2026 Toyota BZ problems

Filed Oct 31, 2026 · Electrical, Fuel system · CA

The 2026 Toyota BZ XLE PLUS generated some vibration and noise during the driving and it caused the eardrum pressure and discomfort for a short trip of drive like 15-minutes drive. It caused sharp ear pain after a long trip of drive like one-hour drive. The pain would last few hours after the long-trip drive. The same driver drove a different EV car but had no issue at all. Tried to use the earbuds with noise cancellation but it couldn’t stop the ear from hurting during a long trip of drive with 2026 Toyota BZ. Complaint to Toyota dealer about the vibration and noise after purchase the car, some of the sales stated that two of his customers experienced the ear pressure of driving Toyota BZ. They usually have to open the window slightly to release the ear pressure. But not enough details to know how did they feel during a long trip of drive.

Filed Oct 20, 2026 · Electrical · 5,000 miles · CA

The contact owns a 2026 Toyota BZ. The contact stated that while driving, the battery started overheating and the vehicle experienced a slight loss of automotive power. The messages "EV System Overheated - Output Power Reduced" and "Plug in Charging System Malfunction - Visit your Dealer” were displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the failure was not duplicated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 5,000.

Filed Oct 18, 2026 · Brakes, Electrical · CA · 10 injuries

When I was driving the car when forward and suddleny heard a pop and I got a shocked and my car went a complete broke down I think EV broke down it almost caused me to get in accident and almost get killed

Filed Oct 12, 2026 · Airbags, Brakes · CA · crash

I was involved in an Accident on 9-19-26 as my car hit the car in front of me . I applied brakes however my car did not stop and the collision warning did not activate and the emergency braking system failed . Now my car is totaled and I’m left paying Toyota the difference ! CAR IS DEFECTIVE Approximately 3000 miles

Filed Oct 7, 2026 · Driver assistance · 12,000 miles · MI

The contact owns a 2026 Toyota BZ. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 MPH and attempting to overtake a tractor trailer logging truck, the Forward Collision Avoidance Automatic Emergency Braking activated causing the vehicle abruptly decelerate. The failure was immediately self-corrected and the vehicle operated normally. During the failure the emergency braking warning light was illuminated. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 12,000.

Filed Oct 2, 2026 · Visibility · 1,000 miles · CA

The contact owns a 2026 Toyota BZ. The contact stated that the air conditioning system was inoperable while starting the vehicle. The contact stated that while the air conditioning system was activated, the vents failed to blow air immediately. The failure was a recurring failure. The contact was affected by the loss of cool air in humid temperatures and was suffocating from the heat. The dealer was contacted and made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000.

Filed Sep 5, 2026 · Electrical · TX

SUPPLEMENT TO ODI COMPLAINT 11758090 (filed 8/19/2026). Two corrections, an identified component, and a verified manufacturer remedy. Full narrative attached. CORRECTIONS. (1) The prior 12V battery was replaced 5/29/2026, not June 2026; invoice 569207 is correct. (2) The complaint attributed the drain to an armed charging schedule. That was a proxy, not the cause. The trigger is ANY vehicle wake -- key-fob approach at ~8 ft, end of drive, or converter pulse -- which arms a timer of exactly 180 minutes, after which a 0.87-0.9 A sawtooth discharge runs 4.6-9 hours, consuming up to 12 Ah. Verified 8 of 8 events 8/8-8/23/2026 by amp-hour shunt and independent voltage logger, one pre-registered in advance and correct to the minute. The defect is not avoidable by any owner setting. REMEDY. 8/24/2026, Cavender Toyota, repair order 604263, under Toyota Technical Assistance System case TA262360433: ignition off; vehicle removed from owner's Toyota app garage; ignition on 1 min (pending telematics upload completes); off 1 min; on; vehicle re-added to app garage. No parts, no charge, ~10 minutes. The procedure operates only on the DCM/connected-services registration state, which identifies the component. VERIFICATION. Two deliberate fob wakes 8/24 (19:25, 23:10 CDT): no discharge at 180 minutes or overnight. Twelve days of normal use through 9/5/2026: zero events. TOYOTA'S OWN RECORDS CORROBORATE. The TAS advisory tells the technician to "set up for 3 hours to monitor," matching the measured 180-minute latency. Invoice 593644 records the 12V battery needing 2.5 hours of external charging. The TAS case records "Dealer Visit: 4," escalation reason "Multiple Repair." The dealer's 8-day monitoring (7/28-8/5) found nothing because a vehicle parked in a service lot is never woken: 1 mile accrued in 8 days. No recall or TSB communicates this remedy; case TA262360433 remains open, "Vehicle Repaired" blank. Full instrumented record available to ODI on request.

Filed Aug 19, 2026 · Electrical · TX

The 12-volt auxiliary battery system repeatedly discharges itself and has twice left the vehicle completely inoperative: 7/24/2026 (5.58 V at the battery, parked unplugged ~46 hours after the last drive) and 7/28/2026 (5.95 V, failure during an attempt to enter READY to drive). The 12V system controls the contactors connecting the high-voltage traction battery to the drive system; when it collapses the vehicle cannot be started or driven even though the traction pack holds charge. The dealer replaced the 12V battery under warranty in June 2026; failures continued, so the battery was not the cause. I instrumented the 12V system with two independent cross-validated meters (precision current/amp-hour shunt; voltage logger sampling every 2 minutes) and measured the mechanism over 12 continuous days (Aug 8-19, 2026). Findings: (1) A drain event begins exactly 3 hours (180 min, within one 2-minute sample, in all six measured events) after the most recent vehicle wake - a READY cycle or the key fob merely coming within detection range of the parked car. Each new wake restarts the 3-hour countdown. (2) The event draws ~0.87 A; four completed events ran 4.6-4.7 hours (~4 Ah each), one ran 9.2 hours (~8 Ah). (3) Events occur with all charging schedules verified off in both vehicle and phone app, the app closed, and the vehicle unplugged. (4) The vehicle never replenishes the 12V from the traction pack while parked, and undercharges it when driven (13.9 V ceiling, single 30-minute window). Ordinary daily use - driving, parking unplugged, or walking near the car with the fob - drains the battery to collapse within days. No owner setting prevents it. A 6-day dealer observation did not reproduce it because the vehicle sat undisturbed: no wake, no drain. No warning lamps preceded either failure. Instrumented logs attached; vehicle and data available for inspection on request.

Filed Aug 11, 2026 · Electrical · NC

The 12 volt battery exhibits a consistent parasitic drain. This is intermittent, but results in the vehicle failing to start. The failure to start is an issue because it is happening frequently and could endanger individuals who live in rural areas or areas with cold or hot climate. This issue has happened to us multiple times and Toyota has not recalled or provided guidance to its dealer service network. Many effected owners have a diagnostic data backed theory that links the drain on the 12 volt battery to Toyota digital communication module. That diagnostic can be found here. Toyota should be forced to investigate and fix this as it is a big safety concern for those who are in rural harsh climates! It is impacting a lot of new BZ & CHR owners, but has been a known issue with previous models and even covered by some media outlets. Because this is a parasitic drain there often isnt a low battery warning before the car won't start. Another reason this deserves attention.

Filed Aug 8, 2026 · OH

There is a foul smell emanating from the window areas of the vehicle after rain. The more rain, the more pronounced the odor. It smells similar to cat urine. I have been able to reproduce it many times, after it rains. I was reading online that the smell is caused by mold/mildew which is a huge safety concern. I had also read that this is somewhat of a common issue caused by the type of weatherstripping in use on the vehicle. When I called the dealership they were unaware of any issues concerning an odor around the windows after rain. I will continue to work with the dealership, but this should at least be a Technical Service Bulletin.