Toyota is recalling 407 model-year 2026 bZ Woodland crossovers after a tow converter defect was found to keep brake lights on and shut off Vehicle Stability Control at the same time. The recall, filed as NHTSA campaign 26V512, covers vehicles built between February 5 and April 3, 2026.
The defect is tied to a soldering problem on the converter’s circuit board. When the short circuit happens, other road users can have a harder time telling when the vehicle is actually slowing down, and the loss of Vehicle Stability Control removes an added layer of assistance in the same moment. Toyota says the problem is limited to the bZ Woodland with a converter from a specific supplier and production window, and that no other Toyota or Lexus models use the component.
That narrow scope is why the recall is being watched closely. Toyota found vehicles with brake lights stuck on at a vehicle prep center between April and May, then traced the fault with the supplier. By late May, the company had two reports from vehicles already in customer hands. Toyota decided on July 31 to issue the recall after follow-up checks showed the same fault could also disable stability control.
The paper trail leaves one point unresolved: Toyota says the affected set is limited, but the recall database does not pin down the real share of bad parts beyond the 1% figure listed there. That means the recall covers every vehicle Toyota can identify from the production window and converter type, not a fully measured defect rate across all bZ Woodland builds.
The bZ Woodland is rated to tow a trailer of up to roughly 1.59 tonnes, so the part sits directly inside a feature some owners may use. Even so, the defect is about the lighting and stability systems, not a loss of towing capacity itself. Toyota says owners will be sent to dealers for a free replacement of the tow converter, and notification letters are scheduled for September 21 through October 5, 2026.
Owners can check a Toyota vehicle by 17-digit VIN or U.S. license plate number in the official recall database. Toyota’s internal recall numbers are 26TB15 and 26TA15. The campaign also stands apart from a June 25 U.S. action covering 20,991 Toyota bZ, Lexus RZ and Subaru Solterra vehicles over a software error in the high-voltage battery control unit.
