Tesla recalls 173 Cybertruck RWDs

Tesla’s latest Cybertruck problem is not a software glitch or a trim piece coming loose. It’s a wheel-retention issue — basically the kind of defect every automaker dreads. Tesla filed a safety recall covering 173 rear-wheel-drive Cybertrucks because cracks can form around the brake rotor’s stud holes, which can let a wheel stud separate from the hub. (static.nhtsa.gov) If that progresses far enough, the wheel can detach while driving. ### What exactly is broken? The weak point is the brake rotor assembly on certain Cybertrucks fitted with 18-inch steel wheels. Tesla said the stud holes in the brake rotors can crack under road impacts and cornering loads. (static.nhtsa.gov) Once those cracks spread, the wheel stud can pull away from the hub — and that is how you get from “part fatigue” to “wheel might come off.” ### Which trucks are affected? This is a small but very specific slice of the Cybertruck lineup: model-year 2024 through 2026 vehicles built between March 21, 2024 and November 25, 2025, equipped with 18-inch steel wheels either at the factory or later through service. (static.nhtsa.gov) The recall population is 173 vehicles total. That tiny number is why so many people immediately connected this to the short-lived rear-wheel-drive version. ### Why only 173? Because this does not hit the whole Cybertruck program. It hits a narrow configuration that seems to line up with the base rear-wheel-drive model and its wheel package. In practice, the recall count suggests Tesla sold very few of these trucks before that version faded from the lineup. (static.nhtsa.gov) The recall is doing double duty as a safety notice and an accidental sales data point. ### How serious is the risk? Pretty serious — but in a very old-fashioned mechanical way. A lot of recalls sound scary because a screen goes dark or a warning light might not behave correctly. This one is about a structural part that keeps the wheel attached. (static.nhtsa.gov) Tesla’s filing says the defect raises crash risk, which is obvious once you picture what happens if a stud separates under load at speed. ### Did Tesla see failures in the field? The public recall summaries point to warranty cases, but not to reported crashes or injuries so far. That matters because it suggests Tesla caught the pattern before it turned into a wider safety event. (static.nhtsa.gov) But the catch is that wheel-related failures do not need many incidents to justify a recall — the consequence is severe enough on its own. ### What is Tesla doing for owners? Tesla says affected vehicles will be inspected and repaired at no charge. The remedy involves replacing the relevant hardware — including rotors, hubs, and lug nuts in recall coverage summaries tied to the filing. (static.nhtsa.gov) Tesla’s recall support page also says recall work is free regardless of age or mileage. ### Why does this matter beyond 173 trucks? Because Cybertruck keeps building a reputation for recalls that are unusually visible. A 173-vehicle recall is tiny in volume, but the defect is easy to understand and hard to shrug off. Wheels are not supposed to detach, and when the affected group appears to be essentially the entire run of one variant, it reinforces the sense that Cybertruck’s rollout has been rougher than Tesla wanted. (autopostglobal.com) ### Bottom line This is a small recall with big symbolism. Tesla is fixing just 173 trucks, but the issue is a core mechanical safety problem, not a cosmetic annoyance. That makes the story land harder — especially for a vehicle that was supposed to prove Tesla could do something radically new without stumbling over the basics. (msn.com) (static.nhtsa.gov)