Tesla Recalls Most Cybertrucks due to Trim Detaching from Vehicle

A person sits inside a Tesla Cybertruck at a Tesla showroom in New York City, US, January 2, 2025. REUTERS/Adam Gray/File Photo
A person sits inside a Tesla Cybertruck at a Tesla showroom in New York City, US, January 2, 2025. REUTERS/Adam Gray/File Photo
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Tesla Recalls Most Cybertrucks due to Trim Detaching from Vehicle

A person sits inside a Tesla Cybertruck at a Tesla showroom in New York City, US, January 2, 2025. REUTERS/Adam Gray/File Photo
A person sits inside a Tesla Cybertruck at a Tesla showroom in New York City, US, January 2, 2025. REUTERS/Adam Gray/File Photo

Tesla said Thursday it is recalling nearly all Cybertrucks in the United States to fix an exterior panel that could detach while driving, the latest in a series of call-backs for the pickup truck.

The recall covers just over 46,000 vehicles built from November 2023 through Feb. 27 of this year, Tesla said in a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The recall could prove to be a setback for Tesla, whose stock has lost about half its value this year as the EV automaker grapples with rising competition, an aging lineup, and backlash against CEO Elon Musk's controversial role overseeing cuts to federal spending in the Trump White House, Reuters reported.

The recall addresses risks a stainless-steel exterior trim panel can detach from the vehicle, making it a road hazard boosting the risk of a crash, Tesla said. Tesla's service will replace the rail panel assembly with a new one that meets durability testing requirements, the automaker said.

On Feb. 21, NHTSA notified Tesla of a vehicle owner that alleged a rail panel detachment.

Tesla said a detached rail panel may create a detectable noise inside the cabin or customers may observe the panel coming loose or separating from the vehicle.

Tesla said it is aware of 151 warranty claims that may be related to the recall issue, but no collisions or injuries.

While Tesla does not break out deliveries of its Cybertrucks, the recalled vehicles represent a vast majority of the Cybertruck vehicles on the road, based on analyst estimates.

Demand for the unconventional EV pickup has already shown signs of weakness toward the end of last year, following several delays.

Shares of the EV maker fell 1.4% in premarket trading.

Tesla shares, initially boosted post-election due to Musk's relationship with US President Donald Trump, have fallen nearly 42% this year.

Analysts have pointed to a change in sentiment toward the EV maker from existing customers and potential new buyers, as reactions toward the brand such as protests at Tesla stores across the US and sales boycotts emerge.

Tesla accounts for a large portion of recalled vehicles in the US. In 2024, Tesla topped the list for US recalls with its vehicles accounting for 5.1 million call-backs, according to recall management firm BizzyCar. However, most issues for the brand's cars were usually resolved with over-the-air software updates.

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Microsoft Pledges to Protect European Operations, Unveils Data Center Expansion

A Microsoft logo is pictured on a store in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, US, January 25, 2021. (Reuters)
A Microsoft logo is pictured on a store in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, US, January 25, 2021. (Reuters)
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Microsoft Pledges to Protect European Operations, Unveils Data Center Expansion

A Microsoft logo is pictured on a store in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, US, January 25, 2021. (Reuters)
A Microsoft logo is pictured on a store in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, US, January 25, 2021. (Reuters)

Microsoft pledged Wednesday to fight any US government order to halt data center operations in Europe as it sought to soothe concerns among European customers that trans-Atlantic tensions would lead to service disruptions.

The company's president, Brad Smith, said it's not something that officials are talking about in Washington, D.C. but it is a “real concern” for Microsoft's customers across Europe, which include governments.

President Donald Trump has stoked tensions between the US and Europe with his tariff-fueled trade war, and alarmed European leaders with policy changes, including pausing intelligence sharing with Ukraine, that throw into doubt his administration's commitment to the trans-Atlantic relationship, The AP news reported.

Smith, speaking at an event in Brussels, tried to allay concerns as he announced that the company was expanding data center operations across Europe.

“What we want Europeans to know is that they can count on us,” he said in a speech.

“In the unlikely event we are ever ordered by any government anywhere in the world to suspend or cease cloud operations in Europe, we are committing that Microsoft will promptly and vigorously contest such a measure using all legal avenues available, including by pursuing litigation in court,” Smith wrote in a Wednesday blog post.

He noted that Microsoft has experience fighting lawsuits from the previous Trump administration as well as from former President Barack Obama’s administration.

“If we ever find ourselves losing we will put in place business continuity arrangements” that include storing computer code in Switzerland that European partners can access, he said.

Microsoft is making five digital commitments to Europe, including increasing its data center capacity by 40 in 16 countries over the next two years, Smith said. The expansion will cost tens of billions of dollars annually. Smith declined to be more specific about the cost when asked by reporters.

The expansion comes amid calls for Europe to assert tech and data sovereignty by weaning itself off reliance from big US cloud data service providers, including Microsoft, Amazon and, to a lesser extent, Google.

“Given recent geopolitical volatility, we recognize that European governments likely will consider additional options,” and Microsoft is committed to collaborating with European companies, Smith said.