Tesla is facing significant challenges as US safety regulators have ordered the removal of nearly all its Cybertruck vehicles from the roads.
Earlier in the month, the company led by Elon Musk had to halt Cybertruck sales after reports from owners regarding a safety issue.
Owners reported pieces detaching from the vehicles while in motion, raising safety concerns.
Some reported that metal panels were detaching and, in some instances, flying off at high speeds, posing a hazard to both the drivers and others on the road.
Adding to the company’s woes, US safety regulators have issued an eighth recall since the vehicles were first delivered to customers a little over a year ago.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recall affects more than 46,000 Cybertrucks, cautioning that an exterior panel along the windscreen’s left and right sides can come off during driving, posing a risk to other motorists and heightening the possibility of an accident.
The stainless-steel strip, known as the cantrail assembly, situated between the windscreen and the roof on both sides, is supposed to be secured with structural adhesive, as per a NHTSA report.
There is a silver lining for Tesla owners, as the company has announced that it will replace the panel at no cost, with notification letters anticipated to be sent to owners by May 19.
This recall includes all models from the years 2024 and 2025, produced from November 13, 2023, to February 27, 2025.
This incident is yet another issue for the automaker, as a major investor recently acknowledged the company is experiencing a ‘crisis’.
In a striking statement on Sky News, Ross Gerber, one of the early investors in Tesla, urged Musk to resign as CEO, citing his focus on work with the Trump administration instead of the company.
He stated: “The company’s reputation has just been destroyed by Elon Musk.
“It’s time for somebody to run Tesla. The business has been neglected for too long. There are too many important things Tesla is doing, so either Elon should come back to Tesla and be the CEO of Tesla and give up his other jobs or he should focus on the government and keep doing what he is doing but find a suitable CEO of Tesla”