Tesla has announced a recall of nearly 4,000 Cybertrucks due to an issue with the accelerator pedal. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the cause of this problem is believed to be the use of soap during the assembly process at Tesla’s factory in Austin, Texas. The soap lubricant was not approved and has led to reduced retention of the pad to the pedal.
Tesla has not disclosed the total number of Cybertrucks produced, but it has mentioned that production is being slowly increased. The first deliveries were made in late November, and this recall affects 3,878 trucks that are likely currently on US roads. The issue was brought to light through social media and online discussions where reports of the accelerator sticking problem were shared.
The NHTSA revealed that workers at Tesla’s factory used soap improperly during the assembly of the pad onto the accelerator pedal. This has resulted in a risk of the pad dislodging when high force is applied, causing the pedal to become trapped in the interior trim above it. Unlike previous Tesla recalls that could be fixed through software updates, this recall requires owners to bring their Cybertrucks to Tesla service centers for a repair at no cost.
Tesla has yet to respond to requests for comment on this issue.