When there’s an indication, there’s likely an underlying reality.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Tesla is initiating a recall of almost 3,900 Cybertrucks due to a defective accelerator pedal. This action follows days of speculation regarding whether this issue was the cause of the company’s decision to halt deliveries of the highly anticipated electric vehicle (EV).
As per a report released on the agency’s website, Tesla has agreed to recall 3,878 Cybertrucks—representing every unit of the pickup truck produced from November until earlier this month—due to the identified problem. The report notes that under high force, the accelerator pedal’s pad may dislodge and become trapped under the interior trim, potentially heightening the risk of a collision. Fortunately, the brakes are designed to disengage the drive torque when both pedals are pressed simultaneously, ultimately bringing the EV to a stop.
The agency attributes the issue to the use of soap as a lubricant during the assembly process, which compromises the pad’s adherence to the pedal. Tesla became aware of this problem on March 31 following a customer complaint and promptly initiated an investigation. By April 12, the company decided to “voluntarily” recall all Cybertrucks produced and delivered up to that point. Notably, there have been no reported collisions, injuries, or fatalities associated with this issue.
The recall doesn’t come as a surprise to those closely following Cybertruck developments. Recently, a thread emerged on the Cybertruck Owners Club forum where numerous users reported last-minute cancellations of their EV deliveries. While many affected members received no explanation for the delay, some mentioned being informed of a potential issue with the accelerator pedal. Additionally, over the weekend, a TikTok video surfaced in which a Cybertruck owner claimed their accelerator pedal had become stuck.
Despite these developments, Tesla has remained silent on the matter of the Cybertruck’s accelerator pedal issue and the halted deliveries, declining to comment when contacted by Robb Report on Friday morning.
This recall adds to Tesla’s recent challenges in what has been a turbulent start to 2024. Earlier this month, the company reported its first quarterly sales decline since 2020, followed by the announcement of plans to reduce its workforce by 10 percent. Moreover, its stock has plummeted by nearly 40 percent this year, ranking among the poorest performers on the Nasdaq 100 and S&P 500 indexes.
