In March 2025, Tesla issued a recall for the Cybertruck to replace an outside panel. One Cybertruck driver who had the part replaced under the recall is now expressing frustration over how it looks.
What's happening?
The recall concerned a stainless steel panel on the Cybertruck, which had seen reported issues since at least January. According to the recall, the panel was potentially at risk of detaching, which could result in a road hazard if someone were driving the Cybertruck at the time of detachment.
Electrek recently reported that a Cybertruck driver shared their experience with the recall replacement in a forum on Cybertruck Owners Club, with similar pictures shared on Reddit.
The driver went into great detail over the issues they experienced before the recall and then shared photos of their Cybertruck with the installed replacement part. The pictures show a gap on the chassis, as well as a burn mark in the replaced area.
The driver wrote, "Cosmetically, it looks horrible! Questions to all of you: what would you do? Would you accept this 'recall repair'?"
Why is this Cybertruck fix concerning?
The Cybertruck costs from $70,000 to $100,000, not counting the $7,500 Inflation Reduction Act instant credit that helps Tesla market the newer Long Range edition as starting at $62,490, so it is a high-end vehicle. Owners expect an expertly put-together product, as well as a certain level of service, for that price, particularly during recalls.
Members of the forum were unsure whether this cosmetic damage of apparent burn marks would be something the company could fix or whether Cybertruck owners would have to pay for a fix themselves. If the latter, this adds extra costs to owning one of these vehicles.
Having parts replaced and possibly causing cosmetic damage to the vehicle, and then potentially being on the hook to fix the problem, could discourage others from purchasing the vehicle in the first place. This discouragement and uncertainty about Tesla's stock and overall financial security in providing first-class repairs might result in fewer consumers purchasing this type of electric vehicle, potentially slowing the mainstream move to more sustainable driving options.
However, it's important to note that this particular recall and issue only applies to this specific vehicle model, not all EVs or Teslas on the market. Despite a rough period of public sentiment from many EV buyers over CEO Elon Musk's political activity, Tesla does at least have a strong reputation when it comes to driver satisfaction.
What's being done about this recall fix?
Currently, it seems the fix the concerned Cybertruck driver received is the one everyone will get. USA Today reported that Tesla will retrofit Cybertruck orders that have not yet been delivered with updated trim protection, too.
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Would you ever consider buying a Tesla Cybertruck? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Absolutely 👍 Cybertruck drivers also seem stuck with their vehicles if they were considering trading them in after this recall. Forbes has reported that several Tesla dealerships will no longer accept Cybertruck trade-ins.
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