BMW has issued a recall for seven 2020 Toyota Supras because the driver's seat belt may malfunction. It could potentially lead to those car owners getting a new car as a replacement.
That's not a typo: seven.
That's also not a typo: BMW, not Toyota, is issuing the recall.
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration said the seat belt loop mounts may fail in a crash due to improper welding, potentially preventing the driver from being properly restrained.
NHTSA said owners are being notified to take their car into a Toyota dealership for inspection. If it's determined there is improper welding, that would mean the entire car needs to be replaced.
According to a safety recall report, BMW said a supplier had "inadvertently used inadequate parts for the safety belt mount welding tool."
In a letter to Toyota dealers, four of the seven vehicles have already been inspected as of Sept. 12. The other three had not responded as of that date. The letter states that if a defect is found, the car will be replaced free of charge. Given that this is the 2020 model year, the replacement is likely to be a brand new car. TEGNA has reached out to BMW to clarify what the replacement would be.
So, why is BMW issuing this recall? CNET reports BMW now manufactures the Supra in Austria. It notes that some Toyota "purists" don't take too kindly to the European automaker having such a big hand in the Japanese sports car.
There are three models of the 2020 Toyota Supra: the 3.0, the 3.0 Premium and the Launch Edition. They range in base price from $49,900 to $55,250. Each is a 3.0-liter, 6-cylinder, 8-speed automatic.