This is Tesla’s riveting fix for recalled Cybertruck accelerator pedals

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This is Tesla’s riveting fix for recalled Cybertruck accelerator pedals

After Cybertruck owners said their accelerator pedals were getting stuck wide open, Tesla’s recalled every single one to install a rivet that keeps the pedal pad securely in place.

By Richard Lawler, a senior editor following news across tech, culture, policy, and entertainment. He joined The Verge in 2021 after several years covering news at Engadget.

Apr 20, 2024, 10:15 PM UTC

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A worker drills through a Cybertruck accelerator pedal with a handheld drill. — *Tesla’s drilling holes in Cybertruck accelerator pedals.*

Tesla temporarily halted deliveries and recalled every single Cybertruck after a viral video showed how the pad on its accelerator pedal could slip off and get stuck in the interior trim, leaving the pedal depressed “down 100 percent, full throttle.” Now, video from a Tesla event in California taken today and Tesla’s own documentation confirm the riveting installation that secures the pad with a rivet, and they show us exactly how it’s done.

While Aaron Cash’s video posted to X says it’s a “35 second recall fix,” demonstrated at the “Cyber Takeover” event in Long Beach, the video starts with the required drilling jig already in place.

With it on the pedal, Tesla’s workers drill a hole as specified and install a rivet to secure the pedal pad so it won’t come off due to the “unapproved change” during manufacturing that made it slipperier than intended.

Measure the distance between the bottom of the aluminum accelerator pedal pad and the bottom of the pedal backing. If the measured distance is 5 mm or greater, replace the accelerator pedal assembly (refer to Service Manual procedure 3325020022). Afterwards, discontinue this procedure and use bulletin correction code S022433003.

Image: Tesla (PDF)

The Service Bulletin posted by Tesla reveals the process has a few other required steps, including measuring “the distance between the bottom of the aluminum accelerator pedal pad and the bottom of the pedal backing” before the work begins. If the bottom of the pad is 5mm or further from the bottom of the pedal, then they’re supposed to replace the entire pedal assembly.

Once it’s all done, they’re supposed to inspect the work with a mirror and clean up any debris the process has left in the customer’s $99,000-plus truck that came with an untrustworthy accelerator pedal.

Richard Lawler 7 days ago

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