Tesla is recalling all 3,878 Cybertrucks

Tesla has confirmed problems with stuck accelerator pedals on Cybertrucks and is recalling all the 3,878 vehicles that have been delivered so far, according to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. While there haven’t been any reported crashes, the automaker says it received an initial complaint on March 31, then a second on April 3. Following its own investigation into the problem, it moved forward with recall efforts on April 12, promising to fix or replace the accelerator pedals on delivered trucks at zero cost to owners.

“The accelerator pedal pad may dislodge and cause the pedal to become trapped by the interior trim,” the NHTSA says in its summary of the issue. Prior to the recall, social media posts were already circulating on the topic, worrying that a driver could find themselves accelerating out of control. Existing Cybertruck owners should receive letters in the mail this June — they may be able to get ahead of the game, however, by contacting Tesla customer support at 1-877-798-3752.

The recall appears to support the explanation for recent delivery delays, although there’s no new clarity on when they’ll get back on schedule. Indeed, Tesla says it now has to fix all Cybertrucks that are in transit or waiting for delivery, and that it has already started building models with a new accelerator design.

Compounding issues

The Cybertruck has been one of Tesla’s most problematic products. It was originally announced in 2019, but only began shipping towards the end of 2023, and didn’t have some of its original promised specs — most notably a 500-mile range. There have been other quality control issues as well, including a prior US recall, though that was simply for a too-small font on warning lights.

The company as a whole has been faced with declining sales, including losing its spot as the world’s top EV maker to China’s BYD. Earlier this week plans were revealed to lay off more than 10% of its global workforce, and two important executives — Senior Vice President Drew Baglino, in charge of battery tech, and Rohan Patel, vice president for public policy and business development — announced their own departures. A memo from CEO Elon Musk indicated that to “prepare the company for our next phase of growth,” Tesla has had to “look at every aspect of the company for cost reductions and increasing productivity.”

The firm is set to announce robotaxi plans on August 8, but still uncertain is its work a Model 2 EV that should be more affordable to the average auto buyer. One recent report claimed that the Model 2 was being scrapped in favor of focusing on the robotaxi, but Tesla later denied this. A low-cost EV has been one of the company’s biggest long-term goals, and might now be necessary to compete not just with BYD but a growing number of EV options in North America and Europe.