Why did Elon Musk's company Tesla recall 46,000 Cybertrucks? Drama explained

Elon Musk's Tesla is making its largest Cybertruck recall.

Nearly all of the Cybertrucks across the nation have been recalled to allow for the fixing of an exterior panel that would come undone while driving due to poor glue quality. The move comes on the heels of a complaint raised about the same by safety regulators, citing safety hazards for other drivers.

According to The Independent, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will be helming the recall of 46,100 Cybertrucks, which now becomes the eighth recall of the company's electric pickup truck since the rollout began in November 2023.

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Everything we know about Tesla having to recall all of the Cybertrucks in use:

According to Reuters, Tesla is not responsible for the breakout deliveries of its Cybertrucks, though the recalled vehicles represent a large chunk of the Cybertruck vehicles in use across the States. The recall is now a challenge for the company, seeing as its stock dipped in value this year by about half.

Furthermore, the electric vehicle company also faces a surge in competition, in addition to the backlash against Elon Musk's role in helming the Department of Government Efficiency under the Trump administration.

According to Reuters, the detached panel can create a noise inside the car, or it may come loose or undone while driving, increasing the chances of a crash. This stainless steel strip is known as a cant rail assembly, and it sits between the windscreen and the roof on either side of the vehicle.

It is attached to the car with the help of a structural adhesive that the NHTSA says is not vulnerable to "environmental embrittlement." Tesla will now replace these panels free of charge, and notifications to all owners are expected to be issued on May 19.

"The cant rail, a stainless-steel exterior trim panel, can delaminate and detach from the vehicle," the notice said, according to BBC. "A detached panel can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash."

Per the New York Times, a report filed with the NHTSA claims that only about 1% of all Cybertrucks in use were defective, but all of them will be recalled anyway as a precautionary measure.

Per the outlet, as of March 15, the company has identified 151 warranty claims that could have stemmed from this defective trim panel issue, though the company claims it was “not aware of any collisions, fatalities, or injuries that are or may be related to the condition.”

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At the time of writing, Tesla has told drivers to continue using their vehicles until an appointment to replace the trim panels is scheduled, which will happen when parts become available in their regions.