U.S. safety regulators announced on Thursday the recall of nearly all Cybertrucks currently on the road, marking the eighth recall of these Tesla-made vehicles since they were first delivered to customers just over a year ago. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued the recall for more than 46,000 Cybertrucks, citing a potential safety concern with an exterior panel located along the left and right sides of the windshield that could detach while driving, posing a hazard to other motorists and increasing the risk of a crash. The stainless steel strip in question, known as a cant rail assembly, is secured to the vehicle with a structural adhesive, as detailed in the NHTSA report. The proposed remedy involves replacing the panel with an adhesive that is not susceptible to environmental embrittlement, along with additional reinforcements.
Tesla will provide the replacement panel at no cost to affected owners, with notification letters set to be sent out by May 19, 2025. This recall encompasses a total of 46,096 Cybertrucks from the 2024 and 2025 model years, manufactured between November 13, 2023, and February 27, 2025. According to the NHTSA, Tesla became aware of this issue earlier in the year. Instances of individuals removing these panels manually and sharing videos on social media have garnered attention.
The Cybertruck, introduced by Tesla in late 2023, has faced multiple recalls in the past 15 months due to various safety concerns, such as an electric inverter fault affecting drive power and issues with acceleration pedals and windshield wipers. These challenges come amid broader difficulties for the electric automaker under the leadership of Elon Musk. The company has encountered both criticism and attacks, with incidents reported at Tesla facilities and charging stations.
Recent incidents include a woman in Colorado facing charges related to attacks on Tesla dealerships and a man in South Carolina accused of vandalizing Tesla charging stations. Despite these challenges, Tesla has been grappling with increased competition in the electric vehicle market, particularly from Chinese rivals. While Tesla shares have seen a significant decline in 2025, the company looks to address the current recall by encouraging Cybertruck owners to contact Tesla customer service or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline for further assistance.
