Approximately 27,000 Cybertrucks required a new recall after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) determined that some of their rearview camera screens could potentially fail to perform their sole task. According to the submitSome drivers reported staring at a blank dashboard screen for up to 8 seconds after putting their vehicle in reverse, requiring an over-the-air software update. Current US safety laws limit vehicle camera delays to just 2 seconds.
Although the Cybertruck does not have a physical rearview mirror, the NHTSA did note that drivers could hypothetically still reverse by “performing a shoulder check and using their [side] mirrors.” The NHTSA filing also indicated that Tesla is currently not aware of any accidents or fatalities related to rearview camera delays.
[Related: $8,000 ‘Full Self-Driving Mode’ is finally in select Cybertrucks.]
Tesla CEO Elon Musk originally wanted his ‘favorite car’ to be released without any form of physical mirrors, but admitted in 2021 that the features’required by law.” That said, he also determined that the side mirrors were “designed to be easily removable by owners.” Several video tutorials indicate that it only takes approx two minutes to create a 2,000 kg mirrorless Cybertruck. Most states still legally require vehicles to have side mirrors.
Before the software update, the rearview mirror glitch could occur on any Cybertruck manufactured between November 13, 2023 and September 24, 2024. The latest recall is the Cybertruck’s fifth overall since its repeatedly delayed release in November 2023. Previous issues affected the EV giant, only windshield wiperdefective plastic trim and an accelerator pedal that stuck after being pressed. In January, the Cybertruck was included in a broader over-the-air Tesla software recall for 2.2 million vehicles that used an undersized warning light.
Despite a recall occurring on average every two months, the Cybertruck has become one of the most popular electric pickup trucks in the US. While Tesla doesn’t make its vehicle sales figures public, the NHTSA’s time frame of potentially affected vehicles includes nearly all Cybertrucks currently on the road, meaning the company has sold fewer than 30,000 units to date. double the total Cybertrucks sold at the time of the last recall.