Update: Tesla Recalls  Cybertruck as Exterior Panels Fly Off

After initially halting deliveries due to reports of exterior panels detaching while the vehicle is being driven, Tesla said Thursday it would recall all Cybertrucks it has produced from launch through late last month. It comes as the eighth safety recall of the electric pickup and another setback for a manufacturer that has seen its stock price plummet by nearly half its value since mid-December. It underscores the fact that Tesla has had major ongoing quality, durability and recall problems. Headlight.News has more.

Tesla has issued a recall for more than 46,000 Cybertrucks after initially halting deliveries of the electric pickup due to reports from owners who had experienced trim parts unexpectedly detach and fly off while driving.

This marks the eighth recall for the controversial pickup since deliveries began in November 2023, and the second specifically involving parts detachments. The automaker plans to replace a stainless steel trim panel with one it said meets testing standards.

The recall comes at a time when Tesla – and Cybertruck, in particular – is experiencing significant pushback in light of CEO Elon Musk’s political turn to the right and his controversial role as head of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. The automaker’s stock, traded on the NASDAQ under the ticker TSLA, has lost nearly half of its value since hitting a $488.54 a share high in mid-December. But the stock gained positive momentum on Wednesday and continued climbing even after the Cybertruck recall was announced Thursday.

The recall

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.

Cybertruck now been subject to eight recalls, Tesla initially halting deliveries due to a growing number of reports that the pickup’s stainless steel body panels and other exterior parts were flying off unexpectedly when the vehicle was being driven.

The recall covers more than 46,000 Cybertrucks built from the November 2023 launch of production through February 27, 2025. That accounts for virtually all of those built to date, production slowing in recent weeks due to weak demand for the electric pickup.

Tesla said owners may become aware when the problem occurs either by hearing a distinctive noise in the cabin or by observing the panel come loose.

What happens now

The automaker was contacted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about the problem on February 21. It said Thursday it is aware of 151 warranty claims linked to the problem, though it has no reports of crashes or injuries. One concern is that the detached panels could strike other vehicle or pedestrians.

Tesla said Thursday that it will replace the problem panel with a new one it claims can meet durability testing requirements.

Owners will be contacted in the coming weeks by the automaker and asked to schedule repairs which will be made at no cost.

More Tesla News

• Tesla Halts Cybertruck Deliveries
• Tesla Stock on Track to Lose More Value for 9th Consecutive Week
• The “Musk Effect”

Tesla tops the list of recalls

As the eighth recall for Cybertruck alone, the problem with detaching panels highlights Tesla’s ongoing problems with what industry insiders describe as QRD – quality, reliability and durability. Problems involving the truck and Tesla’s four other retail models generated 5.1 million callbacks in 2024, according to tracking service BizzyCar. That’s more than any other automaker operating in the United States, and significantly higher based on both its sales volume and the number of its products now in operation.

Issues with Cybertruck have been the target of widespread coverage in conventional and social media since shortly after its launch in November 2023, The first formal recall, involving instrument panel issues, took place just two months later. That service action impacted the rest of the Tesla line-up as well.

As a brand, Tesla has lagged the industry in terms of both initial and longer-term reliability, according to studies by J.D. Power and other research firms. Full results have yet to be released on Cybertruck, in part due to its low volume, but several sources told Headlight.News they expect it to rival the Tesla Model X which has routinely ranked as one of the poorest products available in the U.S. Consumer Reports, however, has reported significant quality improvements with some other Tesla models.

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. 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.

Where are the bolts?

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.

Another headache for Tesla and its CEO

Initially, Tesla put the electric pickup on “containment hold.” The recall adds to not only Cybertruck’s problems but those facing the automaker and its CEO. 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.

Tesla sales, in general, have been sliding for months and JP Morgan this week released a report suggesting first quarter demand will fall significantly short of expectations as boycotts accelerate in Europe and North America. In China, meanwhile, competition from local brands, notably EV market leader BYD, led to a 59% drop in Tesla sales last month.

The mounting backlash to Musk’s political shift, along with his role at DOGE, has taken much of the blame for Tesla’s stock price collapse. While the CEO retains strong backing from some major shareholders he is facing growing pushback from others, notably Dan Ives, the managing director at securities firm Wedbush.

Ives on Thursday said the automaker and CEO face “a moment of truth, as they are embroiled in a “brand tornado crisis moment.” Musk needs to pull back on his work for Trump, according to Ives, normally one of the brand’s biggest bulls.

While Ives still sees it possible for Musk to fix Tesla’s problems, another long-time backer, Ross Gerber, said its time for the South African-born entrepreneur to step down. “I think Tesla needs a new CEO and I decided today I was going to start saying it,” said Gerber, who heads Kawasaki Wealth Management. “It’s time for somebody to run Tesla.”