Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been forced to halt deliveries of his ‘indestructible’ Cybertruck vehicles following a major safety concern.
Although Musk claims the truck’s exterior is ‘bulletproof’, Cybertruck owners have reported metal panels falling off their vehicles.
In some cases, pieces of metal trim have even flown off at high speeds while driving, putting other cars and road users in danger.
In posts on X and on the Cybertruck Owners Club website, customers said that Tesla agents had informed them that deliveries had been put on hold pending an inspection.
Previously, Tesla has been forced to recall thousands of Cybertrucks due to panels falling off while driving, but recent reports suggest the issue has not been resolved.
The current problem appears to mainly affect the ‘cantrail’, a large piece of decorative trim running along the roof from front to back.
In an official complaint to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), one Cybertruck owner wrote that this piece of trim detached after just one year of driving.
In their statement, the driver argued that this panel was ‘hard and sharp enough to hit other cars’ and presented a ‘serious safety issue’.
On social media, Cybertruck drivers have shared reports of metal decorative panels falling off their ‘indestructible’ vehicles. The issue appears to mainly affect the cantrail, a decorative panel running from the front to the back of the car (pictured)
Tesla has paused delivery of new Cybertrucks amid safety concerns after drivers reported metal parts falling off their vehicles
In a number of posts on social media, Cybertruck drivers have been showing how their vehicle’s exterior panels are peeling away from the body.
As with the last product recall, the issue appears to stem from the fact that the Cybertruck’s decorative panels are glued, rather than bolted or welded, in place.
In a standard vehicle, most of the exterior panels would be part of a combined body and chassis.
However, in the Cybertruck, the trim along with a number of other parts are simply glued to a plastic frame which is bolted directly to the car.
Upon launch, Musk talked up the benefits of this paintless, all-stainless-steel exterior as a way of making the car extremely resistant to damage and wear.
But it now appears that the adhesive used to secure the panels to the plastic is unable to stand up to routine wear.
In a second NHTSA complaint, a Cybertruck driver wrote: ‘Upper passanger [sic] trim piece fell off while driving on street, could have hurt another motorist.
‘This trim comes in two pieces, one is bolted to the truck and the other is glued onto the bolted piece, the glued piece peeled off.’
On TikTok, one Cybertruck driver shared a video of the cantrail flapping in the wind as they drove. Official complaints warn that metal parts have flown off at high speeds, potentially creating a hazard for other drivers
Tesla drivers believe the issue may be caused by cold weather which warps the metal trim and weakens the adhesive. In a video posted to X, one user showed how their cantrail panel detached after a winter of use
Tesla CEO Elon Musk (pictured) has come under increasing pressure as his role in Donald Trump’s presidency turns many potential customers against Tesla products
Likewise, Reid Tomasko, the owner of a New Hampshire-based car wrapping business who owns and works on Cybertrucks, claimed in a YouTube video that he has seen the issue on multiple trucks.
Mr Tomasko and a number of other owners believe the issue is caused by cold weather which makes the adhesive brittle and causes additional stress as the metal frame contracts.
Tesla has yet to provide an official statement on the issue and has been contacted for comment.
However, this is not the first time that the problem-plagued Cybertruck has faced issues with its decorative trim.
In June last year, Tesla issued a recall for the Cybertruck after it emerged that another piece of metal trim around the trunk bed was falling off.
In a statement explaining the recall, Tesla wrote: ‘The Cybertruck is equipped with a cosmetic applique along the exterior of the trunk bed trim, known as the sail applique, which is affixed to the vehicle with adhesive.
‘On affected vehicles, the sail applique or adhesion may not have been installed according to specification, which may cause the sail applique to become loose or separate from the vehicle.’
Before that, Tesla was also forced to issue a recall when it emerged that the accelerator pedal could become stuck in the interior trim, leading to unintended acceleration.
Cybertruck owners believe the issue is caused by freezing weather. As the metal parts become cold and shrink, this creates slight warping which could break a weak adhesive
Despite becoming the car of choice for celebrities such as Kim Kardashian (pictured), the Cybertruck has suffered from serious safety concerns and weak sales since its launch in 2023
Despite becoming the car of choice for eco-conscious celebrities, including Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber, the all-electric truck has suffered from weak sales since its launch in 2023.
Buoyed by interest in the car’s unusual design, Musk claimed that one million people had signed up to the waitlist for a Cybertruck.
However, disappointing sales have forced Tesla to repeatedly offer discounts to lure in more customers.
During a 2023 earnings call, Musk told investors: ‘We dug our own grave with the Cybertruck.
‘It’s one of those special products that comes along only once in a long while. And special products that come along once in a long while are just incredibly difficult to bring to market to reach volume, to be prosperous.’
The Cybertruck is also illegal in the UK and Europe since its angular design falls short of requirements to protect pedestrians in the case of an impact.
Recently, Tesla has also faced increasing backlash from consumers due to Musk’s controversial and extremely public connection with Donald Trump’s presidency.
Since Trump’s election, the carmaker has seen more than $800 billion (£617bn) wiped from its stock market valuation.
Since Donald Trump’s election, Tesla has lost more than $800 billion (£617bn) from its share price. In an attempt to boost confidence in the company, President Donald Trump staged an event to purchase a Tesla vehicle in front of the White House
Tesla’s connection with Elon Musk and his links to Donald Trump has turned many against the company, with regular protests now staged outside Tesla dealerships (pictured)
Trump has been quick to blame the slump on ‘far left lunatics’ for boycotting the brand and said that people vandalising Tesla sites would be considered ‘domestic terrorists’.
However, the decline in stock value may have more connection to declining EV sales and the potential impact of Trump’s latest tariffs.
In a letter to the US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Tesla warned that the president’s introduction of tariffs on trade was hurting American car makers.
The unsigned letter warned that while the company ‘supports fair trade’, Trump’s policies could ‘inadvertently harm US companies.’
