Tesla is recalling its Cybertruck because the accelerator pedal cover may dislodge and get trapped by the interior trim and cause unintended acceleration, which increases the risk of a crash, according to a notice filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The recall notice, dated April 17, includes 3,878 Cybertrucks manufactured from Nov. 13, 2023, to April 4, 2024. Tesla will replace or repair the accelerator pedal assembly free of charge.
Tesla cited an unapproved change that introduced a lubricant used during assembly of the pad onto the accelerator pedal, which caused the pad to not adhere properly.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk referenced the accelerator pedal issue as the reason behind Cybertruck delivery delays this month. “There were no injuries or accidents because of this. We are just being very cautious,” he said in response to a post on X about Cybertruck deliveries resuming.
The Cybertruck and other Tesla vehicles are equipped with an electronic drive-by-wire system, so there is no mechanical connection to the vehicle's powertrain, and speed is controlled electronically based on the accelerator pedal position. Tesla noted in its NHTSA filing that if the pad were to become dislodged and stuck, the driver can apply the brake pedal to cut drive torque, or press the brake and accelerator pedals at the same time to bring the vehicle to a full stop.
The recall of the Cybertruck is Tesla’s fourth this year.
In January, the company recalled nearly 2.2 million vehicles, the biggest in company history, for having an incorrect font size displayed on the instrument panel for the brake, park and antilock brake system warning lights. The vehicles therefore failed to comply with the minimum size requirements set by the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. The recall included the Cybertruck, and several model years of the Model S, Model X, Model 3 and Model Y.
Also in January, Tesla issued a recall for certain 2023 Model S, X and Y vehicles equipped with full self-driving computer 4.0 and which were using software versions that prevented the rear-view camera image from displaying.
In February, Tesla recalled 6,557 vehicles after a factory reset muted the Pedestrian Warning System sounds on some Model S, X, 3 and Y vehicles, which is required by the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 141 for hybrid and electric vehicles.
Notification letters for the latest Cybertruck recall are expected to be mailed to customers in June.
