Bad enough for Tesla that demand Cybertruck has fallen far short of its original expectations – with the electric pickup coming to symbolize growing opposition to the politics of the automaker’s CEO. Now comes word Tesla has had to halt Cybertruck deliveries as it struggles to find a way to prevent sheet metal and other body parts from flying off when the truck is driven at highway speeds.
Cybertruck owner Reid Tomasko posted a video talking about his Tesla Cybertruck’s lost body panels.
The Tesla Cybertruck was supposed to serve as the brand’s halo product but the image of the stainless steel pickup has become increasingly tarnished since the first vehicles were delivered to customers in November 2023.
Not only has Cybertruck been subject to seven recalls but Tesla now has been forced to halt deliveries due to a growing number of reports that the pickup’s stainless steel body panels and other exterior parts are flying off unexpectedly when the vehicle is driven at highway speeds.
Preliminary indication from experts who’ve worked on or torn down Cybertrucks points the finger at the way the vehicles are put together, relying on adhesives without conventional fasteners to hold those parts in place.
What’s going wrong
Cybertrucks have faced all manner of problems since they were introduced, so far triggering seven recalls for issues such as:
- Throttle pedals that break and can make it difficult to slow or stop the vehicle;
- Faulty front windshield wipers;
- Electronic problems that can cause a loss of power.
The latest issue appears to expand on what was covered by a June 2024 recall aimed at addressing a situation in which some cosmetic parts attached to the Cybertruck’s bed can break loose.
What drivers now report could be substantially more serious, however. They’re indicating various panels and trim pieces are breaking loose and flying off while the truck is in motion. Headlight.News has not yet heard back from Tesla – which no longer maintains a media relations department – but one owner took a screenshot of a reply from the automaker on its service app pointing to loose “cantrail trim” on the roof of the Cybertruck.
But reports from numerous owners indicate other parts are breaking free, as well.
Where are the bolts?
A Cybertruck owner posted this image of his pickup after it lost a major body panel.
Early on, Tesla received kudos from manufacturing specialists who touted steps the automaker had taken to simplify production of Cybertruck to reduce manufacturing costs. One of the most notable moves was to rely on adhesives to attach those stainless steel panels to the aluminum sub-assembly, without using more traditional fasteners.
There are numerous reports – some backed by social media videos — showing how weak the bond is between Cybertruck exterior panels and trim pieces.
“There has been a huge issue I have been noticing not only with my own Cybertruck in the cold but also tons of other owners and my customers Cybertrucks that I wrap,” said owner Reid Tomasko in a YouTube video.
Other owners have posted pics and stills showing how they could readily rip pieces off Cybertrucks using only their bare hands.
More Tesla News
- Tesla Stock on Track to Lose More Value for 9th Consecutive Week
- Kia Takes Aim at Tesla’s CEO in Snarky European Ad
- The “Musk Effect”
What causes the flyaway parts
A Cybertruck owner posted this image of a loose panel on his pickup.
The new reports bring Tesla’s adhesives strategy under scrutiny. Now, it’s true that virtually all automakers know use adhesives in manufacturing – but still back that approach up with welds and other fasteners.
Several experts at other manufacturers spoke to us on background, having not gotten clearance to talk about the subject. But they raised concerns about the Tesla approach because once adhesives let go there is nothing else to keep parts from flying off. On a highway that could pose deadly risks to other vehicles.
One of the issues, a Detroit specialist said, is that different materials expand at different rates when temperatures change. That can result in the onset of fatigue in places where stainless steel panels are attached to aluminum, for example, or pretty much anywhere adhesives are used with plastics.
What now?
Tesla appears to be experiencing a sharp slowdown in Cybertruck demand, according to analysts relying on registration data.
There’s been no immediate response from federal regulators – though the earlier recall covering flyaway bed parts suggest the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration won’t just give Tesla a pass, certainly not on a vehicle that has already had so many other safety problems.
In the meantime, the automaker has put the electric pickup on “containment hold.” In other words, it isn’t delivering any to customers at the moment while it tries to sort through the latest problem. No indication has been made as to how long the hold will last – or whether it is simply inspecting and repairing vehicles, as needed, before delivery.
What’s clear is that Cybertruck has lost its halo. The truck’s quality problems, along with the plunging reputation of the automaker and CEO Elon Musk have hurt sales. Tesla recently slowed down the line to adjust to diminished demand. It is trying to prop things up in a way Musk long disdained. Borrowing a page from traditional automakers, Tesla has cut prices $20,000 or more on Cybertruck and now is offering incentives, such as heavily subsidized leases.
Cybertruck does remain the best-selling electric pickup on the market, but the gap between it and competing products like the Ford F-150 Lightning and Chevrolet Silverado EV has narrowed sharply.
0 Comments