(Credit: Emily Dreibelbis)
UPDATE: Tesla is recalling nearly 4,000 Cybertrucks over the faulty accelerator pedal pads. A Cybertruck owner posted this video over the weekend of his accelerator pedal being repaired at a "Cyber takeover event."
Original Story:
Tesla Cybertruck buyers expecting deliveries this week were instead met with cancellations.
"We have just been notified of an unexpected delay on your vehicle," reads a notice one Cybertruck customer posted on the Cybertruck owners forum. "We need to cancel your delivery appointment on Sunday and we'll reach back out when we're able to get you on the schedule."
(Credit: Emily Dreibelbis)We don't know how many customers are affected by the issue, what the issue is, or how long the delay will last. One person says they were "told" the delay will last a week, but their Tesla app no longer shows an upcoming delivery on the schedule.
Tesla posted a service notice on April 9, which says the steering column, or the rod attached to the steering wheel, "does not meet Tesla quality standards" on "certain Cybertruck vehicles." The fix requires a full replacement. (The Model Y also had steering wheel problems last year.)
A viral video on social media, meanwhile, highlights a serious issue with the accelerator pedal. While one owner was driving, a cover on the accelerator slid up and got wedged underneath a section of the truck. "It held the accelerator down 100 percent, full throttle," he says. Fortunately, the brake pedal overrides the accelerator, so he was able to stop the car and pull over.
Mechanical and software issues have plagued the Cybertruck rollout, which began on Nov. 30, 2023, four years after Tesla announced the truck. Some new owners say their newly delivered vehicles mysteriously shut down and the screens go black. The vehicle's construction has also faced criticism, particularly for gaps in the exterior panel alignment.
In PCMag's review of the Cybertruck, we found that it stands out among electric pickups for its unique design and surprisingly nimble on-road performance, but dinged it for "big blind spots," an exterior that's prone to smudges and no support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
The Cybertruck delays come as Tesla announced it will lay off 10% of its workforce following its first year-over-year decline in quarterly deliveries. However, Tesla continues to dominate the EV market in terms of sales thanks to the Model 3 and Model Y. "About every 5 years, we need to reorganize and streamline the company for the next phase of growth," Elon Musk tweeted today.
UPDATE 4/18: On X, Elon Musk seemingly confirmed that Cybertruck delays are related to the accelerator. In response to a tweet that said, "looks like whatever the pedal problem was holding up new [Vehicle Identification Numbers] is fixed," Musk wrote: "There were no injuries or accidents because of this. We are just being very cautious." He did not elaborate, however, or confirm that Cybertruck deliveries have resumed.