GAC Toyota Recalls Nearly 40,000 bZ7 EVs Over Two Software Defects

On July 31, China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) announced that GAC Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. had filed two recall campaigns covering its bZ7 battery electric sedan, affecting a total of 39,552 vehicles.

Both recalls stem from software control strategy defects, with GAC Toyota planning to address the issues primarily through over-the-air (OTA) software updates.

The first recall covers 15,266 bZ7 vehicles manufactured between Oct. 28, 2025 and June 15, 2026, under recall code S2026M0083V.

According to the filing, insufficient logic in the intelligent Bluetooth module’s software could, under specific conditions, send abnormal commands to the vehicle control module.

This causes the vehicle to shift automatically from Drive (D) to Neutral (N) while in motion, and the resulting loss of propulsion poses a safety risk.

GAC Toyota said it will provide a free OTA update for the Bluetooth module software.

Owners whose vehicles cannot receive the remote update will be contacted by dealers to arrange an in-store software upgrade.

The company also advised that if the vehicle unexpectedly shifts into Neutral while driving, drivers should lightly apply the brakes before shifting back into Drive to restore power, or safely pull over and contact after-sales service.

The second recall covers 24,286 bZ7 vehicles manufactured between Oct. 28, 2025 and July 10, 2026, under recall code S2026M0084V.

The filing states that flaws in the thermal management controller’s software strategy could cause the air-conditioning compressor and water heater to stop functioning after the vehicle is powered on.

In extreme cases, this could reduce defrosting and defogging performance, impairing the driver’s visibility and increasing safety risks.

As with the first recall, GAC Toyota will prioritize resolving the issue through a free OTA update to the thermal management controller software. Vehicles unable to receive the update remotely will be serviced at dealerships.

Both recalls are related solely to software issues and do not involve core hardware such as the battery pack or electric drive system.

As vehicles adopt increasingly advanced electronic and electrical architectures, OTA updates have become a key method for automakers to resolve software defects.

Compared with conventional recalls, remote updates can shorten repair times while reducing the need for customers to visit dealerships.

From a market perspective, the bZ7 is one of GAC Toyota’s key battery electric launches this year.

The model entered the market at the end of March with a starting price of RMB 147,800 ($21,880).

By the end of June, cumulative deliveries of bZ7 had reached 10,351 units. However, June deliveries fell to 1,757 units, down 46% from the previous month.

During the first half of 2026, GAC Toyota sold 341,100 vehicles, down 6.3% year on year.

The bZ series contributed 52,202 units during the period, making it the company’s primary source of battery electric vehicle sales.