Tesla's "brand tornado crisis moment" Cybertrucks faulty trim prompts biggest recall yet, stokes Tesla investor panic Recall forces Tesla to reveal just how many Cybertrucks were sold. Ashley Belanger Mar 20, 2025 2:46 pm | 99 Credit: MANDEL NGAN / Contributor | AFP Credit: MANDEL NGAN / Contributor | AFP Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreEvery Tesla Cybertruck ever sold is being recalled so Tesla can fix an exterior panel that could potentially come unglued and detach while driving.If the "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," Tesla explained in a safety recall report submitted Tuesday to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).Tesla initially became aware of the issue in January and launched a study of the problem as more complaints came in, the report said. By March, social media complaints were getting louder as Tesla wrapped up its probe, concluding that a voluntary recall was necessary.The recall affects any 2024 or 2025 Cybertruck manufactured between November 13, 2023, to February 27, 2025, the report said. According to Reuters, this represents "a vast majority of the Cybertruck vehicles on the road, based on analyst estimates." Potentially more than 46,000 vehicles could require the fix, Tesla said, while conservatively estimating that only 1 percent of cars are likely defective.Cybertruck drivers unsure if their vehicle needs the fix can look out for warning signs, like "a detectable noise inside the cabin" or visible signs the panel is detaching, Tesla said.Anyone whose car is covered by the recall can get the fix at no charge, Tesla said. The repair both replaces the adhesive used for the panel with one that's more durable and reinforces the attachment "with a stud welded to the stainless panel with a nut clamping the steel panel to the vehicle structure," Tesla said.Starting tomorrow, all new Cybertrucks that Tesla produces will have this fix, Tesla said, while any vehicles that Tesla currently possesses will be retrofitted before delivery to any customers.Tesla is currently notifying dealers about the recall, then plans to start reaching out to customers with recall notices on May 19. Any Cybertruck owners interested in pursuing repairs now can call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or go to nhtsa.gov, the agency said.Investors panicked by Teslas brand tornado crisis momentLast year, Tesla had several rounds of recalls, notifying drivers of widely varied problems, from software issues to faulty accelerator pedals or inverters. As recalls have been announced, Cybertruck sales have seemingly slumped, as Tesla obscured the true figures by lumping numbers in with sales of Model X and Model S, MotorTrend reported. This new recall is the first glimpse industry analysts have had of total Cybertruck sales, MotorTrend noted, and compared to other popular trucks, Cybertruck sales overall appear remarkably stunted.Critics have attributed some of Tesla's financial woes to CEO Elon Musk joining the Trump administration as a senior advisor and running the controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).Protesters nationwide have overrun Tesla showrooms, some causing damage. At least one admitted vandal with no prior criminal record was recently banned from Tesla properties, while Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday threatened up to 20 years in prison to three accused vandals in Colorado, Oregon, and South Carolina, who allegedly threw "Molotov cocktails to set fire to Tesla cars and charging stations."Several top-ranking officials have condemned the protests. Donald Trump went so far as buying a Tesla in a show of loyalty to Musk, but that effortas well as the Commerce secretary going on TV to beg people to buy Teslasdoesn't seem to be moving the needle much on Tesla sales.Tesla stocks fell after the Commerce secretary's call, The Guardian reported, while a website doxxing Tesla owners seemingly threatened even more vandalism while intimidating owners into selling their cars, just as used Tesla prices tumbled.In a note to investors, one of Tesla's biggest supporters, Dan Ives, wrote that Tesla was suffering a "brand tornado crisis moment" and pushed for Musk to turn his attention away from DOGE and back to Tesla, The Guardian reported."Tesla and Musk are facing a defining chapter in their future, and how Musk handles this next few months will be pivotal to the long term growth trajectory of Tesla in our view," Ives wrote. "Tesla is Musk and Musk is Tesla they are synonymous and attached together and cannot be separated."Another Tesla investor, Ross Gerber, joined Ives' plea yesterday. He called on Musk to make more time in his busy schedule to steer Tesla back on the right course, Newsweek reported."Elon chooses to work all the time, but you could only work so many hours a day, so it's 24," Gerber said. "So, there's no question he's been committed to his job at the government, and that's where he's spending his time. He's not running Tesla."Ashley BelangerSenior Policy ReporterAshley BelangerSenior Policy Reporter Ashley is a senior policy reporter for Ars Technica, dedicated to tracking social impacts of emerging policies and new technologies. She is a Chicago-based journalist with 20 years of experience. 99 Comments