The Cybertruck, Tesla’s very first enterprise into the world of pickups, has had a troublesome begin in life since its first launch occasion again in 2019 when its “break-proof” home windows did not cease a metallic ball being thrown at them; there have been loads of studies about its design flaws and mechanical failures. Whereas some complaints have turned out to be rooted in real points, others have turned out to not be as critical as initially thought. Let’s undergo among the Cybertruck’s most well-known issues, from rust to water injury, and set up whether or not they are surely value worrying about:
Accelerator Pedal Issues: Sure
One of many main points that affected the Cybertruck was the malfunctioning accelerator pedal, which might change into caught, resulting in a harmful, out-of-control automobile. The issue began earlier than the primary vehicles have been even delivered to their new houses. Some potential Cybertruck homeowners obtained a notification from Tesla, generally the day earlier than their anticipated supply, informing them of a delay within the arrival of their truck.
The explanation for the deliveries being stopped for every week ultimately emerged. Through the meeting of the Cybertruck, a soapy lubricant was used to suit the accelerator pedal cowl onto the pedal, which made it susceptible to dislodging.
This might lead to two equally harmful potentialities: the accelerator pedal changing into jammed in an “on” place or the free pedal cowl changing into caught underneath the brake pedal, making it inconceivable to decelerate. Whereas, at first, Tesla service facilities solved the issue with a short lived repair (drilling via the pedal cowl and the pedal, becoming a member of them with a rivet), ultimately, Tesla was pressured to enact a voluntary NHTSA recall, which affected 3,878 Cybertrucks. Recalled autos will obtain a extra everlasting repair which entails the alternative of the entire pedal meeting in accordance with specification, with no rogue lubricant concerned.
Wiper Motor Security Difficulty: Sure
The latest bump within the street for the Cybertruck took place due to a difficulty with its wiper motor. Round every week in the past, a number of members of the Cybertruck House owners Membership discussion board reported their deliveries had been delayed by not less than every week resulting from a security subject involving the windshield wiper motor. Different customers who had already obtained their vehicles reported having points with their windshield wipers not working, leading to them changing into stranded in poor climate situations as they may not see outdoors the automobile whereas driving. Tesla first grew to become conscious of the problem in Feburary, and after testing was performed, it was found that in the course of the truck’s manufacturing course of a useful take a look at was making use of extreme present to the wiper motor’s circuit board, damaging it within the course of. As the problem can’t be solved via over-the-air updates, over 11,000 affected Cybertrucks have been recalled earlier this month.
Rust And Corrosion: No (Not Truly Rusting)
What began out as a significant criticism concerning the Cybertruck turned out to be a false alarm. Earlier than its debut, one of many Cybertruck’s much-hyped promoting factors was its incapacity to rust, due to its stainless-steel physique. Nevertheless, after the primary vehicles began being delivered to their new homeowners on the finish of 2023, a number of social media posts started to drift across the web, displaying orange-brown spots of what seemed to be rust on the floor of brand-new Cybertrucks. Nevertheless, Tesla caught wind of what was occurring and stepped in to make clear the scenario: the “rust” showing on the Cybertruck wasn’t truly rust in any respect.
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Tesla engineer Wes Morrill, who labored on the event of the Cybertruck, posted on X that the spots have been truly “floor contamination”. In different phrases, they’re rust spots. Nevertheless, it’s not the Cybertruck itself that’s rusting, however superficial deposits of free iron that decide on the automobile’s floor and might simply be wiped away. His publish specified that “[the Cybertruck’s] chrome steel is reactive and free iron that sits on it’s going to rust”. He additionally said the chrome steel used on the Cybertruck has the next stage of resistance to rusting than marine-grade chrome steel, a declare that seems to be backed up by Elon Musk himself. So in case you are a Cybertruck proprietor, rust shouldn’t be particularly excessive in your listing of issues, so long as you retain the truck clear and be careful for iron deposits (there’s even a devoted part within the “Cybertruck DIY” information that explains easy methods to take away them).
Automobile Wash Electrical Points: Sure
The Tesla Cybertruck is the newest automobile within the model’s lineup to come back with a devoted “Automobile Wash Mode”, which closes all of the home windows, shuts down “Sentry Mode” (a 360-degree digital camera monitoring perform) and disables the windshield wipers. The aim of Automobile Wash Mode is to guard the automobile and stop injury to its electrical parts when going via an automated automotive wash. Nevertheless, the presence of the Automobile Wash Mode appears to be at odds with the steering printed by Tesla within the Cybertruck’s consumer handbook; a highlighted observe advises customers to not take their truck via an automatic automotive wash in any respect. The handbook even specifies that automotive wash-related injury isn’t coated by the Cybertruck’s guarantee.
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A latest Tesla buyer’s subject with bringing their Cybertruck via a automotive wash has raised issues concerning the automobile’s Automobile Wash Mode characteristic.
The steering appears to be there for a purpose: in accordance with a number of Cybertruck homeowners’ social media posts, together with one publish by TikTok consumer @captian.advert that gained reputation a couple of months again, the automobile will be affected by going via a automotive wash to the purpose of changing into fully unresponsive. Whereas the Automobile Wash Mode does considerably assist stop water from moving into the truck’s main electrical parts, it doesn’t cease the automobile from being liable to changing into bricked till an entire reset is carried out.
Getting Caught In Sand: No (Driver Error)
The Cybertruck’s character as a automobile has been described as “apocalypse-proof” by Elon Musk himself, and the imaginative and prescient driving its growth was that of a Mad Max-esque impenetrable fortress able to resisting assaults and the weather alike. When the primary set of Cybertrucks was delivered to their homeowners, everybody was keen to check out its capabilities off the crushed monitor, from mud to snow to sand. The latter proved to be an even bigger impediment for the Cybertruck than initially thought: quickly, a number of studies of Cybertrucks changing into caught within the sand and having to be towed again to security began to emerge on social media. One memorable instance is that this Cybertruck which made the native information on the island of Nantucket after changing into caught on the seaside.
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Nevertheless, this subject is probably going unrelated to a producing defect or design flaw, with consumer error extra prone to be accountable. The Cybertruck’s consumer handbook specifies that drivers ought to decrease tire strain earlier than trying off-road driving on smooth surfaces, together with sand and gravel, from the usual 50 psi to 18-22 psi. Many first-time off-roaders weren’t conscious this was a obligatory step and easily took their Cybertrucks out for an journey with out ample preparation. The Cybertruck additionally obtained an over-the-air replace, which makes it far more helpful off-road.
Conclusion: You Win Some, You Lose Some
Equally hyped and maligned, the Cybertruck has attracted consideration from each followers and haters since its launch. Whereas among the mechanical and design flaws that grew to become the topic of social media debate proved to be real points, others turned out to be the results of hypothesis moderately than precise issues. The Cybertruck could also be going via some teething troubles, however among the studies which have been circulating on social media have been blown barely out of proportion.
