New York (CNN) — Tesla has recalled nearly 4,000 of its Cybertrucks due to an accelerator pedal that can jam when pressed.
The reason, according to the regulator: soap.
“A non-approved change was introduced to the lubricant (soap) to help assemble the pad components into the throttle. Residual lubricant reduces pad-to-pedal retention,” NHTSA wrote in the document calling for the review.
Tesla has yet to detail how many futuristic-looking Cybertrucks it has produced. But she said ramping up production of the car, first delivered in late November, would be slow.
The recall affects “all model year 2024 (“MY”) 2024 Cybertruck vehicles manufactured from November 13, 2023 through April 4, 2024, NHTSA said.
That means the 3,878 recalled pickup trucks are likely many, if not all, of the trucks currently on U.S. roads.
“When significant force is applied to the accelerator pedal pad, the pad can dislodge, potentially causing the pedal to remain stuck in the pad on the inside,” National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents state in the recall.
The safety regulator said workers assembling trucks at a Tesla factory near Austin, Texas, improperly used soap to help assemble the cushion components on the accelerator pedal.
The issue of the accelerator was first raised on social media and in online discussion group posts.
On Monday, NHTSA told CNN it had contacted Tesla to get more information about the issue.
Telsa did not immediately respond to a request for comment. This month, the company informed its employees that it would lay off about 10% of its global workforce.
Unlike many Tesla recalls, this issue cannot be fixed with a simple over-the-air software update. Tesla will have to force owners to respond to messages and bring the Cybertrucks to its service centers for free repair.
