Tesla has recalled virtually every Cybertruck it delivers to customers due to a fault that causes the vehicle's accelerator pedal to get stuck.
The failure was caused by an “unapproved change” that introduced “lubricant (soap)” during assembly of the accelerator pedals, which reduced pad retention, the recall notice states. The truck's brakes will continue to work if the accelerator pedal becomes stuck, although this is obviously not an ideal solution.
The recall affects “all model year ('MY') 2024 Cybertruck vehicles manufactured from November 13, 2023 to April 4, 2024,” and the fault is estimated to be present in 100 percent of all vehicles. 3,878 vehicles. These are essentially all Cybertrucks delivered to customers since its launch event last year.
A recall seemed inevitable after Cybertruck customers were reportedly notified earlier this week that their deliveries were being delayed, and the vehicle dealer informed at least one owner that the truck was being recalled for its accelerator pedal. The issue was also highlighted by another Cybertruck owner on TikTokshowing how the fault “kept the accelerator pressed at 100 percent, at full speed.”
The timeline reported in the NHTSA filing says Tesla was first notified about the defective accelerator pedals on March 31, followed by a second report on April 3. The company completed internal evaluations to find the cause on April 12 before voluntarily issuing a recall. As of Monday this week, Tesla said it was not aware of any “collision, injury or death” attributed to the pedal failure.
Tesla will notify its stores and service centers about the issue “on or around” April 19 and has agreed to replace or rework the pedals on the recalled vehicles at no cost to Cybertruck owners. All trucks produced from April 17 onwards will also be equipped with a new accelerator pedal component and a new part number.
This is actually the second of many Tesla recalls affecting the Cybertruck, but it is the most significant. The company issued a recall for 2 million Tesla vehicles in the US in February because the font on the warning light panel was too small to meet safety standards, although this was resolved with a software update.
Tesla fans have taken issue with the word “recall” in the past when the company proved adept at fixing its problems through over-the-air software updates. But they'll probably have to admit that, in this case, the terminology applies.
