and six show the caliper bracket and its fasteners, which are, of course, also supposed to hold the assembly together. Usually, if one fails, it doesn’t immediately affect the other.

We’ll have to wait for further information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to see if the failure of the axle nut caused the failure of the caliper bracket bolts. This is what might have happened, although we can’t know for sure. Regardless, Toyota says it will notify owners by February 2025.

It’s unclear whether the automaker is aware of any warranty claims, accidents or injuries resulting from this issue. Concerned owners can visit Toyota.com/recall, Lexus.com/recall or nhtsa.gov/recalls and enter their vehicle’s VIN or license plate to see if they are affected.