Tesla's Cybertruck Faces Another Recall as Wheels Risk Detachment

Tesla's much-hyped Cybertruck is once again in the spotlight for an embarrassing safety recall, marking the 11th such incident for the futuristic electric pickup. This latest issue reveals a critical flaw where wheels could potentially detach from certain models due to the use of incorrect grease on lug nuts. This comes less than a year after nearly all Cybertrucks had to be recalled because Tesla used the wrong glue on a steel trim panel, which the carmaker admitted could become detached while driving, alongside ongoing concerns about the stainless steel body rusting. The current recall, specifically affecting the Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) Cybertruck Long Range, addresses faulty brake rotors. According to a notice from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Tesla states that "brake rotor stud holes may crack and allow the stud to separate from the wheel hub." The defect description further clarifies that "higher severity road perturbations and cornering may strain the stud hole in the wheel rotor, causing cracks to form. If cracking propagates with continued use and strain, the wheel stud could eventually separate from the wheel hub." This alarming scenario could see Cybertruck owners disconcertingly overtaken by their own wheels. Thankfully, Tesla has committed to fully replacing the wheel hubs, rotors, and lug nuts free of charge for all 173 trucks identified as affected by this particular recall. Sean Tucker, managing editor at Kelley Blue Book, highlighted the recurring pattern of Tesla having to fix released Cybertruck models before dangerous incidents occur. Tucker explained the complexity of automotive engineering, noting that "a very small change to design can have consequences years down the road," emphasizing that this issue "is literally about some grease [Tesla] discovered on the lug nuts that tighten to hold the 18-inch wheel to the brake rotor." Tucker elaborated that the specified grease was not providing sufficient friction, which could lead to the lug nuts loosening over time. This loosening would then cause vibrations, ultimately resulting in cracks in the brake rotor. While Tesla quickly identified the problem and changed the grease specification, "that message didn't get to the production floor in time, and they built 173 with the wrong grease. It's a very specific materials problem." He also clarified that the relatively small number of 173 affected trucks doesn't indicate low RWD production numbers, but rather applies to a "subset of a subset" built on specific dates with particular components. Despite the specific nature of this recall, it adds to a growing list of quality control challenges for the Cybertruck. While Elon Musk optimistically declared "demand is off the charts!" in late 2023, citing over a million reservations, actual sales figures paint a different picture. The previous "wrong glue" recall, which affected all Cybertrucks produced at that time, revealed that Tesla had only managed to shift a mere 46,096 trucks in the first 14 months of sales. These repeated recalls and quality concerns continue to cast a shadow over the Cybertruck's market performance and its "apocalypse-proof" reputation.