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Tesla has issued the recall for 46,096 Cybertrucks, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said. The recall impacts 2024 and 2025 models.
According to the NHTSA, a stainless-steel exterior trim panel known as the cant rail may detach while driving, creating a road hazard and increasing crash risks. Tesla is offering to replace the cant rail assembly for free.
The recall comes as Tesla faces growing financial struggles, declining sales, and backlash over billionaire CEO Elon Musk's political power in the Trump administration. Tesla's stock opened for trading at $239.92 on Thursday, March 20, continuing a downward trend that has wiped out post-election gains.
This is also the latest safety concern for Tesla, which recalled more than 376,000 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in February. Federal regulators are also investigating Tesla's "Actually Smart Summon" system, which allows remote vehicle control through a smartphone app and has been linked to several crashes.
Beyond safety issues, Tesla is grappling with a growing consumer boycott linked to Musk's political influence. His role as an advisor to President Donald Trump and de facto leader of the Department of Government Efficiency has sparked widespread protests.
DOGE, an organization tasked with slashing federal agencies and cutting spending, has resulted in mass layoffs. DOGE has already led to at least 63,583 federal job cuts, according to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
A Morgan Stanley investor survey found that 85 percent of respondents believed Musk's political activities have had a "negative" or "extremely negative" impact on Tesla's business. The survey also revealed that 59 percent of investors expect Tesla to deliver fewer vehicles in 2025 than in 2024.
Tesla purchases have plummeted worldwide, marking the company’s first global sales dip in 2024, the Associated Press reported. Sales in Germany have crashed particularly hard after Musk expressed support for Alternative for Germany (AfD), a far-right nationalist political party.
The backlash against Musk has led some Tesla owners to go to extreme lengths to avoid being associated with the brand. Some have sold their vehicles, while others have disguised their Teslas with logos from other automakers.
Tesla plans to mail notification letters to recalled Cybertruck owners by Monday, May 19. Customers can contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752 with recall number SB-25-10-001.
You can also reach out to NHTSA at 888-327-4236 or on the agency's website.
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