Tesla to Recall Most Cybertrucks in the US Due to Windshield Wiper and Exterior Decorations Issues
Tesla announced on Tuesday (June 26) that it will be recalling most of its Cybertruck vehicles in the United States due to problems with windshield wipers and external decorations. This recall action involves over 11,000 vehicles, a rare move for Tesla as they usually address issues through wireless software updates.
According to Reuters, Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated that with the decrease in demand for electric vehicles, the company needs to update its aging product line. The competition from cheaper models introduced by Chinese rivals, coupled with high interest rates squeezing consumer buying power, has hindered Tesla from launching new models in the market.
Tesla’s stock price rose 1.4% to $185.12 in early trading.
Leading global public and commercial consulting firm Guidehouse Insights analyst Sam Abuelsamid commented that the failure of the windshield wiper motor should not come as a surprise. He added, “This is the largest single windshield wiper used on a light vehicle to date, and the super-long lever arm puts a lot of stress on the motor.”
Musk had previously set a production target of 200,000 Cybertrucks annually. Tesla had stated that they could produce over 125,000 vehicles per year and possibly increase it to 250,000 by 2025.
Analyst Troy Teslike provided data indicating that Tuesday’s recall action significantly overlaps, covering over 70% of the total production of the vehicle model, highlighting the latest quality issues affecting the Cybertruck.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that Tesla has issued four recall orders for the 2024 Cybertruck model.
Tesla announced the recall of 11,688 units of the 2024 Cybertruck due to malfunctions in the windshield wiper motor controller causing excessive current flow. The malfunction can increase the risk of vehicle collisions in wet weather conditions.
The vehicles being recalled for windshield wiper issues include all Cybertrucks produced before June 6.
Tesla stated that after discovering early windshield wiper motor failures, they decided to replace the wipers. In February, Tesla recalled 20 wiper motors for inspection while conducting an investigation.
Additionally, Tesla is recalling 11,383 Cybertrucks due to exterior decoration issues to prevent the risk of improper connection or looseness in the decorations of the vehicle’s cargo bed.
Tesla began investigating this issue in December last year on an undelivered Cybertruck. In May, a second problem was discovered on a customer’s vehicle, followed by more cases of exterior decorations becoming loose or falling off due to improper installation or adhesives.
In April, Tesla recalled nearly 4,000 Cybertrucks. The company’s service team will provide affected vehicles with adhesives, pressure-sensitive adhesive, or replace missing decorations free of charge.