Tesla Cybertruck: Viral Buzz and Backlash

October 2024


With its angular and armored appearance, Tesla’s Cybertruck had a highly-publicized debut as the futuristic truck designed to revolutionize the auto market. There was no shortage of buyers or hype surrounding its release, with Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk at one point stating that more than one million people held reservations ahead of the vehicle’s official release.

Despite a rocky launch, with manufacturing challenges, recalls, and delays, Tesla has so far delivered more than 11,000 trucks to eager customers. But for some of these enthusiastic early buyers, hype is clashing with reality of ownership challenges. 

Below, we explore some of the most viral Cybertruck complaints that have raised eyebrows and dampened the initial excitement of prospective buyers:


Tires Are Barely Lasting 6,000 Miles

After three months of basic daily driving their new Cybertruck, one owner was shocked to find their truck might need a new tire change. Though marketed for heavy-duty use, the Cybertruck’s premature tire replacement has sparked concerns about the real-world durability of components of a nearly 7,000-pound vehicle.

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Bricked After a Car Wash

After cleaning their Cybertruck at a drive-through carwash, an unlucky owner found out their vehicle’s screen went black and wouldn’t respond at all, even after performing the factory reboot procedure. The truck had to stay parked in his garage, where it took a complete reboot of 5 hours, before working properly again.

Elon says: Cybertruck will be waterproof enough to serve briefly as a boat. 

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Cybertruck’s Rear End Snaps While Pulling a Ford F-150

A Youtuber by the name of WhistlinDiesel put the Cybertruck under a series of durability experiments. These experiments were primarily for entertainment purposes, and one included pulling a stuck Ford F-150. Despite having an 11,000-lb towing capacity, the Cyberbeast’s frame snapped off in this “fun” demonstration.

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A Closing “Frunk” That Could Cut a Carrot in Half

A viral video showed the Cybertruck’s front trunk, or “frunk,” closing with enough force to snap a carrot in half. This safety hazard went viral and raised immediate attention at Tesla, prompting a software update to tweak the automatic closing mechanism.

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Armour Glass Windows Shatter During Demonstration

Of course, one of the earliest and most infamous Cybertruck fails occurred during its unveiling. Elon Musk demonstrated the truck’s armor glass windows by throwing a metal ball at them. To everyone’s shock, the windows shattered on impact and undermined claims of durability. 

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Owners Say They’re Being Denied Insurance Coverage

Users on social media and Cybertruck Owners Club forum reported difficulties in procuring insurance coverage, with one owner claiming their Cybertruck was dropped from an existing multi-car policy. 

Anecdotes of individual dropped policies fueled speculation that insurers were refusing to offer coverage for the unique vehicle. Soon after, however, companies like Geico and State Farm have pushed back and confirmed they do in fact cover the Cybertruck.

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