Owners have filed 15 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the electrical, body and structure, and wheels and tires. The 9 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2023One recall on this model year told owners to stop driving until the repair was done.
Do not buy until you have dealer paperwork or a recall lookup showing it was completed for this VIN.
Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/9 checked
2023 Toyota bZ4X: inspection sheet
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/2
Engine off, key in hand0/3
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/4
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
These years share the 2023's design and most of its parts, so their problems are the ones to look for on this car too.
Worth adding to your 2023 checks
Worth adding to your 2023 checks
EPA figures for each version of the 2023 Toyota bZ4X. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| Electric | AWD, FWD | 228–252 mi range |
NHTSA complaints for the 2023 Toyota bZ4X, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
The car goes completely dead and will not start, often while parked in a garage. Some reports include a "parking brake unavailable" warning and flashing brake lights, even with the car 80% charged. Another report says the EV battery shows no power at all. The weak link appears to be the 12-volt starter battery. Dealers replace it, but the problem keeps coming back, and one owner reports six no-start events. Each one needs a tow or a jump start. One dealer advised keeping a battery charger on the 12-volt battery. Failures begin at low mileage.
Plastic underbody panels come loose or fall off after the car drives through about 2 inches of standing water. Reports describe the front wheel well liners tearing away, a rear underbody liner hanging down, and the splash plate under the car working loose. This happens at speeds from 15 to 40 mph. In one case the dealer and Toyota denied warranty coverage, calling it damage from an outside force, and quoted $4000 for the repair.
Flat tires and sudden pressure loss show up with little warning, sometimes while the car sits parked. The low tire pressure light comes on, and in one case the driver had to pull onto the shoulder. The reports involve 235/50/R20 Bridgestone Turanza EL450 tires. One tire showed severe sidewall bubbling after it was reinflated and had to be replaced. Shops do not always find a puncture. The car comes with a fix-a-flat kit and no spare, so a failed sidewall can mean a tow.
Excerpts from complaints bZ4X owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
UNKNOWN , 11/26/2024 car in garage would not start, car was tow to Toyota and Toyota replaced the battery. then on 02/06/2025 vehicle was in garage and would not start and vehicle was tow again to Toyota dealer. Where dealer replaced 12 volt battery at 5,283 miles. And told us to put a battery charger on the battery.
Filed with NHTSA, June 2025
For the 6th time, the car is without power. It will not start although the starter battery was changed by the dealer on 5/28/24. The EV battery does not show any power. This is the 6th time that car will not start and without power. It was bought brand new on 1/1/2023.
Filed with NHTSA, June 2024
I drove the car at 40mph through about 2 inches of standing water. This caused the undercarriage splash plate to become loose. It has not fallen off, but it will need to be repaired. The streets sometimes flood and none of the cars I’ve owned ever had this happen.
Filed with NHTSA, March 2025
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2023 ranks second for owner complaints among 3 bZ4X years, close to the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.
The 2023 is the first model year of the bZ4X's first generation (2023 on). First years of a redesign often carry teething problems that Toyota fixes in later years, so the checks above matter more than usual.
Toyota updated the bZ4X for 2025, so a 2023 does not have those changes.
What changed for 2025 (not on a 2023)
Should you avoid the first year of a redesign? See the 45-car study.
Recall repairs are free at any Toyota dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Subaru Solterra and Toyota BZ4X vehicles. The hub bolts on the wheels may loosen, causing a wheel to detach from the vehicle after low-mileage use.
Risk: A wheel detaching from a moving vehicle can result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until they are repaired. Dealers will replace the hub bolts and wheels, free of charge. Letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed June 27, 2022. A second letter will be sent once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331.
Cars shoppers compare with the Toyota bZ4X, with their own 2023 checklists.
2023 owner complaints, side by side
