Recall Alert: Your 2020 Toyota Supra Could Catch Fire
As depreciation takes its toll, the Toyota Supra is slowly becoming a very enticing used sports car. However, a new recall issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration covers faulty welds in the Supra and its sibling, the BMW Z4. According to Motor1, the fault centers around the fuel tank and its welds. The result is that if the problem is not addressed, a fuel leak could potentially see your Supra or Z4 catch fire.
This isn’t the first Toyota Supra recall
The last thing you’d want to fail in your sports car is your seatbelts. Just over a year ago, BMW issued the first recall for the Toyota Supra. Strangely enough, the first recall also covered faulty welds. According to the CarThrottle, the seatbelts’ anchor point into the chassis wasn’t welded properly. As a result, the seatbelts were compromised. Unfortunately for BMW and Toyota, the issue wasn’t fixable. This meant that all of the vehicles sold had to be replaced. To make things even stranger, only seven cars were affected by the issue.
Since BMW largely builds the Toyota Supra, it utilizes plenty of the German carmaker’s tech features. According to RoadShow, the Supra was caught up in a widespread recall issued by BMW regarding faulty backup cameras. In short, the backup cameras failed to do the one thing they’re designed to do, provide a live feed as you reverse your car. The recall covered all 2020 Toyota Supra’s and a plethora of BMW and Rolls Royce’s.
Faulty welds lead to fuel leaks
Today a new and more dangerous recall has surfaced for the Toyota Supra. According to Motor1, a weld between two halves of the fuel tanks was reportedly not executed properly. The result is that fuel could potentially leak out, eventually causing a fire hazard. Given how closely related the BMW Z4 is to the Supra, the german sibling is also affected by the recall.
According to the NHTSA, BMW currently recalls 49 cars. 14 BMW Z4s and 35 Toyota Supras will have to go in for repairs. If you’ve got the BMW, the build dates affected are June 26, 2019, to July 9, 2020. If you’ve got the Toyota, the important build dates are from April 19, 2019, to July 16, 2020. Motor1 reports that owners will be notified of the issue on January 4th, 2021, at which point they’ll be able to schedule a repair.
Skip the 2020, buy a 2021 Supra instead
Other than the past and current recalls, there are plenty of reasons why you’ll want a 2021 Toyota Supra over a 2020 model. According to Autoweek, the 2021 Supra produces 382-hp from its turbocharged inline-six engine, a massive increase from the 2020 model’s 355-hp output. A new exhaust port and different pistons allow for a lower compression ratio, which allows the turbo to fill the combustion chamber with more air. The result is a power output that matches that of the BMW Z4.
Additionally, the 2021 Toyota Supra gets a stiffened chassis, reconfigured suspension, and software teaks throughout. The result is that the 2021 Supra is not only more powerful but more capable overall than the 2020 model. Since the price did not change drastically for 2021, it is a no brainer which Supra you should buy. If the more powerful Supra is out of your budget, the 2021 model also saw the introduction of a cheaper turbo-four-cylinder model, starting at $42,990 instead of $50,990 for the inline-six.
