Tesla Recalls Pretty Much Every Cybertruck Because Of Laggy Software

Tesla is recalling the vast majority of Cybertrucks over an issue with their rear-view cameras. In certain circumstances, the rear-view camera fails to appear within the two-second time frame required by federal safety regulations. The fix for this issue is an over-the-air update, which is already going out.

Tesla recalled pretty much every Cybertruck on Thursday, according to a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The recall covers a software fault that could interfere with the operation of the Cybertruck's backup camera.

Federal regulations require the backup camera to appear within two seconds of shifting into reverse. That usually happens in the Cybertruck. But if the driver restarts the infotainment system before it fully shuts down—which may be hard to avoid, given that Teslas automatically shut down and boot up based on their own logic—the camera can have a severe delay. Per the recall filing:

On certain affected vehicles, under certain conditions, the vehicle system (including the rearview image) may not complete a shutdown process before the system is commanded to boot-up. If the driver starts a backing event before the vehicle system completes its shut down and boot-up, the rearview image may not display within two seconds of placing the vehicle in reverse as required by FMVSS 111, S6.2.3

The issue affects "certain" Cybertrucks built between November 13, 2023 and September 14, 2024. "Certain" in this case means 27,185, per the filing. Given that it covers the entire Cybertruck production period through early September and is roughly in line with projections for Cybertruck sales, which Tesla does not individually break out, I assume this is a rough proxy of overall Cybertruck production through September. We already knew that the Cybertruck was the best-selling EV pickup truck, and now we have some idea of how big its lead is.

Like many Tesla recalls, the fix for this issue is an over-the-air update that is already going out. Tesla says new software should prevent the issue from presenting itself again. I'm glad it was addressed. Having driven a Cybertruck, with its tiny rear-view mirror, giant blind spots and tall tail, there's no way I'd want to back one up without the camera displaying. Now, owners won't have to worry about that.