Remember the Toyota stuck accelerator fiasco? Pepperidge Farm remembers. It’s now Tesla’s turn, as the automaker recently issued a stop-sale for an issue with the Cybertruck’s accelerator pedal. Though unconfirmed, the move could be related to a recent TikTok video from an owner, in which the Cybertruck owner demonstrated that his Tesla’s accelerator pedal cover could come loose and cause it to stick in the open position.
Thankfully, the owner was able to safely stop the truck and remove the pedal cover, but others might not be so lucky. A stuck pedal and unintended acceleration in a small passenger car are scary enough, but the Cybertruck’s more than 6,500-pound curb weight, extreme power, and rigid construction could yield disastrous results in the same situation.
Several publications have reported on the issue, with an NHTSA spokesperson telling CNBC that it was aware of the problem and had been in contact with Tesla to gather information. Others reported that the NHTSA hadn’t escalated the situation into an investigation yet, but it should be a simple fix, which could help Tesla avoid a more serious investigation or recall action.
Tesla has been criticized in the past for resisting recalls in favor of software updates and other actions, but recent scrutiny over its advanced driver aids’ driver monitoring capabilities and safety could push it to address the problem through official channels.
[Image: el.chapito1985 via tikTok]
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