Tesla Recalls Nearly Every Cybertruck Over Dangerous Detaching Panel Issue
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued another Tesla recall. This time, it involves nearly every Cybertruck on the road over a poorly attached cant panel. The panel has been found to detach and/or completely fly off at speed due to dried out structural adhesives. Unlike most other recalls involving Tesla vehicles, this recall obviously isn't fixable via over-the-air (OTA) software and instead requires owners to book an appointment with their nearest Tesla dealership.
As if Tesla's reputation and stock prices haven't taken enough of a hit lately, Tesla car owners have had to deal with their fair share of animosity from the general public. (Unless you've been living under a rock, Tesla's recent misfortunes stems from Elon Musk and his actions within DOGE.) To top that, most Tesla owners have come to understand that one of the perks of Tesla EVs is frequent recalls over quality-related issues.
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The latest recall coming out of the NHTSA centers around the polarizing Cybertruck, specifically the cant rail trim piece which can detach itself. On the move, the panel could fly loose and become a road hazard. Owners of 46,096 Cybertucks (units manufactured between November 13, 2023 to February 27, 2025) in the United States are affected. This being a physical defect, owners are asked to book their trucks in with a Tesla dealership for free repairs.
NHTSA's recall comes after Tesla received multiple customer complaints over an external trim piece called the cant rail that would detach and loosely hang like the ears on the Dumb and Dumber Mutt Cutts van. Some customers even reported the panel separating from the vehicle at speed. Thankfully no injuries or damage to fellow motorists came from this, especially when you consider how boomerang-like the panel is. The stainless steel cant rail runs as a single piece from the traditional car A-pillar to the roof arch and to the top of the rear door, so imagine seeing that thing coming at you on the road.
Tesla found that the mounting fasteners, of which the panel is mounted to, can delaminate from the structural adhesives they're affixed to. The failure was due to environmental brittleness at the adhesive joint, so the solution will be two-fold: apply a more durable adhesive plus reinforce the assembly with a stud-welded nut to clamp the panel to the vehicle structure.
As of this writing, the Tesla Cybertruck has been the center of eight major recalls.
Photo credits: Tesla
