Car fans marvel at Tesla’s Cybertrucks on display in front of the Tesla showroom in New York’s Meatpacking District. picture alliance / Sipa USA | Richard B Levine
Tesla is recalling almost 4,000 vehicles of its “Cybertruck” electric pickup truck.
The reason: The accelerator pedal could get stuck, causing the vehicle to accelerate uncontrollably.
The problem became known through a Tiktok video in which a driver reported his frightening experience. He demonstrated how the stuck decorative cover on the accelerator pedal came loose, slid forward and jammed it when depressed.
Tesla is recalling almost 4,000 vehicles of its “Cybertruck” electric pickup because the accelerator pedal can jam and the vehicle can accelerate uncontrollably. The problem became known through a Tiktok video in which a driver reported his frightening experience. He demonstrated how the stuck decorative cover on the accelerator pedal came loose, slid forward and jammed it when depressed.
According to the recall notice published on Friday by the traffic regulator NHTSA, all 3,878 “cybertrucks” built between mid-November and early April are potentially affected. Tesla will now repair the fault with the accelerator pedal on the cars free of charge. The owners also include some celebrities such as singers Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga.
Cause of the problem: Tesla used soap as a lubricant
The number of recalled cars is also the first indication of how many vehicles of the new model Tesla actually produced and sold. The electric pickups have been delivered since the end of November. Company boss Elon Musk said that over time he could imagine annual deliveries of around 250,000 “cybertrucks”.
With its powerful batteries, the Cybertruck weighs around three tons and has a body made of thick stainless steel. The vehicle can also reach a speed of 100 kilometers per hour in just a few seconds. All of this makes it particularly dangerous in traffic if it accelerates uncontrollably. Tesla emphasized in the recall notice that the vehicles could also be stopped with the brake pedal in this case – and that the company had not become aware of any accidents or injuries related to the defect as of the beginning of this week.
According to Tesla, the problem was triggered by an unauthorized change in the manufacturing process: employees used soap as a lubricant – and residues of it weakened the adhesive.
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with dpa/jel