Tesla Cybertruck Recall: NHTSA Flags 3,878 Units for Pedal Issue

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has ordered a recall for Tesla's Cybertruck, citing a severe pedal issue that necessitated temporarily halting deliveries to address potential safety risks.

NHTSA Identifies Safety Risks in Cybertruck Pedal Design

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has declared a recall for the Tesla Cybertruck due to an acceleration pedal problem that has temporarily stopped the all-electric pickup truck's customer deliveries. According to the NHTSA's official website, the recall reduces the possibility of unintentional acceleration caused by an accelerator pedal that becomes caught in certain automobiles.

NHTSA's Safety Recall Report stated that 3,878 2024 Tesla Cybertrucks were impacted by the accelerator pedal problem. The affected Automobiles were produced from November 13, 2023, to April 4, 2024. The accelerator pedal may get dislodged and stuck in the interior trim when significant force is applied, as mentioned in the NHTSA Safety Recall Report, which aligns with observations made by owners of Tesla Cybertrucks.

The NHTSA Safety Recall Report describes the following problem with the accelerator pedal of the Tesla Cybertruck:

"If the pad on the accelerator pedal becomes trapped in the interior trim above the pedal, the performance and operation of the pedal will be affected, which may increase the risk of a collision. Note that application of the brake pedal will cut drive torque, including when both brake and accelerator pedals are pressed, and continued application of the brake pedal will bring the vehicle to a stop as quickly as if the accelerator pedal was not pressed," the document stated.

Per the NHTSA assessment, the reason for Cybertruck's accelerator pedal issue was an unapproved adjustment that added a lubricant, soap, to aid in the component assembly of the pad onto the accelerator pedal. Residual lubricant reduced the pad's retention on the pedal.

Timeline and Response to Cybertruck's Pedal Issues

Tesla swiftly addressed an accelerator pedal issue reported by a customer on March 31, 2024. Upon analyzing data on April 2, they confirmed the simultaneous pressing of brake and accelerator in an affected Cybertruck. Additional complaints on April 3 prompted thorough testing from April 8. By April 12, 2024, Tesla decided to recall the impacted vehicles. No incidents related to the problem were reported as of April 15, 2024.

Teslarati says the accelerator pedal problem with the Cybertruck is hardware-related, unlike most Tesla recalls. For this reason, an over-the-air software update would not solve the problem. To fix the problem, Tesla will swap out the malfunctioning accelerator pedal assembly in the impacted Cybertrucks for a configuration that complies with requirements.

All Cybertrucks manufactured since April 17, 2024, have received a replacement accelerator pedal component. Any vehicles in transit or at delivery centers will receive the fix before being turned over to customers.

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