NHTSA Recalls Just 173 Cybertrucks With 18-Inch Steel Wheels, Spotlighting the Short-Lived RWD Trim

Tesla has a new Cybertruck recall on the books, and this one is notable less for the safety issue than for the number stamped on the filing: 173 vehicles.

NHTSA campaign 26V255 covers certain 2024 through 2026 Cybertrucks equipped with 18-inch steel wheels. The brake rotor stud holes can crack and allow a wheel stud to separate from the hub. That is a real safety concern, because a separated stud can cause loss of vehicle control. Tesla will replace the front and rear brake rotors, hubs, and lug nuts free of charge.

So far, a routine recall. What makes it interesting is the 173-unit count and which Cybertruck trim wore those 18-inch steel wheels.

Tesla Issues Physical Recall for Cybertruck 18-Inch Steel Wheels; Reveals RWD Cybertruck Sales https://t.co/bzaMLJuiiK pic.twitter.com/1ITXrloGVW

— Not a Tesla App (@NotATeslaApp) April 30, 2026

Those wheels were exclusive to the Rear-Wheel-Drive Cybertruck, the budget trim Tesla introduced and then killed within a few months last year. The fact that only 173 vehicles are in the recall population gives us one of the clearest signals yet of just how few buyers opted for that configuration.

Here is what the federal filing says. From NHTSA:

NHTSA campaign 26V255 acknowledges Tesla’s notification of a safety recall for the Tesla Cybertruck, model years 2024 through 2026. The affected components include service brakes, hydraulic foundation components, disc rotor, and wheel lugs, nuts, bolts, and studs. The potential number of units affected is 173, which is why the filing stands out for Cybertruck watchers as much as for owners.

The issue is mechanical and specific: certain Cybertrucks equipped with 18-inch steel wheels may have brake rotor stud holes that crack and allow a wheel stud to separate from the wheel hub. NHTSA says wheel stud separation can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash. Tesla Service will replace the front and rear brake rotors, hubs, and lug nuts free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed June 20, 2026. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752, and Tesla’s recall number for the repair is SB-26-33-003.

If you own one of those 173 trucks, the path forward is simple: Tesla handles everything at no cost. But the broader story here is the RWD trim itself and why it barely registered as a blip on the sales chart.

Teslarati dug into the business side of the recall and laid out the case for why the cheaper Cybertruck never had a chance:

The new NHTSA recall documents are notable beyond the repair itself because they show how tiny the population was for the short-lived Rear-Wheel-Drive Cybertruck trim. The affected recall population is 173 Cybertrucks equipped with 18-inch steel wheels. The RWD Cybertruck was the only trim to feature those wheels, so the recall does not necessarily equal every RWD truck sold, but it does point to extremely limited interest in the stripped-down configuration.

Tesla ended production and stopped offering the RWD Cybertruck in September after pricing it only $10,000 below the All-Wheel-Drive version. The cheaper trim gave up major equipment: one motor instead of two, textile seats instead of leather, fewer speakers, no rear touchscreen, no powered tonneau cover, no 120-volt or 240-volt outlets, and no adaptive air suspension.

For Cybertruck buyers, those omissions hit the exact features that make the truck feel like a Cybertruck in the first place. Teslarati’s read is that the savings were not enough for the tradeoffs, especially when the AWD version offered a stronger powertrain, more comfort features, more utility, and the kind of capability buyers expected at this price point. The recall filing did not need to say the RWD trim failed. The 173-unit recall population and the deleted configuration tell that story clearly enough.

When you look at that feature list, the outcome makes sense. A $10,000 discount sounds meaningful until you realize what you are giving up in a $70,000 truck. No air suspension, no powered tonneau, no bed outlets, and half the motors. For most Cybertruck buyers, the whole appeal is the over-the-top capability. Stripping it down defeated the purpose.

#Tesla issues Physical Recall for #Cybertruck 18-Inch Steel Wheels; Recall also reveals RWD Cybertruck sales were 173https://t.co/B6nw37Hjmr pic.twitter.com/r8R0vMG3Fx

— TheTeslaLife (@TheTeslaLife) April 30, 2026

There is one more piece worth knowing if you are waiting on the new base AWD Cybertruck. Not a Tesla App reports that Tesla is using the same wheel design, now called 18-inch Molten wheels, as the default for the incoming AWD base model. But those deliveries are not expected until June at the earliest, meaning the new trucks should ship with revised, defect-free parts rather than the recalled hardware. In other words, if you are in line for a base AWD, this recall is not your problem.

The safety fix here is straightforward, and Tesla is covering it completely. The more lasting takeaway is the confirmation of something many in the community suspected all along: the RWD Cybertruck was a trim that existed on paper more than it ever did on the road. At 173 units in the recall population, it may go down as one of the shortest-lived and least-purchased configurations Tesla has ever offered. The good news is that Tesla recognized the mismatch quickly and moved on. For the small group of RWD owners, the rotors and hubs get swapped, and the truck keeps rolling.