admin
Tesla has filed a safety recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration after engineers found cracking around the brake‑rotor stud holes on certain rear‑wheel‑drive Cybertruck Long Range models. The crack can let a wheel stud separate from the hub — in plain English, that can let a wheel come off while the truck is moving. It is the latest in a string of recalls that raise real questions about quality control at Tesla.
What Tesla says and what will be fixed
The recall affects 173 Cybertrucks built with factory 18‑inch steel wheels. NHTSA lists this as Campaign 26V255 and Tesla calls it SB‑26‑33‑003. Tesla says higher road impacts and cornering can stress the rotor stud holes and cause cracks to form. So far the company reports three warranty claims that may be related and says it knows of no crashes or injuries tied to the problem.
Tesla’s fix is straightforward: replace all four brake rotors, both front and rear hubs, and all lug nuts at no charge. Technicians will then run tests to make sure the new parts are torqued properly. Owners should expect letters in mid‑June asking them to schedule service. That sounds fine on paper — but only if the parts and the work truly stop the problem.
Why this recall matters — even for a small number of trucks
Yes, only 173 vehicles are named in this filing. But a part failing that can make a wheel fall off is not a small matter. It is alarming no crash has happened yet. That is luck, not proof the issue is harmless. Auto safety is binary here: either wheels stay on or they don’t. Regulators, owners, and anyone who shares the road should take that seriously.
Also troubling are the suppliers named in the filing and the technical notes that say geometry in the hub/rotor mounting contributed to the cracks. If a design geometry flaw slipped into production, that points to weak testing, not just a bad batch of parts. Calling this an “isolated” fleet of 173 trucks does not erase that engineering oversight.
Part of a pattern — not an isolated headline
The Cybertruck has racked up multiple recalls since deliveries began. This is the latest fix in a string that includes problems from trim pieces that fall off to backup camera delays affecting hundreds of thousands of Teslas. You can admire bold design and hyped production goals, but you can’t pretend fixed‑part count covers for repeat safety notices. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, sells a future of cutting‑edge cars. That future should not include falling wheels or repeated safety fixes.
What owners and regulators should do next
Owners of the affected RWD Cybertrucks should watch their mail and book service when contacted. Accept the free repair. Check that work is logged and inspected after the parts are installed. Beyond that, regulators should keep pressure on automakers and suppliers to prove fixes work long term. Customers deserve cars that are safe the first time, not after the eleventh recall and a lot of headlines.
