Whoopsie, Tesla Recalled Nearly Every Cybertruck Because It Used the Wrong Glue

Yahoo

21-03-2025

Lest you think things couldn't get any worse for Tesla in 2025, the automaker just announced a recall on the Cybertruck, claiming one of the stainless steel body panels could come detached while driving.
This is the eighth recall the stainless-clad vehicle has collected in the mere two years it's been on the road. But unlike many of its previous offenses, this is one of the first significant body repairs that can't be addressed with a simple over-the-air update.
The recall affects 46,096 Cybertrucks manufactured between November 2023 and late February 2025.
The issue stems from something called the cantrail, a strip of stainless steel trim glued to the exterior of the vehicle that runs along the windshield and the roof. The recall noted that environmental conditions may have compromised the adhesive used to keep the trim piece attached to the vehicle. While it might sound blasphemous for Tesla to use adhesive instead of fasteners, many automakers have made this standard practice, claiming considerable weight savings and improved structural integrity.
The recall says the adhesive showed signs of 'environmental embrittlement,' which causes causes materials to lose their ductility, making them prone to cracking and failure.
As such a large body panel coming loose poses considerable risk to other motorists, Tesla voluntarily recalled the Cybertruck on March 11, 2025. The fix is fairly straightforward: attaching a new cantrail with the proper adhesive that 'isn't susceptible to environmental embrittlement.' Along with using the correct sticky stuff, Tesla also plans to add redundancy, welding a threaded metal stud to the panel that clamps onto the vehicle with a nut.
To offer some perspective on the Cybertruck's recall history, here's a look at its last seven infractions:
"Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2024 Cybertruck, 2017-2025 Model 3, and 2020-2025 Model Y vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light may not remain illuminated between drive cycles, failing to warn the driver of low tire pressure. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
"Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. A fault in the drive inverter may cause a loss of drive power to the wheels."
"Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. The rearview camera image may be delayed after shifting into reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
"Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. The trunk bed trim sail applique could have been improperly adhered and can loosen."
"Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. Excessive electrical current can cause the front windshield wiper motor controller to fail."
"Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. The accelerator pedal pad may dislodge and cause the pedal to become trapped by the interior trim."
"Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, 2019-2024 Model Y, and 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. An incorrect font size is displayed on the instrument panel for the Brake, Park, and Antilock Brake System (ABS) warning lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 105, "Hydraulic and Electric Brake Systems" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."In an ironic twist of fate, this latest recall gives us great insight into just how many Cybertrucks Tesla has sold to customers. As the recall window overlaps most of the truck's lifetime, we can confidently assume that Tesla has delivered fewer than 50,000 units. Following initial claims of a million reservations and the manufacturing muscle to build 500,000 Cybertrucks a year, Tesla has achieved less than 10 percent of their production target.
However, with so few Cybertrucks on the road, this could actually prove to be a fairly straightforward and rapid fix for Tesla to rectify. If we look at some of the issues and numbers other automakers are dealing with, it's clear things could be a lot worse. For context, Ford had to fix dodgy fuel pumps on 295,000 of its Super Duty trucks.
As of March 14, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says Tesla has identified 151 Cybertruck warranty claims that could be related to the recall.
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