image credit: teslarati

Tesla said on Tuesday that it was recalling most Cybertrucks in the United States because of problems with its windshield wipers and external trim, the latest setback for the futuristic truck, whose mass production is planned to begin next year.
While car recalls are not uncommon for new models, it’s a rare occurrence for Tesla. The company, known for rectifying faults via over-the-air software upgrades, is now facing a physical recall of its Cybertrucks.

The Cybertruck is Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s response to critics who argue that the business has to revamp its aged portfolio as EV demand has slowed. Electric car manufacturers need to be more active in bringing new models to market because high borrowing rates have stifled customer demand, and Chinese competitors have introduced cheaper versions.
The recalls each affect over 11,000 automobiles. Tesla has yet to reveal how many it has delivered to customers in its quarterly deliveries and production report.

The news of the recalls had an immediate impact on Tesla’s stock, which rose 1.4% in early trade to $185.12. This increase reflects the market’s reaction to the recall and its potential impact on the company’s financial performance.
“Wiper motor failures should not surprise us,” said Sam Abuelsamid, an analyst at Guidehouse Insights.
“This is the biggest individual wiper ever deployed on a light duty vehicle, with a 4-foot (1.22 meter) blade. That unusually long lever arm puts a lot of stress on the engine, and there have been a number of anecdotal tales of problems since early in production,” he added, adding that the Cybertruck’s general build quality is “very bad.”
Tesla started delivering the Blade Runner-inspired truck in November 2023 after years of delays and a grueling manufacturing ramp-up that Musk characterized as Tesla’s demise.
Musk said in October that Tesla aimed to produce 200,000 Cybertrucks yearly. Tesla has previously said that it can make more than 125,000 cyber trucks each year, with Musk indicating that this figure might rise to 250,000 by 2025.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that Tesla has issued four recalls for the 2024 Cybertruck.
FAILURE
Tesla is recalling 11,688 Cybertrucks from the 2024 model year due to a failing front windshield wiper motor controller caused by a high electrical current. This issue, which could lead to malfunctioning wipers in rainy conditions, increases the risk of an accident, underscoring the urgency of the recall.
The wiper recall applies to all pickups made until June 6.
The business said that it would replace the wiper motor after identifying early failures. Tesla retrieved 20 wiper motors in February for inspection as part of its investigation.
Separately, Tesla recalled 11,383 Cybertrucks because the trunk bed trim sail appliqué may have been incorrectly installed, fallen loose, and posed a driving danger.
Tesla started researching in December when the problem was discovered in an undeliverable Cybertruck. In May, it found a second event in a customer car, followed by more cases of loose or detachable appliques caused by faulty installation or adhesive use.
Affected cars will get free application of an adhesion promoter and pressure-sensitive tape, as well as replacement of the missing trim.
Tesla recalled almost 4,000 Cybertrucks in April to repair an accelerator pedal pad that might break free and get caught in the inside trim.