Almost Every Tesla Cybertruck Was Just Recalled—Again
Tesla knows a thing or three about the recall process. After all, the Tesla Cybertruck, which has been in production for 15 months, has already been recalled at least seven times. And now, we can add one more notice to that list. This week, the electric pickup was recalled again, this time for the possibility of steel trim flying off the truck and injuring other drivers on the road or causing a crash.
The recall affects 46,096 Cybertrucks, or almost every one it has made and sold since the EV began production in November 2023. The recall notice describes a part called the cant rail, which may “delaminate at the adhesive joint.” The notice says that’s because the adhesive is “susceptible to environmental embrittlement.” Which doesn’t sound like a good descriptor for any self-respecting pickup truck, much less one marketed as bulletproof.
“If the cant rail stainless steel panel separates from the vehicle while in drive, it could create a road hazard for following motorists and increase their risk of injury or a collision,” the recall notice says.
Tesla first became aware of the issue in January, when the marque said it got complaints of partial delaminations of the cant rail. In February, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration contacted Tesla and the company began investigating, based in part on “social media.” By last Friday, Tesla said it identified 151 warranty claims due to the problem and issued the recall. Tesla says it will replace the cant rail assembly at no charge to remedy the issue, and also isn’t aware of any accidents or injuries caused by it.
Other Tesla Cybertruck recalls have included an issue with an exterior trim panel detaching, the tire pressure management system light not staying on, a possible loss of drive power, a possible rearview camera failure, possible trunk bed trim detachment, possible front windshield wiper failure, and possible unintended acceleration due to pedal-tapping.
Some of these issues can likely be attributed to first model-year teething, and it’s long been common advice among car-buying experts (and every dad) to never buy the first model year of a new car or a new car generation. That first year—which is frequently on a new platform—is often when unforeseen engineering and design flaws are discovered because in-house testing can only achieve so much. For Tesla, that advice might also extend to the whole company, given that it’s a relatively new automaker in an industry of peers with several more decades of experience. Many are still waiting for Tesla reliability to become more predictable because of this, and if not reach the heights of Toyota then at least settle in among middle-ground stalwarts like fellow Americans Ford and GM. Time will tell whether that patience will pay off.