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TechTesla

Tesla’s Cybertruck is falling apart, but is still leaving the shelves

By
Chloe Berger
Chloe Berger
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By
Chloe Berger
Chloe Berger
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 3, 2024, 12:55 PM ET
Elon Musk's infamous EVs are recalled once more.
Elon Musk's infamous EVs are recalled once more. Anadolu / Contributor—Getty Images

Hindsight is 20/20, and even less when your rearview mirror is broken. But by the fifth recall this year, Elon Musk might be regretting pushing his EV that looks like an 8-year-old’s vision of a sci-fi future.

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Tesla announced Thursday it would be recalling more than 27,000 Cybertrucks, according to a filing from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Tesla did not immediately respond to requests for comment. 

The meme-mobile is suffering from a delay that impacts the camera, as the system does not always complete its shutdown before being turned back on. In practice, this means that if a driver is backing up before the system reboots, the rearview camera might be behind by two seconds—thus breaking federal regulations. In some cases, the lag is up to eight seconds. 

Naturally, this impacts drivers’ ability to see, and increases the risk of a collision—though Tesla is reportedly not aware of any incidents related to said issue. The company claims a new software update will solve said issue, Tesla stores have been notified, and owners will receive notification letters in November.

This isn’t the first time Cybertrucks have been proven to be a hazard. The vehicle wasted no time this year in breaking down, as the initial recall cropped up in January with a warning-light font that was too small and could have led to crashes. Then in April, Cybertrucks were plagued with a stuck pedal, which could cause the vehicle to accelerate. June came with two recalls for the truck—namely issues with the windshield wipers and trunk bed trims. 

Even so, Tesla’s recall numbers have a silver, or chrome, lining. The truck has entered and left the scene so many times that we have a gauge of its progress from its recalls, explains Quartz. The 27,185 recall is more than double the number of 11,688 units sold early this summer, as indicated by June filings. It seems as if despite constant bugs, the EV is still plugging along. The Cybertruck, in case you didn’t know, ranges from just over $81,000 to slightly more than $101,000 depending on the model and trim you choose, according to Car and Driver.

Some who have purchased said car have a bit of buyer’s remorse, though. Lamar, a 33-year-old Cybertruck owner, told Fortune he had to convince his family to put a deposit on the car since they “thought it looked too ugly.” That proved to not matter much, as the Cybertruck was often in the shop. After finding in-person service to be lacking, he found help only when he went to Musk’s Twitter and received a public response on his post.

“Every time we drive we wonder if it is going to break again,” Lamar said. “It’s always in your thoughts. You’re on edge, scared to even go a distance in it.”

Fortune Brainstorm AI returns to San Francisco Dec. 8–9 to convene the smartest people we know—technologists, entrepreneurs, Fortune Global 500 executives, investors, policymakers, and the brilliant minds in between—to explore and interrogate the most pressing questions about AI at another pivotal moment. Register here.
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By Chloe Berger
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