Wheel covers falling off in new trend.
It appears that the Tesla Cybertruck could potentially be facing a recall due to issues with its aerodynamic wheel covers. According to a recent post by user @Concrete Tilt on the Tesla Cybertruck Owners Club, their Cybertruck was delivered without these covers. Initially, Tesla failed to offer an explanation and instead promised to send a technician to install them by February 1st.
Tesla later followed up with a statement stating that the delivery of the covers would be postponed until March due to ongoing investigations. As Tesla does not have a public relations team, it is not possible to directly reach out and confirm the existence of an official investigation.
After conducting a thorough examination of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) recall database, it has been confirmed that the Cybertruck currently has no recalls listed. This could change in the future, but for now, its record remains unmarred.
Evidently, these wheel covers are prone to falling off. The problem existed even before the truck was officially released and gained attention when a video on YouTube showed a Cybertruck’s wheel cover flying off and nearly hitting a nearby car. See the video below. Another user, @jaredhobbs, shared a photo of a production model with a missing cover.
Tesla is probably in the process of developing a solution and will eventually initiate a recall. Since this model is relatively new, experiencing wheel covers detaching can be seen as a minor issue. However, it can still be challenging to explain to an owner why their beloved car has been hit by a 20-inch destructive disk.It is highly probable that Tesla is presently taking steps to resolve the problem and will eventually implement a product recall at the appropriate time. Given that this is a brand-new vehicle, the occurrence of wheel covers coming off may not be the most catastrophic scenario. Nevertheless, attempting to justify to an individual how their cherished possession has been struck by a formidable 20-inch disc of destruction can be quite a daunting task.
The primary effect is on the potential mileage, which doesn’t seem to be impressive due to the aerodynamic function of the covers. The Cybertruck boasts a set of appealing rims concealed by the covers, but in order to reach the estimated maximum range of 320 miles, one must use the wheel covers.
Upon conducting further research, we came across an intriguing piece of information. It appears that Tesla offers a replacement wheel cover for purchase at the price of $75. This is significantly pricier than the typical plastic covers found on other Tesla models. According to Tesla’s website, this item is currently out of stock, leaving us with two possible explanations. Either the initial group of owners have been rapidly acquiring replacement covers, or Tesla has taken the product off the market temporarily to resolve any issues.
It is important to clarify that the wheel covers do not play a crucial role in the performance of the Cybertruck. The vehicle will function perfectly fine even without them, and a number of owners on the forum have actually taken them off because they prefer the appearance of the wheels without the covers.
We will closely monitor all progress and updates on the situation. This would not be the first instance of a recall by Tesla. In December 2023, almost every Tesla model was recalled and another group of 200,000 vehicles were also recalled in January 2024 due to a malfunction with the rearview camera. These cars were repaired through a remote software update. However, this time around, a physical examination and replacement would be necessary, which may pose a challenge for Tesla as they lack extensive experience in this area.
