The Cybertruck’s Steel Body May Have Rust Issues
Time to bust out the Bar Keepers Friend.
The raw stainless steel look of the Cybertruck may be iconic, but its durability is already in question.
A couple of Cybertruck owners have posted about potential rust-related issues when it comes to the electric truck’s exterior. Raxar, a user on the Cybertruck Owners Club forum, shared images of their Cybertruck following a dish soap wash and driving the EV for two days in the rain. More recently, user vertigo3pc also showed off some images of their Cybertruck with corrosion marks after reportedly driving around in the rain.
With Tesla ramping up Cybertruck deliveries, we’re not surprised to see some issues float to the surface since customers now have their hands on them. Since we’ve gotten to know more about the Cybertruck, we’ve found out about sharp frunk closures and weak charge times — though the latter will probably be adjusted in a later software update.
Still, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard about cosmetic issues with the Cybertruck’s exterior since some owners showed off how the EV attracts fingerprints. Between fingerprints and these rusty flecks, it sounds like you’ll need some consistent elbow grease to keep your Cybertruck pristine.
User vertigo3pc’s Cybertruck started showing signs of corrosion.
Is It Rust-Proof?
The stock Cybertruck has a stainless steel exterior that’s supposed to “reduce dents, damage, and long-term corrosion,” according to Tesla. Still, the Cybertruck’s manual says you should immediately wash off any bird droppings, dead bugs, or tree sap to prevent any damage to the body. Needing to wipe your car clean of debris isn’t exclusive to the Cybertruck, but this could lead to worse consequences since it would affect the stainless steel body instead of a traditional car’s exterior paint. You could opt to apply a paint film to your Cybertruck, but it’ll run you an extra $5,000 for a clear one and $6,000 for black or white.
From the Cybertruck Owner Forums posts, the owners believe these corrosion marks came from driving around in the rain, but other members say the issue could be caused by rail dust that found its way onto the EV, especially if your Cybertruck was shipped via train. Either way, the stainless steel body could prove to be problematic if you’re located somewhere that deals with a lot of rainfall, salted roads, or humidity.
Raxar also reported seeing some corrosion on their Cybertruck following driving around in the rain.
Color-Changing EV
For anyone experiencing these rust flecks, it’s probably best to bring your Cybertruck into Tesla Service. It may take a while, but your alternative is to use a cleaner like Bar Keepers Friend to take care of the orange spots on your own. It’s hard to say if this is a widespread issue with Cybertrucks since Tesla is still rolling out the first shipments of its electric truck. Still, it sounds like you’re signing up for a lot of maintenance unless you want a nice rusty patina on your $60,000 Cybertruck.
