Just a few months after Tesla started delivering the long-awaited Cybertruck model to customers, issues have started to arise. Ironically, despite being bulletproof, the unique stainless steel body frame of the car turns out to be prone to rusting, causing much headache for many owners.
A member on the Cybertruck Owners Club forum reported noticing small orange spots appearing on the car after only driving it in the rain for two days. “Just picked up the Cybertruck today,” they wrote. “The sales advisor specifically mentioned that the Cybertruck will get an orange patina when driving in the rain and needs to be polished.”
This Cybertruck owner posted photos after washing the car with soap, showing the stainless steel panels of the car tarnished with small orange spots.
Another user also observed similar orange spots on their car after driving it in the rain in Los Angeles. “They noted the corrosion and said they will contact me next month when the kit arrives and they can perform the repair service,” the user said after taking the car to the local service center. “This Cybertruck has driven 612 km and spent the majority of the time in 11 days since I bought it parked outside the house.”
Heated debates erupted on the forum, with some suggesting that the discoloration could be due to coal dust, iron slag, or other pollutants.
Notably, Tesla itself mentioned the possibility of corrosion in the user manual, including the need for strict maintenance for this unique electric pickup truck.
“To prevent external damage, immediately remove corrosion agents (such as grease, oil, bird droppings, tree sap, dead insects, road tar, road salt, industrial fallout, …),” the company’s documentation stated. “Do not wait until Cybertruck needs a full-body wash.”
Another member of the Cybertruck Owners Club, who posted a screenshot of the documentation, wrote: “Stainless steel is the material of the Cybertruck, which is susceptible to corrosion as mentioned in the manual. Once the protective oxide layer is damaged, the corrosion process will start.”
Cybertruck owners are instructed to remove dirt and grease “with water and mild soap, no abrasive cleaners.”
Despite stainless steel’s resistance to rust and corrosion, using this material is still a questionable design decision. According to Tesla’s own marketing material, the Cybertruck is expected to be an all-terrain “workhorse” that can go anywhere anytime – but using stainless steel is turning it into a pricey collectible that you can only take out under ideal conditions.
The DeLorean sports car, another commercially produced model that used stainless steel body panels in the past
Nevertheless, it is not necessarily the end of the road. Another user wrote that their Cybertruck also had similar rust spots, but cleaning with Bar Keepers Friend and Windex solutions helped restore the car’s previous shine.
Furthermore, the Cybertruck is not the only car using stainless steel for its exterior body. Another mass-produced model that previously used this material was the DeLorean, the sports car featured in the famous sci-fi movie “Back to the Future” in 1985. Consequently, users are also sharing tips for keeping the car shiny, drawing from decades before when DeLorean owners applied them.
Some others, however, accept these limitations. “I think as long as you don’t drive it in the rain or let it get wet, you’ll be fine,” one user wrote.
