Topline
Tesla will recall nearly 3,900 Cybertruck pickups because of defective accelerator pedals that could dislodge, causing the vehicles to unintentionally accelerate and increasing the risk of a crash, according to a filing Friday, after Tesla halted Cybertruck deliveries last week amid speculation the models were affected by faulty pedals.
Regulators said the issue was likely caused by an unapproved soap used during manufacturing.
Key Facts
The recall affects 3,878 Tesla Cybertruck vehicles manufactured between November 2023 and April 2024, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration filing.
The vehicles are affected by an accelerator pedal that may dislodge when high pressure is applied, Tesla said, causing the pedal to become trapped by interior trim.
The defect was likely caused by an “unapproved change” by manufacturers to use soap during the accelerator pedal’s assembly, regulators said.
Tesla received two customer claims detailing the defect in recent weeks and voluntarily recalled the vehicles on April 12, according to the filing.
Tesla told the NHTSA earlier this week it was unaware of any collisions, injuries or deaths caused by the defect, the agency said.
Tesla said it will replace or repair the accelerator pad assembly for free, adding Cybertruck owners will be notified through letters in June.
Big Number
2.39 million. That’s how many vehicles Tesla has recalled in the U.S. this year—though many of the recalls were addressed through over-the-air software updates.
Tangent
In February, Tesla recalled more than 2.19 million vehicles because of small font sizes on warning panels that could increase the risk of a crash, regulators said. That recall affected Tesla vehicles sold between 2012 and 2024. The company recalled nearly 200,000 vehicles a month earlier—including Model S, X and Y cars—because of a software issue that may prevent the rearview camera from displaying. More than 2 million Tesla vehicles were recalled in December to fix a flaw in its Autopilot system, after regulators found it failed to adequately detect if the driver was paying attention while the self-driving system was engaged.
Key Background
Tesla delayed deliveries for Cybertruck vehicles last week, after some customers reported their vehicles were affected by a faulty accelerator pedal. One Cybertruck owner told NBC News the “moment I let go of the break, it would lurch forward at full throttle again,” though they were able to put the car in park before causing a collision. The delay—the latest for the vehicle after a two-year pushback—comes amid financial woes for Tesla, after the company reported a 23% decrease in profit last year from its record $5.4 billion the previous year. Earlier this week, CEO Elon Musk announced the company had cut its global workforce by more than 10% after about 10,000 people had their jobs “duplicated” during the company’s period of rapid growth.
Forbes Valuation
We estimate Musk’s net worth at $180.8 billion, making him the third-wealthiest person in the world.
Further Reading
