Auto production delays and temporary shutdowns aren’t that uncommon, especially as car companies are hustling to navigate electric vehicle markets and shifting global supply chains. Toyota recently paused production at one of its Japanese supplier’s factories for a much scarier issue after an explosion killed one person on Thursday.
The blast happened at the Chuo Spring Company building in Toyota City, where the supplier builds parts for the RAV4 and Harrier models. This is the second explosion at the facility, which was also shut down after a blast in 2023.
Two other people were injured in the most recent incident, leading Toyota to pause production on four RAV4-related production lines. Local news reported that the explosion happened in a dust collector. The reports also showed photos of the facility, which had holes blown in the roof and windows.
While most of the RAV4s Toyota sells in the U.S. come from North America, more than 20 percent of the SUV’s sales volume comes from imports. It’s unclear how or if the pause could impact RAV4 supply or pricing, but Toyota said it would evaluate the situation further early next week.
A Toyota spokesperson said, “Due to an explosion incident affecting some equipment at our supplier’s factory, we plan to halt operations. Regarding the impact on production numbers, we are considering recovery production, so we cannot provide a clear outlook on the impact on production numbers at this stage.”
[Images: Shawn Pavone/Shutterstock.com, Toyota]
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