While the vast majority of recent Tesla recalls have been addressed with over-the-air updates, the fix for Cybertruck’s recalcitrant acceleration pedal necessitates a rare venture into meatspace. And it’s as underwhelming as it is simple.
Last week the electric vehicle juggernaut issued a recall notice for every Cybertruck it has produced so far – that’s 3,878 vehicles.
The problem was that due to an “unapproved change” in the assembly process, “residual lubricant reduced the retention of the pad to the pedal,” potentially resulting in the pad slipping forward on the pedal and becoming wedged under the footwell trim.
One owner reported this happening to him while driving, which he claimed caused the accelerator to become stuck down at 100 percent.
The defect can be somewhat mitigated by pressing and holding the brake pedal and then putting the Cybertruck in park. But the driver has to then reach into the footwell and free the accelerator manually. It is easy to imagine the danger to the driver and others on the road in the event of the fault manifesting.
Thus the recall went out, and future Cybertrucks will be blessed with a redesigned pedal.
For now, though, Tesla has sent out a five-page service bulletin [PDF] detailing the fix and the tools needed. It’s essentially a rivet through the pedal that will prevent the pad from slipping off. All very high tech.
The “pedal rework kit” includes a drilling jig, which, once slipped over the top, allows the Tesla mechanic to a drill a hole through which to place the rivet.
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There are some simple measurements to be taken first, and the fix should be inspected with a mirror to make sure the rivet has been fitted correctly, but X user Aaron Cash caught the process on camera at a “Cyber Takeover” event in Long Beach, California, over the weekend in which the remedial work takes all of 35 seconds.
It’s an embarrassing gaffe for a model supposed to represent the height of luxury and excess, if not for the Cybertruck’s divisive appearance but certainly considering its up to $100,000 price tag.
We’re also sure that owners will not be thrilled that a mechanic is taking a drill to the pickup after spending that much money, nor with the jerry-rigged nature of the fix, aptly noted here with moving kazoo soundtrack.
It hasn’t been a great year so far for Tesla. Not only is the Cybertruck accelerator as bad as it can get in terms of car design faults, but owners have also reported the vehicle bricking itself after a wash, and even rust forming on the stainless steel body.
Meanwhile, Tesla is the worst performing company in the S&P 500 for 2024, down almost 41 percent year-to-date. Vehicle deliveries are below analyst expectations for the first quarter, which is the main driver behind the stock decline. Oh, and the company just laid off 10 percent of its workforce too.
Tesla’s full Q1 2024 earnings are due out tomorrow so grab your popcorn and we’ll see you there. ®
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