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By Jordan King and Shane Croucher
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Elon Musk's Tesla is recalling 46,096 of its Cybertruck vehicles over a safety issue relating to a cosmetic panel that could fall off.
About 1 percent of vehicles being recalled are affected by the defect, according to a notice issued Tuesday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The recall includes all 2024 and 2025 Cybertruck vehicles manufactured from November 13, 2023, to February 27, 2025.
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The Wider Context
The part issue is another blow for Tesla. The electric carmaker's stock value has dropped significantly in recent weeks, while its vehicles have often been targets for vandalism—seemingly in response to Musk, the company's CEO, taking a prominent role in President Donald Trump's administration.
Some Tesla analysts and investors have expressed concern Musk's role, reducing federal spending via the Department of Government Efficiency, has become a damaging and costly distraction.
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What To Know
The recall relates to an exterior cant rail, a pressed steel sheet stuck to a steel panel with "structural adhesive"—high-strength glue—that is attached to the vehicle with fasteners.
"If the cant rail stainless steel panel separates from the vehicle while in drive, it could create a road hazard for following motorists and increase their risk of injury or a collision," the notice warned.
Telsa said it is unaware of any related collisions, fatalities or injuries.
The Recall Notice Read:
Description of the Defect: The Cybertruck is equipped with a cosmetic applique along the exterior of the vehicle, known as the cant rail, which is an assembly comprised of an electrocoated steel stamping joined to a stainless steel panel with structural adhesive. The cant rail assembly is affixed to the vehicle with fasteners. On affected vehicles, the cant rail stainless steel panel may delaminate at the adhesive joint, which may cause the panel to separate from the vehicle.
Description of the Safety Risk: If the cant rail stainless steel panel separates from the vehicle while in drive, it could create a road hazard for following motorists and increase their risk of injury or a collision.
Identification of Any Warning that can Occur: A delaminated cant rail panel may create a detectable noise inside the cabin. Separately, the customer may observe the cant rail panel coming loose or separating from the vehicle.
Videos showing Cybertruck exterior panels peeling away have spread on Musk-owned social media site X, formerly Twitter, in recent days. Owners also reported the problem on the Cybertruck Owners Club website.
Last June, Tesla recalled Cybertruck after a piece of metal trim around the trunk bed was falling off.
The company said at the time: "On affected vehicles, the sail applique [exterior of the trunk bed trim] or adhesion may not have been installed according to specification, which may cause the [exterior of the trunk bed trim] to become loose or separate from the vehicle."
What People Are Saying
Tesla CEO Elon Musk told Fox News' Hannity on Tuesday**:** "Tesla is a peaceful company; we've never done anything harmful, I've never done anything harmful; I've always done productive things. So there's some kind of mental illness thing going on because this doesn't make any sense."
What Happens Next
Tesla has said it will replace the rail assembly on its vehicles free of charge.
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