- Toyota, Subaru, and Lexus are recalling approximately 100,000 EVs.
- They have a climate control issue that can impact defroster performance.
- Dealers will update the HVAC software and inspect the electrical compressor.
Toyota, Subaru, and Lexus are recalling 94,320 electric vehicles in the United States and stopping sales of models currently at dealerships. This is due to a problematic climate control system, which can prevent the defroster and defogger from working.
The recall impacts the 2023-2025 Toyota bZ4X as well as the 2023-2025 Subaru Solterra, and the 2023-2025 Lexus RZ. All three share a common basis and the bZ4X makes up the bulk of the recall as 41,499 units are impacted.
More: Toyota Kills bZ4X To Welcome 2026 bZ
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, some shoddy programming means the HVAC system can “enter a failsafe mode that suspends the heater operation … and affects defroster function.” This reportedly only happens under certain conditions, such as a “specific failure mode of the electrical compressor.”
When this occurs in cold temperatures, the system might not be able to remove frost, ice, or fog from the windshield. This reduces visibility and increases the risk of a crash.
Toyota was tipped off about the problem by an inquiry from Transport Canada. However, they believed a failure wouldn’t be a significant problem as the EVs are equipped with two heat sources. This means that if one fails, the other should remain operational.
Testing was then conducted in “extreme cold conditions,” which did not confirm fogging of the windshield but did reveal worse heater performance than expected. This resulted in a more in-depth investigation, which eventually found that an electric compressor failure can cause the HVAC ECU to enter a “failsafe mode that also suspends the second heat source, which had been previously assumed to remain operational.”
Thankfully, the fix is pretty straightforward as dealers will update the climate control software. They’ll also inspect and replace the electrical compressor, if necessary.
