VEHICLE SAFETY DEFECT COMPLAINT Manufacturer: Tesla, Inc. Vehicle: Tesla Cybertruck Premium All-Wheel Drive Incident date: XXX Location: [XXX] VIN: [Insert VIN] Nature of complaint: Unexpected vehicle movements during Full Self-Driving operation and an extremely loud metallic grinding noise while driving. Description of incident On XXX, at approximately 8 PM Central Time, I experienced a potentially serious safety malfunction while driving my recently purchased Tesla Cybertruck. While Full Self-Driving (Supervised) was engaged, the vehicle began making unexpected and erratic driving movements. During the same drive, I heard an extremely loud noise resembling thunder or heavy metal components grinding against one another. I became concerned that a critical mechanical component could be failing while the vehicle was in motion. I was able to return home safely and have stopped operating the vehicle pending a professional inspection. This incident follows an earlier major malfunction in which the windshield-wiper system failed. Tesla service personnel subsequently informed me that the wiper motor had come apart and that associated damage required brake-system repairs. I believe the combination of unpredictable driving behavior, the severe mechanical noise, and the vehicle’s recent repair history warrants investigation for possible safety-related defects. I recorded a short video during the incident and preserved available Dashcam footage. I request that the federal safety agency review this incident and determine whether further investigation is warranted, including whether similar complaints have been reported involving Cybertruck Full Self-Driving behavior, braking, steering, or drivetrain components. I am willing to provide the recordings, prior repair documentation, and any additional information necessary for an investigation. Reported by: [XXX] Location: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The worst 2026 Tesla Cybertruck problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Driver assistance3
- Electrical3
- Steering3
- Brakes2
- Transmission2
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Driver assistance3
- Electrical3
- Steering3
- Brakes2
- Transmission2
- Body1
- Engine1
- Suspension1
- Wheels1
Recalls 2
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: rotor
- What is wrong
- Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Cybertruck vehicles equipped with 18-inch steel wheels. The brake rotor stud holes may crack and allow the stud to separate from the wheel hub.
- Risk
- Wheel stud separation can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Tesla Service will replace the front and rear brake rotors, hubs, and lug nuts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 20, 2026. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1‑877‑798‑3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-26-33-003.
Recall number 26V255000 · Recall details
Exterior lighting
- What is wrong
- Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Cybertruck vehicles operating software prior to 2025.38.3. The vehicle controller software may cause the front parking lights to be too bright and exceed the maximum light output, adversely affecting the vision of other drivers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
- Risk
- Parking lights that are too bright can reduce visibility of oncoming drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Tesla released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 12, 2025. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1‑877‑798‑3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-25-00-008.
Recall number 25V699000 · Recall details
See all 2 recalls for the 2026 Tesla Cybertruck
Defect investigations
FSD Collisions in Reduced Roadway Visibility Conditions
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is opening this Engineering Analysis to evaluate Tesla’s Full Self Driving Beta and Full Self Driving (Supervised) (collectively, FSD) degradation detection system. The focus of this investigation will be to assess the system’s ability, when encountering reduced roadway visibility conditions, to detect degradation and alert the driver with sufficient time to respond. ODI will evaluate the performance of FSD in degraded roadway conditions and the updates or modifications by Tesla to the degradation detection system, including the timing, purpose, and capabilities of the updates, and Tesla’s assessment of their safety impact. Tesla’s FSD is an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) that relies exclusively on vision-based cameras and the related FSD software to detect and respond to the roadway ahead, projecting a path forward based on traffic control devices, vehicles, pedestrians, and the roadway itself. When Tesla began transitioning away from using both cameras and radars to an exclusively camera-based approach, known as Tesla Vision, in mid-2021, it developed and implemented a degradation detection system that it deployed by a software update to existing and new Tesla vehicles. On June 28, 2024, the day after Tesla submitted the SGO report of the November 28, 2023 fatal crash listed in this document, Tesla began developing an update to the degradation detection system. At this time, ODI does not have information on when the update was deployed and which vehicles have the updated system. ODI discussed individual incidents and its initial findings during the PE phase of its investigation with Tesla. As part of those discussions, Tesla’s post-incident analysis indicated that the update to the degradation detection system, had it been installed on the vehicles at the time, may have affected 3 of the 9 incidents identified by ODI. Tesla also described internal data and labeling limitations that prevented a uniform identification and analysis of crash events with the subject system engaged. ODI believes this limitation could have led to under-reporting of subject crashes over portions of the defined time-period. Available incident data raise concerns that Tesla’s degradation detection system, both as originally deployed and later updated, fails to detect and/or warn the driver appropriately under degraded visibility conditions such as glare and airborne obscurants. In the crashes that ODI has reviewed, the system did not detect common roadway conditions that impaired camera visibility and/or provide alerts when camera performance had deteriorated until immediately before the crash occurred. Review of Tesla’s responses revealed additional crashes that occurred in similar environments and where the system either did not detect a degraded state, and/or it did not present the driver with an alert with adequate time for the driver to react. In each of these crashes, FSD also lost track of or never detected a lead vehicle in its path. In upgrading PE24031 to an Engineering Analysis (EA), ODI will gather further information on the updated degradation detection system, including the status of updating vehicles and scope of compatible vehicles, the system’s visibility degradation detection capability, and alerts or warnings to the driver. Lastly, ODI will conduct analysis on six recent potentially related incidents. These incidents can be found at under the following SGO report identification numbers: 13781-11937, 13781-13211, 13781-13569, 13781-13633, 13781-13693, 13781-13788. The crashes included in the failure report summary can be found at under the following SGO report identification numbers: 13781-8004, 13781-7181, 13781-7381, 13781-7767, 13781-7964, 13781-8977, 13781-9267.
EA26002
Traffic safety violations while Full Self Driving ("FSD") is engaged
The Office of Defects Investigation (âODIâ) is opening this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) to assess the scope, frequency, and potential safety consequences of FSD executing driving maneuvers that constitute traï¬c safety violations. This investigation concerns versions of FSD that Tesla has labeled as "FSD (Supervised)" and "FSD (Beta)." Tesla characterizes FSD as an SAE Level 2 partial automation system requiring a fully attentive driver who is engaged in the driving task at all times. Level 2 partial automation systems are designed to support and assist the driver in performing certain aspects of the driving task, requiring a driver to supervise and intervene as necessary. The driver remains fully responsible at all times for driving the vehicle, including complying with applicable traï¬c laws. ODIâs investigation will therefore focus, in particular, on whether certain driving inputs within the control authority of FSD forestall the driverâs supervision when they are unexpectedly performed. ODI has identiï¬ed a number of incidents in which the inputs to the dynamic driving task commanded by FSD induced vehicle behavior that violated traï¬c safety laws. Although reports of this nature span a variety of behaviors, the reports appear to most commonly involve two types of scenarios. The ï¬rst type of scenario involves a vehicle operating with FSD proceeding into an intersection in violation of a red traï¬c signal. The second type of scenario involves FSD commanding a lane change into an opposing lane of traï¬c. With respect to the ï¬rst type of scenario, ODI has identiï¬ed 18 complaints and 1 media report alleging that a Tesla vehicle, operating at an intersection with FSD engaged, failed to remain stopped for the duration of a red traï¬c signal, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct traï¬c signal state in the vehicle interface. Some complainants also alleged that FSD did not provide warnings of the system's intended behavior as the vehicle was approaching a red traï¬c signal. ODI has identiï¬ed six Standing General Order ("SGO") reports in which a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD engaged, approached an intersection with a red traï¬c signal, continued to travel into the intersection against the red light and was subsequently involved in a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection. Of these incidents, four crashes resulted in one or more reported injuries. At least some of the incidents appeared to involve FSD proceeding into the intersection after coming to a complete stop. ODI's pre-investigative work, including coordination with the Maryland Transportation Authority and State Police, indicated that the problem may be repeatable, given that multiple subject incidents occurred at the same intersection in Joppa, Maryland. the federal safety agency understands that Tesla has since taken action to address the issue at this intersection. With respect to the second type of scenario, ODI has identiï¬ed 2 SGO reports, 18 complaints, and 2 media reports alleging that a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD engaged, entered opposing lanes of travel during or following a turn, crossed double-yellow lane markings while proceeding straight, or attempted to turn onto a road in the wrong direction despite the presence of wrong-way road signs. Likewise, ODI has identiï¬ed 4 SGO reports, 6 complaints, and 1 media report alleging that a Tesla vehicle, operating with FSD engaged, proceeded straight through an intersection in a turn-only lane or executed a turn at an intersection in a through lane despite the presence of lane markings or signals. Complaints also alleged that FSD did not provide warnings of the system's intended behavior. Some complaints alleged that more than one of these failures occurred and, as such, the numbers are not cumulative. Some of the reported incidents appeared to involve FSD executing a lane change into an opposing lane of travel with little notice to a driver or opportunity to intervene. ODIâs review will assess whether there was prior warning or adequate time for the driver to respond to the unexpected behavior or to safely supervise the automated driving task. This review will assess any warnings to the driver about the system's impending behavior; the time given to drivers to respond; the capability of FSD to detect, display to the driver, and respond appropriately to traffic signals; and the capability of FSD to detect and respond to lane markings and wrong-way signage. the federal safety agency's review will also consider any updates or modifications to the system(s) that may affect the performance of FSD with respect to obeying traffic safety laws and signals. This assessment will focus, in particular, on the types of traffic safety violations described above, as most reports identified thus far have centered around those behaviors. While the behaviors under investigation appear to occur most frequently at intersections, the federal safety agencyâs investigation will encompass any other types of situations in which this behavior may arise, such as when traveling adjacent to a lane of opposing traffic or when approaching railroad crossings. If other evidence received during this investigation involve other types of traffic safety violations, those may be considered as part of this assessment as well. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to The SGO reports cited in this Resume are listed below by report ID and are available for download at 13781-8739-1, 13781-8995-1, 13781-9623-1, 13781-10333-1, 13781-10872-1, 13781-10930-1, 13781-10939-1, 13781-10941-1, 13781-11069-1, 13781-11305-1, 13781-11579-1 Media reported allegations included as a separate attachment.
PE25012
Technical service bulletins for the 2026 Tesla Cybertruck 2
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
2026 Tesla Cybertruck fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric motor Electric 325 mi range | AWD | 85-87 | 70-72 | 78-79 MPGe |
| Electric motor Electric 335 mi range | RWD | 89 | 67 | 78 MPGe |
What 2026 Tesla Cybertruck owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
My 2026 Tesla Cybertruck (base AWD, 18-inch wheels) developed warped front brake rotors at about 6,000 to 6,831 miles, roughly one month after purchase. Tesla Service Center [XXX] (invoice XXX, XXX) measured rotor lateral runout of 0.007 in against a 0.002 in spec and denied warranty coverage, saying 'Brake wear is not covered by Tesla warranty.' Tesla attributed the warping to 'spirited driving' and deceleration events of 5 m/s^2. That is about 0.5 g, which is normal braking. Tesla also stated the brake pads are like new and the brakes are not glazed, which contradicts its claim that driving style overheated and warped the rotors. Rotor runout this early on a nearly new truck points to a component or manufacturing defect, not abuse. Warped rotors cause vibration and reduce braking performance, which is a safety concern on a heavy vehicle. the federal safety agency recall 26V255 already covers brake rotor/hub problems on Cybertrucks with 18-inch steel wheels. the federal safety agency's VIN lookup shows no open recall on my VIN. I have filed an official complaint and dispute with Tesla. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
when this vehicle Lane avoidance assistance is on it is dangerous it does not allow you to keep the setting off it resets every time you get in the car and if you don't shut it off and you think it's off if you try to avoid something like a pothole or an animal running out in the road it automatically pulls you back and it's very dangerous
See attached document for complaint.
Tesla FSD failed to measure an entrance correctly and scratched the left side of the truck. Affected left rear passenger door, left rear flares, left rocker panel.
Lane Departure Avoidance is jerking the vehicle aggressively back into the lane and is creating a serious safety concern. I have already scheduled maintenance with Tesla regarding this issue, but I was told that there was nothing they could do about it. The issue occurs when driving in a lane and needing to move over quickly or make an immediate lane adjustment. If the turn signal is not activated, the vehicle will aggressively steer/jerk itself back toward the original lane. This can be dangerous because the system is essentially fighting the driver’s steering input at a moment when the driver may need to move out of the lane to avoid a hazard, merge, or reposition the vehicle. Lane Departure Avoidance should assist and warn the driver, not override the driver’s steering input to the point that the vehicle aggressively forces itself back into the lane. At minimum, the system should be adjustable to provide a vibration, warning, or chime rather than making such a strong steering correction. The current behavior makes it feel like the vehicle cannot safely exit a lane without activating the turn signal, even when the driver is intentionally and safely controlling the vehicle. This needs to be investigated and corrected because the steering intervention itself can create a hazardous situation rather than prevent one.
2026 Tesla Cybertruck was in Full Self Driving mode when backing out of a parking space. The Cybertruck backed into a parked car causing damage to both vehicles and whiplash of Cybertruck occupants. The Cybertruck accelerated backwards from 1 mph to 4 mph instantly. There is vehicle video footage of the car in FSD leading up to the accident.
Purchased truck on May 5th. May 7th scuba valve went bed causing air suspension failure. Low voltage system had critical safety failure causing loss of steering and throttle control. Received vehicle back from Tesla shop said they could not repay the issue. Next day while driving system had total low voltage crash resulting in vehicle loosing all power. Loss of steering no throttle response all systems died. Shop kept vehicle for two weeks returned it on May 15 upon getting home parked vehicle three hours later truck had total loss of all power with 27 system voltage errors.
Within approximately four days of delivery, my vehicle experienced multiple system failures during normal driving conditions. The following warnings appeared simultaneously: - Low voltage electrical system issue detected - Rear axle steering disabled – turning radius limited - Power reduced - Unable to charge – Service required - Additional system warnings These issues affected critical systems including steering, electrical, and vehicle power. The steering limitation and power reduction created a significant safety concern while driving. The vehicle had only been exposed to normal rain conditions prior to the incident, raising concerns about reliability under typical use. Tesla later confirmed a failure in the low voltage distribution and control system requiring replacement of a major electronic component. Given that this occurred within days of delivery, I am concerned that this vehicle may have a serious safety defect.
Passenger door controller began malfunctioning on day 1 of delivery (03/08/2026) By day 2 (03/09/2026) the controller failed completely. When it failed, the window lowered (indexed), and the vehicle erroneously detects the door as being open all the time. The vehicle will not engage in FSD. As a result, the vehicle will not lock. The vehicle incorrectly assumes it is still in use when parked (forces ventilation and entertainment system to remain on). Requesting the issue correct yielded a service appointment of 03/24/2026. Subsequent attempts to treat this as a safety issue and asked for a sooner appointment did not yield a positive response.
Compare the 2026 Tesla Cybertruck
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Questions about the 2026 Tesla Cybertruck
Is the 2026 Tesla Cybertruck reliable?
Owners have filed 11 complaints about the 2026 Tesla Cybertruck, fewer than a typical Cybertruck model year.
What is the most common problem with the 2026 Tesla Cybertruck?
Driver assistance and stability, with 3 complaints. Next is electrical (3).
How many recalls does the 2026 Tesla Cybertruck have?
2 recalls, covering service brakes, hydraulic and exterior lighting.
What gas mileage does the 2026 Tesla Cybertruck get?
The 2026 Tesla Cybertruck is rated at 78-79 MPGe combined, with up to 325 miles of range.
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