Tesla Cybertruck Parking Light Recall — When the Lights Shine Too Bright
Tesla has conceded the problem in writing: NHTSA campaign 25V699000 covers vehicles where the vehicle controller software may cause the front parking lights to be too bright and exceed the maximum light output — a failure to meet the federal standard for vehicle lighting. Lights that are too bright, Tesla concedes, can blind oncoming drivers. When a manufacturer admits a defect that fails a federal standard, RockPoint Law's attorneys pursue a buyback, replacement, or cash settlement.
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Tesla, Inc. is recalling certain 2024–2026 Cybertruck vehicles operating software prior to version 2025.38.3 because the vehicle controller software may cause the front parking lights to be too bright and exceed the maximum light output (NHTSA 25V699000, reported October 15, 2025). As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with the federal standard for vehicle lamps and lighting equipment. Tesla concedes that parking lights that are too bright can reduce the visibility of oncoming drivers, increasing the risk of a crash. Tesla released a free over-the-air (OTA) software update; owner letters were mailed December 12, 2025. A recall is the manufacturer admitting in writing that the vehicle was sold defective — here, one that doesn't meet a federal safety standard. If Tesla can't make the vehicle right in a reasonable time, or the fix doesn't hold, your state's Lemon Law and the federal warranty acts may entitle you to a refund, a replacement vehicle, or cash, and RockPoint Law pursues that claim directly against Tesla.
The official NHTSA filing
| NHTSA Campaign | 25V699000 |
|---|---|
| Date Reported | October 15, 2025 |
| Manufacturer | Tesla, Inc. |
| Vehicles Affected | 63,619 |
| Models Covered | Tesla Cybertruck |
| Model Years | 2024–2026 |
| Defect | Controller software makes the front parking lights exceed the maximum light output; fails FMVSS 108 |
| Manufacturer Remedy | Free over-the-air (OTA) software update (software 2025.38.3 or later) |
| Tesla Customer Service | 1-877-798-3752 (Tesla recall no. SB-25-00-008) |
| Safety Severity | Visibility |
Can I keep driving while I wait for the repair?
NHTSA has not issued a Do Not Drive or Park Outside warning for this recall. You can generally keep driving while you wait for the free repair, but you should not ignore it: Parking lights that are too bright can reduce visibility of oncoming drivers, increasing the risk of a crash. Schedule the recall service as soon as parts are available, and keep every repair order in case the fix does not hold.
Parking lights that exceed the legal limit, and the glare they create
Federal lighting rules cap how bright a vehicle's front parking lights may be, precisely so they mark the vehicle without blinding the people driving toward it. In this recall, Tesla concedes that on these Cybertrucks “the vehicle controller software may cause the front parking lights to be too bright and exceed the maximum light output.” The hardware isn't the issue — the software that governs the lights is driving them past the limit the law sets.
This is a federal compliance failure, not just Tesla's own judgment of risk. The filing states the vehicles “fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108” and that “parking lights that are too bright can reduce visibility of oncoming drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.” Excess glare aimed at oncoming traffic is a hazard the standard exists to prevent, and a vehicle that doesn't meet a federal safety standard it was legally required to meet is a powerful fact in any warranty or Lemon Law claim.
The remedy is an over-the-air software update to bring the lights back within the legal limit. An OTA fix is convenient, but owners are right to ask whether a software patch fully and durably resolves a lighting system that shipped out of compliance, and whether future updates could reintroduce the problem. By filing recall 25V699000, Tesla has formally acknowledged the noncompliance. Whether the update actually makes the vehicle right, and keeps it right, is exactly the question a Lemon Law claim is built to test.
Cybertruck flagged for the parking-light recall? A defect that fails a federal safety standard is exactly the kind of issue that turns a recall into a claim. Let our attorneys review your service history.
Free Case Review →Why a federal-standard lighting failure raises the stakes
Owners are right to expect that a brand-new vehicle meets the federal safety standards it was legally required to meet on the day it was sold. When it doesn't , even because of software, that goes to the heart of a Lemon Law claim: safety, value, and trust in the vehicle.
A recall obligates Tesla to attempt a free repair — nothing more. It does not refund you, replace your Cybertruck, or compensate you for owning a vehicle that didn't meet a federal safety standard. A Lemon Law claim is your personal right to a real remedy when that repair comes up short, or when a string of software-related defects keeps the vehicle from being what you paid for. The recall proves the defect; the Lemon Law claim is how that proof becomes a refund.
A Lemon Law claim — under state statutes and the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act — generally turns on three elements, and a recall that admits a federal safety-standard failure helps satisfy the first two before you ever reach the dealer:
- A substantial defect — front parking lights that exceed the federal brightness limit can blind oncoming drivers — a safety failure, not a cosmetic one.
- The manufacturer's knowledge — recall 25V699000 is Tesla's written admission, on the record, that the controller software drove the parking lights out of compliance with a federal standard.
- A reasonable number of failed repair attempts — this is the part you build — by confirming the software version after the update, keeping records of it, and documenting if the lighting issue returns or a later update reintroduces it.
Protect the vehicle, and the record
Owners who recover the most treat every update and service visit as evidence. Here is the path that keeps your options open:
- Step 1 · Confirm
Verify your VIN and confirm the software version
Check your 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov or call Tesla at 1-877-798-3752 (Tesla recall SB-25-00-008). Confirm your Cybertruck is running software 2025.38.3 or later, which Tesla released free over the air to correct the parking-light output.
- Step 2 · Document
Record the update — in writing
Note the date the OTA update installed and the software version before and after. Keep the owner notification letter (mailed December 12, 2025) and any service records referencing recall 25V699000. For a software-based compliance fix, a clear record of the version history is your proof.
- Step 3 · Observe
Watch for the issue to return
After the update, note any sign the front parking lights are still too bright, or any later software update that appears to reintroduce the problem — the date, the version, and what you saw. A photo or video can help. A compliance defect the fix didn't durably resolve is exactly what to capture.
- Step 4 · Act
If Tesla can't make it right, call counsel
If the update doesn't hold, the problem recurs, or it's part of a pattern of defects that keeps the vehicle from being what you paid for, you may qualify for a buyback, replacement, or cash. That's the moment RockPoint Law takes it off your hands.
Cybertruck lighting issue back after the update? That instinct is worth checking. Send us your records and we'll tell you where you stand, free.
Talk to an Attorney →Tesla Cybertruck parking light recall & Lemon Law questions
Does the Cybertruck parking-light recall automatically make my vehicle a lemon?
No. Recall 25V699000 is Tesla conceding the controller software made the front parking lights exceed the federal brightness limit — strong evidence, but not the whole case. Whether your Cybertruck is a lemon depends on two more things: that the defect substantially impairs the vehicle, and that Tesla can't put it right in a reasonable number of attempts. A lighting issue that persists or recurs, or a pattern of software-related defects, is what tips it into a claim. We review your records and tell you if you've crossed that line.
The fix was an over-the-air update — does a software recall even count?
Yes. A recall is a recall whether the fix is a new part or a software update, and the underlying point is the same: Tesla has admitted in writing that the vehicle, as delivered, failed a federal safety standard. For a Lemon Law or warranty claim, a documented federal-standard noncompliance is a strong fact — and if software updates keep failing to resolve the issue, that pattern can itself support a claim.
Why does it matter that the lights fail a federal safety standard?
Tesla's filing states these vehicles fail to comply with the federal standard that governs vehicle lighting. A vehicle that doesn't meet a federal safety standard it was legally required to meet is, by definition, not as warranted. That goes to whether the vehicle was fit for sale in the first place — a point that carries real weight in a Lemon Law or warranty claim.
What does it cost to have RockPoint Law review my case?
Nothing to start. Your case review is free and confidential. In most Lemon Law and warranty matters the manufacturer pays attorney's fees if your claim succeeds, so you can pursue Tesla without paying us out of pocket. Lemon Law eligibility depends on the specific facts of your case.
Cybertruck lighting defect still not right after the recall?
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