Cybertruck Air Compressor + Tire Repair Kit -- User Experience Review

[BeFamousVideo]

I definitely went through the "University of Youtube" route concerning the Tesla Tire Inflator/Deflator device, thankfully I did not have too much trouble getting it to work. Cant say anything about the tire repair kit as I dont have that. I do however pack my own 3rd party kit along with a full size spare tire when offroading.

Also what is adventure without a little adversity?

Trip earlier last summer. With the Tesla kit, successfully deflated tires from 50psi -> 20psi and ran through mild to moderate difficulty trails in the mountains, and reinflated back to 50psi before getting back on the roads to go home.

Would suggest getting some adjustable, mechanical tire deflators though if you want to be able to hit the trails quicker.

[/QUOTE]

Tesla needs a UX User Experience Team to help mature products.

My recent experience attempting to use the CT Tire Inflation Compressor turned a casual task of topping off my tires in my driveway to a mock 'Survival Experience' making it clear the CT needs a few more iterations of Actual Usability to arrive at a 'base' feature set for such/any a vehicle.

Pros
A. Inflator is fast and fills tire to preset pressure.
B. It is 'bitchen', comes in a case.
C. Has a very long AC power cord - so you can get to all four wheels - Provided they still attached to your CT.
D. Is Matt Black, tapered sides.
C. Includes Mystery Box: With a small separate box with a clear tube - which provides a subject of purpose ponderance - as you inflate your tires with the larger unit. You can ponder the purpose of the 'Mystery box'.
E. It does not have a handle. As this would violate the 'Design Ascetic'

Cons
1. Requires an internet connection: There are no illustrations/instructions on the unit itself. Only tiny lawyer required text on the bottom. Nor does the 'mystery box with a tube' that comes with it have any instruction as to what that extra thingy is.
*Now a tire inflater is not new technology - so we all know what to expect them to do, connect and operate. So the mystery box does not have any intuitive purpose to me.
** An inflator has 1 output minimum to the tire, then a power input if it is not battery.
*** I have no idea with the Mystery box is, but kept it in close to the inflator incase it needed company. It also added another obstacle to navigate as I was moving about inflating the tires.


2. It requires AC power to run - Fine: the CT bed and rear cabin have an AC outlet.
* However the AC outlets do not work when charging?! - 'I guess' because I was plugged into my charger.
** When attempting to enable the AC cargo ports from the CT dash, they report 'disabled' and 'see user manual'.
*** The user manual section - hyperlinked only covers the USB ports, with NO mention of how and why the AC ports are not enabled.
****It would be nice to have an user 'ON Override' for the AC outlets.

3. The unit does not have a handle: It's large: Childs lunchbox size and weights enough that it not quite easy to handle with one hand - while your other hand is managing the 30' AC cord, tire valve cap, and maybe a flashlight.
* It 'bitchen' matt black with a cool touchscreen, so I'd not want to drop it, and let it tumble down my driveway.
** It's does not appear to be robust, drop proof, it has sharp corners, no rubber protective boots around it.
*** It is clear it was testing inside an airconditioned office, and nobody dropped it or knocked it over, Toppled /Dragged it by the 30' cord.

4. It does not have a Flashlight: About 1/2 of everyday is night, and you can have low tire pressure at night and flats.
* As it plugged into AC power - it would be nice if it had a light to illuminate, the black rims, black valve stem, black inflator in the dark of night.

5. It is clear this unit is not usable for offroad, or actual roadside tire repair and inflation. Certainly not a night on a rough hwy roadside. Its current design only adds to the peril and frustration of tire inflation and repair.

6. It is 'packaged' as if it is a complete 'set' and $$$ priced as such. But it is not, you need some gloves, flashlight, maybe a little tray on the inflator to hold the valve cap. [Yes, I put those back...]

7. The padded case is nice, does not function to allow the unit to be used & protected by the case during use. I am sure the gust of a passing Semi - will have the empty case tumbling across the hwy.

This post is driven by the rabbit hole I had to go thru to simply inflate my tires, something I've done quite a few times. IN MY OWN DRIVEWAY.

My mind is now set on finding an alternative, tire repair and inflation kit, and free up the space this clumsy square thing takes.

I purchased this because I have to expended my $2,500 Foundation Store Credits before the end of year.

During a 500 mile road trip I added a stop at Pismo Beach, CA to drive on the beach and grill burgers at Sunset using my Ninja electric grill. It was the perfect pit stop. It was also my first experience deflating and inflating tires on the go. I was reminded of the value of having the right equipment to get this done so I could get back on my trip. It's a very cool thing to jump off road deflate and inflate and resume the destination almost effortlessly. The inflator device I picked was low priced and it overheated twice before I could fill 4 tires and it was dark on a side road. Hopefully Tesla will find an even better product to put their label on soon.

Before my next off-road adventure I'm definitely in the market for a durable Cybertruck worthy deflate/inflate device. After my first deflating experience of those huge awesome AT tires I see the value.
Also I now keep a box of rubber gloves too, that's a dirty job I don't want my space ship control wheel grimed up. I admit this CT has been a pavement princess city truck that desperately wants to go off-road. The CT is my 4th truck and 1st off road capable.

The versatility of the Cybertruck is simply badass and I love it.
When are we getting door seals and inflatable bumpers for the CT so we can drive through lakes? Maybe we can go fishing out the back? Hey, it's not impossible.

.

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[PungoteagueDave]

It does have a handle. It does have directions. The “mystery box” is clearly sealant to use with the pump for a puncture scenario (why most people would buy it). You just have no idea what you were “buying” because you didn’t spend real money on it and after half assed trying to use it, you came on here to bitch about it being junk, when in reality you just don’t know what you are doing. Overpriced, sure, but your complaints about your experience are mostly because you didn’t even know what you were getting.

How would you suggest learning about the product? I have the system, was equally baffled, figured it out but that simply isn’t required for any alternative. The system is clearly an experiment in design over practical real-world-usage. Kind of like the CT itself, so appropriate. The goo pod is just silly, has no case or space in the case for the rest of the system. There are literally no instructions without using the QR code, and then no instructions unless you have internet. this is an item that sits in storage and is used in emergencies. Those two facts say that sharp edges and lacking basic functionality found in almost all inflators is a design fail. The goop system especially is strange - it looks like it should attach somewhere, but doesn’t, has no handle, or any provision for storage. Beyond weird - ET-level stuff.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

No, there is a handle on the actual compressor.

Which proves the original point - the handle COULDN’T be more hidden. 90% of users would never know it was there. And try it in the dark and cold by the side of the road - it should be OBVIOUS. Again, design over functionality. Defending this and blaming OP defines fanboi.

 

[JCERRN]

Which proves the original point - the handle COULDN’T be more hidden. 90% of users would never know it was there. And try it in the dark and cold by the side of the road - it should be OBVIOUS. Again, design over functionality. Defending this and blaming OP defines fanboi.

Oh I'm not defending it… I'm just simply pointing out that it’s there.
I agree this could have been better executed and better priced.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

I would use pressures under 36 PSI if I was in sand that was so fine and dry that I needed more floatation. Or old snowpack. Or certain types of soft but thick mud. I'm the kind of off-roader that goes off-road to get to less accessible places, beautiful places, or to access high trailheads or backcountry skiing. I don't go off-road to pretend I'm rugged or manly, I just want to be able to get out there. Generally, the actually challenge is very minimal, unless there is a washout, a flood, a landslide or a tree blocking the path. I might air down for a particularly challenging (loose material, wet, etc) washout in the trail, but probably only to 35 psi or so. If I thought I needed less than that, I would think twice about entering the washout. If I entered and had sinking problems, I would immediately air down to whatever I think I needed.

If I know I'm going to be off-road all day on firm surfaces, I might air down to 40 psi, mostly for passenger comfort, even though I know I don't need to air down at all. If speeds are going to be under 35 or 45 mph, there is not a lot of downside to that.

With regular street-going All-Terrain tires, I would avoid doing any kind of jagged/steep rock climbing that I didn't think could be safely negotiated with 36 PSI. But you might be surprised what kind of rugged, steep rock the Cybertruck can safely handle either not aired down at all, or just with a minimal airing down for slightly more compliance. The All-Terrain tires people commonly run on the Cybertruck are not tires engineered for rock-crawling, nor are they engineered as floatation tires (or designed to conform around rocks). Tires like that would completely suck on the highway and I wouldn't run them because I don't want to have to change wheels every time I go off-road. That would be over 100 wheel changes per year!

We see the same thing in the adventure motorcycling community. When hitting dirt, mud, water crossings, or sand (I’ve ridden the Sahara, Gobi and Mojave’s deep sand roads) I never air down. The key is correct tread pattern and composition for the conditions. I recognize that having 4 wheels is a different thing, and do see the big Unimogs and smaller trucks with auto-inflation systems in the Dakar, which I’ve chased in the most extreme off-road conditions possible, but the lighter vehicles, quads and bikes don’t bother, focus more on tire selection.

 

[HaulingAss]

There are ways around it for these things, but that is why it's an issue in these scenarios....but like someone mentioned above, it's just something about AC charging that makes it impossible.

I think it's the onboard charger that is used as an inverter to convert the battery's DC output into A/C rather than having an additional (and expensive) stand alone inverter for providing A/C power outlets. . It probably simply can't do both at the same time.

If that's not the particular issue, it's most likely a safety feature to prevent a know-nothing from trying to charge their Cybertruck from the 240V (or 120V) outlet in the bed. I can see bad things happening when plugging the truck into itself.

In either case the limitation is not surprising at all, it's due to physics. Anyone blaming Tesla for this limitation is living in a reality I don't care to become familiar with.

 

[HaulingAss]

Some people have a Fridge/freezer permanently mounted in their footwell. Like this one:

I don't have one of these because I currently prefer to use that space for other storage for things I like to have easy access to besides cold drinks. But for those who do use these, when charging at home causing them to turn off could be problematic without other work-arounds...

Some people also have to consdier charging at other locations other than just at home...different people have different needs.... (not me currently...)

It seems like faulty install design if someone installed a fridge that depends solely on the on-board 120V power with no accommodation for an alternative source of power (assuming they wanted the fridge to operate when plugged into utility power). They assumed the on-board power was an uninterruptible source of 120V power without checking the actual facts.

Blaming Tesla for their own lack of system design expertise and lack of thoroughness is the height of the kind of entitled attitudes that seems all too common these days. So disconnected from reality.

 

[HaulingAss]

Also what is adventure without a little adversity?

I call that a more enjoyable adventure!

I don't mind a good series of challenges, but I prefer to solve them before they become a problem.

.

 

[Bridgeboy69]

Anyone blaming Tesla for this limitation is living in a reality I don't care to become familiar with.

Blaming Tesla for their own lack of system design expertise and lack of thoroughness is the height of the kind of entitled attitudes that seems all too common these days. So disconnected from reality.

Wait, who said anyone is blaming Tesla for anything here? This issue doesn't even affect me personally, I have just mentioned what I have read others on these forums discuss...and I said there are ways around it. It was simply said it is an "issue," that if you want something powered continually 24/7 from your truck, you have to do a work-around because the AC ports don't stay powered while the truck is charging.

Work arounds involve powering it from the 48V frunk feed, which always stay on if you want it to, or using a seperate battery power bank to power your device. It's just a simple fact that the AC ports don't work while the truck is charging and nobody is "blaming" Tesla for that. It's just a fact which I'm sure has a perfectly valid reason for being that way.

 

[JackCypher]

I think it's the onboard charger that is used as an inverter to convert the battery's DC output into A/C rather than having an additional (and expensive) stand alone inverter for providing A/C power outlets. . It probably simply can't do both at the same time.

If that's not the particular issue, it's most likely a safety feature to prevent a know-nothing from trying to charge their Cybertruck from the 240V (or 120V) outlet in the bed. I can see bad things happening when plugging the truck into itself.

In either case the limitation is not surprising at all, it's due to physics. Anyone blaming Tesla for this limitation is living in a reality I don't care to become familiar with.

Wait, who said anyone is blaming Tesla for anything here? This issue doesn't even affect me personally, I have just mentioned what I have read others on these forums discuss...and I said there are ways around it. It was simply said it is an "issue," that if you want something powered continually 24/7 from your truck, you have to do a work-around because the AC ports don't stay powered while the truck is charging.

Work arounds involve powering it from the 48V frunk feed, which always stay on if you want it to, or using a separate battery power bank to power your device. It's just a simple fact that the AC ports don't work while the truck is charging and nobody is "blaming" Tesla for that. It's just a fact which I'm sure has a perfectly valid reason for being that way.

My issue is why can't the Tesla dashboard simply display that the AC ports are disabled while charging. There is no reason for them to not work while charging from a capability standpoint. I know this technology quite well - space craft solar charge the batteries AND power all the electronics at the same time.

I would have been fine with disconnecting the charger to get the AC ports working - then to use the compressor to get my tires topped off. Provided the system tells me this information - which is odd it cannot - when it is the actual system controlling and actively disabling the AC.

I can only read the information I am presented with. The hyper-focus on this is from our current world where software updates occur without our consent across the board - and we are now 'desensitized' to features disappearing and simply expected to 'deal with it'. Or you find from a 'smartass' comment that they 'moved' that function to another menu - and you are somehow 'the fool' because you did not know that.

Having built equipment and military field equipment, the real test is giving it to someone who's never seen it before; has a ultimate task to complete and your system is only minor part of that task. It is humbling and gratifying to hear raw inputs, and realize how 'unimportant' your widget is on the scheme of someone's job/life. We all love stuff 'that just works'.

Regards
Jack

 

[JackCypher]

Tesla needs a UX User Experience Team to help mature products.

My recent experience attempting to use the CT Tire Inflation Compressor turned a casual task of topping off my tires in my driveway to a mock 'Survival Experience' making it clear the CT needs a few more iterations of Actual Usability to arrive at a 'base' feature set for such/any a vehicle.

Pros
A. Inflator is fast and fills tire to preset pressure.
B. It is 'bitchen', comes in a case.
C. Has a very long AC power cord - so you can get to all four wheels - Provided they still attached to your CT.
D. Is Matt Black, tapered sides.
C. Includes Mystery Box: With a small separate box with a clear tube - which provides a subject of purpose ponderance - as you inflate your tires with the larger unit. You can ponder the purpose of the 'Mystery box'.
E. It does not have a handle. As this would violate the 'Design Ascetic'

Cons
1. Requires an internet connection: There are no illustrations/instructions on the unit itself. Only tiny lawyer required text on the bottom. Nor does the 'mystery box with a tube' that comes with it have any instruction as to what that extra thingy is.
*Now a tire inflater is not new technology - so we all know what to expect them to do, connect and operate. So the mystery box does not have any intuitive purpose to me.
** An inflator has 1 output minimum to the tire, then a power input if it is not battery.
*** I have no idea with the Mystery box is, but kept it in close to the inflator incase it needed company. It also added another obstacle to navigate as I was moving about inflating the tires.


2. It requires AC power to run - Fine: the CT bed and rear cabin have an AC outlet.
* However the AC outlets do not work when charging?! - 'I guess' because I was plugged into my charger.
** When attempting to enable the AC cargo ports from the CT dash, they report 'disabled' and 'see user manual'.
*** The user manual section - hyperlinked only covers the USB ports, with NO mention of how and why the AC ports are not enabled.
****It would be nice to have an user 'ON Override' for the AC outlets.

3. The unit does not have a handle: It's large: Childs lunchbox size and weights enough that it not quite easy to handle with one hand - while your other hand is managing the 30' AC cord, tire valve cap, and maybe a flashlight.
* It 'bitchen' matt black with a cool touchscreen, so I'd not want to drop it, and let it tumble down my driveway.
** It's does not appear to be robust, drop proof, it has sharp corners, no rubber protective boots around it.
*** It is clear it was testing inside an airconditioned office, and nobody dropped it or knocked it over, Toppled /Dragged it by the 30' cord.

4. It does not have a Flashlight: About 1/2 of everyday is night, and you can have low tire pressure at night and flats.
* As it plugged into AC power - it would be nice if it had a light to illuminate, the black rims, black valve stem, black inflator in the dark of night.

5. It is clear this unit is not usable for offroad, or actual roadside tire repair and inflation. Certainly not a night on a rough hwy roadside. Its current design only adds to the peril and frustration of tire inflation and repair.

6. It is 'packaged' as if it is a complete 'set' and $$$ priced as such. But it is not, you need some gloves, flashlight, maybe a little tray on the inflator to hold the valve cap. [Yes, I put those back...]

7. The padded case is nice, does not function to allow the unit to be used & protected by the case during use. I am sure the gust of a passing Semi - will have the empty case tumbling across the hwy.

This post is driven by the rabbit hole I had to go thru to simply inflate my tires, something I've done quite a few times. IN MY OWN DRIVEWAY.

My mind is now set on finding an alternative, tire repair and inflation kit, and free up the space this clumsy square thing takes.

I purchased this because I have to expended my $2,500 Foundation Store Credits before the end of year.

For the group: The compressor does NOT have a handle - at least according to the 'Manual' which we are to take as 'God's word' so...if you think you found one , put it back!

 

[JackCypher]

No, there is a handle on the actual compressor.

No there is not!...According to the Manual - there is NO mention of a handle. Perhaps it is a 'field antenna'?. You should put that back down immediately! ;-)

 

[HaulingAss]

I would have been fine with disconnecting the charger to get the AC ports working - then to use the compressor to get my tires topped off. Provided the system tells me this information - which is odd it cannot - when it is the actual system controlling and actively disabling the AC.

The mention of power to AC power outlets being disabled when an AC charging cable is connected appears in two different places of the Cybertruck owner's manual:

On page 21 (in the Interior Power Outlets section) and on page 192 (in the Cargo Bed Outlets section) of the Cybertruck Owner's Manual.

 

[JackCypher]

Thanks , H.A.

It appears the dash documentation and the manual are not using the same documentation.

I would offer since the CT is subjected to software updates, the dash manual / in vehicle documentation would be more up-to-date..as changes in the update would include the documentation. As it does for example FSD which is very verbose outlining the latest software update features, when you start after an update.

Regards and Happy Holidays!
Jack

The mention of power to AC power outlets being disabled when an AC charging cable is connected appears in two different places of the Cybertruck owner's manual:

On page 21 (in the Interior Power Outlets section) and on page 192 (in the Cargo Bed Outlets section) of the Cybertruck Owner's Manual.

 

[JCERRN]

No there is not!...According to the Manual - there is NO mention of a handle. Perhaps it is a 'field antenna'?. You should put that back down immediately! ;-)

You know, the first place i looked was the user manual and you are right. Its not mentioned in there at all. “Hehe lets make it an easteregg so they feel like they are getting extra features”

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