The Tesla Cybertruck: A Look Back on a Year of Glitches, Accidents, and Recalls

December 2024 marks a year since Tesla’s Cybertruck hit the streets in its world debut—and unfortunately, it hasn’t been a smooth ride for Tesla or consumers.

In 2024, Tesla recalled approximately 5.1 million vehicles—more than any other U.S. car manufacturer, with Ford coming in second place with 4.3 million recalls.

The aesthetically unique and much “memed” about Tesla Cybertruck accounted for at least 28,250 of those recalls, leaving drivers in the lurch and often even put at serious risk.

Here’s a look back at the treacherous road for this year’s biggest Cybertruck recalls.

Incorrect font size on warning lights

Right out of the gate in January 2024, the NHTSA found that the font size on the instrument panel for the brake, park, and ABS warnings was too small to read. 2,193,869 vehicles were affected. Tesla issued a free over-the-air update, keeping owners from having to take their Teslas into dealerships for an official fix. 

Unintended acceleration

3,878 Cybertrucks manufactured from November 13, 2023, through April 4, 2024 were recalled because the accelerator pedal on some Tesla Cybertrucks could dislodge and become trapped by the interior trim, causing the vehicle to accelerate uncontrollably. 

Front windshield wiper failure

In June, Tesla recalled another 11,688 Cybertrucks that ran the risk of the windshield wiper becoming inoperable. According to the NHTSA, excessive electrical current was occasionally delivered to the front windshield wiper motor controller through a faulty component. This could burn the motor out and result in the windshield wipers not working. 

Detachable trunk bed trim 

According to Tesla, a cosmetic “sail” applique/adhesive was incorrectly installed on some Cybertrucks, and a truck bed trim piece could become loose or even fall off with time, causing a road hazard for other drivers. 12,150 vehicles were affected in the recall.

Rearview camera failure

The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard states that a rearview camera must display an image within 2 seconds of the car being put in reverse. In certain conditions, some 27, 185 Cybertruck’s systems could experience delays and break the federal rules for a rearview camera.

Faulty inverter causing vehicle to stop

On November 5, about 2,431 Cybertrucks were recalled for faulty transistors that could fail and cause the trucks to stop suddenly. The fix requires Tesla Cybertruck owners to go to the dealership where the inverter can be replaced. 

Tire pressure warning-light issue

2024 is closing with one final Cybertruck recall, where Tesla is recalling nearly 700,000 vehicles across 16 different car models because of an issue with its tire-pressure monitoring system. The warning light that monitors tire pressure may not stay lit, meaning drivers might not know their tire pressure is low. That can increase the risk of a crash. 

Call Morgan & Morgan if Your Cybertruck Goes Sideways

When companies put dangerously flawed vehicles on the road, unsuspecting drivers and passengers may pay the price for their negligence. If you believe you or someone you love were injured due to a Tesla Cybertruck malfunction or defect, contact Morgan & Morgan.

As the nation’s largest personal injury law firm, we have the size, resources, and experience to take on even the largest corporations, hold them accountable for their negligence, and help victims fight for the compensation they need and deserve to move forward with their lives.

If you were injured, take action. Hiring one of our lawyers is easy, and you can get started in minutes with a free case evaluation.