Tesla recalls 173 Cybertrucks

Tesla’s latest Cybertruck recall is small in count but big in what it reveals. The immediate problem is mechanical — a wheel-related defect serious enough that federal filings warn about lost controllability. But the weird part is the number: 173 trucks. That is tiny for a national recall, and it accidentally offers one of the clearest clues yet about how little volume Tesla’s rear-wheel-drive Cybertruck seems to have reached. ### What actually broke? The issue sits in the brake rotor stud holes. Under harder road impacts and cornering loads, those holes can crack. If the cracking keeps spreading, a wheel stud can separate from the wheel hub. That is the dangerous part — once the hub-stud connection starts failing, the truck can become harder to control. Tesla’s filing says drivers might notice vibration and noise before it gets that far. ### Which Cybertrucks are affected? Not every Cybertruck is in this recall. The filing covers certain 2024 to 2026 rear-wheel-drive Cybertrucks built between March 21, 2024 and November 25, 2025, but specifically those equipped with 18-inch steel wheels, either from the factory or later in service. The affected population is 173 vehicles total. Production of the affected configuration began on August 28, 2025. (static.nhtsa.gov) ### Why is the number so striking? Because 173 is basically nothing in car-industry terms. A recall that small usually means either a niche configuration or a product that barely got out the door. In this case, it points to both. The rear-wheel-drive Cybertruck was supposed to be the cheaper entry point, but this filing suggests Tesla put only a very small number of those trucks into customer hands before the trim disappeared from sale. (static.nhtsa.gov) That is not a formal sales report — it is an inference — but it is a pretty strong one. ### What is Tesla doing for owners? This one is a hardware fix, not an over-the-air patch. Tesla says it will replace the wheel hubs and rotors on affected vehicles at no charge. That matters because some Tesla recalls are just software updates pushed remotely, but a defect involving cracking metal parts needs physical replacement. Owners can check their VIN through Tesla’s recall lookup or NHTSA’s recall search. (static.nhtsa.gov) ### Is this the only Tesla recall right now? No — and that adds to the story. Tesla also issued a much larger recall covering certain Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model X vehicles with Hardware 3 and a specific software version that could leave the rearview camera blank for up to 11 seconds after startup if the driver shifts into reverse during that window. Tesla says software release 2026.8.6.1 fixes it, and the update started rolling out on April 11, 2026. (qz.com) ### Why does that second recall matter here? Because it shows the split in Tesla’s recall world. One problem is classic Tesla — software, broad fleet, OTA fix. The Cybertruck issue is old-school automotive pain — metal parts, service visit, physical replacement. The second kind tends to hit confidence harder because it is about the truck’s basic hardware, not just code running on top of it. (tesla.com) ### Has Cybertruck had a lot of recalls? Yes. This wheel-related action is the 11th Cybertruck recall since deliveries began in late 2023. That does not mean every truck has every problem, but it does reinforce the sense that Tesla’s most high-profile vehicle is still working through a messy early life. For a product sold as brutally durable, repeated fixes undercut the pitch. (static.nhtsa.gov) ### Bottom line The headline is 173 recalled trucks. The deeper story is that Tesla has a real wheel-safety defect to fix, and the filing also exposed how scarce the bargain Cybertruck may have been all along. (static.nhtsa.gov) (qz.com)