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Rust Spots/Corrosion is the Norm

Mini2nut

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The spreading of FUD is off the hook for Cybertruck exterior panel corrosion. I can't get over the traction this topic is getting.

Now everyone and their brother is coming up with a magical SS potion they want to sell. Wake up people!
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hridge2020

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Just picked up my Cybertruck today. The advisor specifically mentioned the cybertrucks develop orange rust marks in the rain and that required the vehicle to be buffed out. I know I heard the story of never take out your Delorean in the rain but I just never read anything about rust and Cybertrucks. All in all smooth delivery. The first 10 min of driving, the vehicle was pulling hard to the right…I turned around and went back to the service center thinking there was an issue. They scheduled me to a different service center near where I live but after putting on some more miles the pull went away.

I would try a product similar to this one first if such condition of SS has some corrosion.

Tesla Cybertruck Rust Spots/Corrosion is the Norm Zep Heavy-Duty 128 Fluid Ounces Degreaser in the Degreasers department at Lowes.com 2024-02-1

Tesla Cybertruck Rust Spots/Corrosion is the Norm Stainless Steel Passivation:
 

Sarge588

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Great video on this by Bearded Tesla Guy today.
 

HTownQ

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Exactly. I have never wiped down a vehicle, let alone a truck, after driving it. Closest I've come is running it through a car wash after a particularly dirty day.
When you road trip in the south there are plenty of bugs. Also wiping down a vehicle after a trip is a great way to inspect for any damage or possible problems resulting from the trip. Like Insaid, to each their own. Good luck with your CT, mine has been great so far. ?
 


Crissa

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So, you still had to baby it. it's a truck. I have no intention of wiping down my truck each time it rains or snows and gets salt on it, I live in Pa, and we get all types of weather. Maybe this is why they are mainly delivering to warmer places right now. I don't know. I could spend another 6 to 8 thousand on a wrap, just more money.
You don't have to do anything.

But you'll have to accept that steel turns more and more grey with time and little bits and marks of patina will build up.

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happy intruder

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If salt could cause rust this fast, we are gonna have PROBLEMS lol.
yep....thats why tesla has made it an "OPTION" to wrap.....cover-up the CT before it rusts and falls apart....just give-em another 6k......and oh yes, another 16k for the range promised at reveal.....
 

scottf200

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Great video on this by Bearded Tesla Guy today.
Via Wes -- Cybertruck Lead Engineer plus Reliability, Test, and Analysis for all Tesla vehicles.

_ Stainless is reactive and free iron that sits on it will rust. It's surface contamination only and can be cleaned off easily. Bar Keeper's Friend used here works well, citrisurf77 can also loosen the deposit and simply wipe it off. If anything stubborn use a blue non-scratch Scotch Brite pad as it won't leave any marks on the metal.

_ Iron becomes iron oxide until there's no free iron left to convert. In the process it creates red corrosion product which you'll see on the surface. Clean it anytime or don't if it doesn't bother you. It's not the base metal. The specs are about the size of the pin of a pinhead.
 
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Gigahorse

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When you road trip in the south there are plenty of bugs. Also wiping down a vehicle after a trip is a great way to inspect for any damage or possible problems resulting from the trip. Like Insaid, to each their own. Good luck with your CT, mine has been great so far. ?
I think asking people to wash/wipe down a vehicle, especially after a long road trip day is a lot. That said if you have 40-90mins at supercharging stops you can likely do it then, I wonder if Tesla will add a hose or cleaning station so you can clean the truck while you charge if bugs etc are going to damage it?
 


BannedByTMC

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I think asking people to wash/wipe down a vehicle, especially after a long road trip day is a lot. That said if you have 40-90mins at supercharging stops you can likely do it then, I wonder if Tesla will add a hose or cleaning station so you can clean the truck while you charge if bugs etc are going to damage it?
I doubt it's "going to damage it". Clean it when you can and polish it if needed/wanted. If you're really concerned put a coating on it when you first get it, there are a number of different options available.
 

agordon117

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I think asking people to wash/wipe down a vehicle, especially after a long road trip day is a lot. That said if you have 40-90mins at supercharging stops you can likely do it then, I wonder if Tesla will add a hose or cleaning station so you can clean the truck while you charge if bugs etc are going to damage it?
You mean like it damages paint? At least with the steel you can freshen it up quite easily if something does stain it (which, I do not believe bugs will do, that's a copy/paste cover their asses clause in the manual). With paint you have to do paint correction to remove the permanent marks in your clearcoat from bird crap if you don't clean it off asap.

I've never heard of anybody "wiping down a vehicle" after driving it. That's probably the worst thing you can do for a painted vehicle. You either wash it, or you don't touch the paint. If you wipe the paint without having washed the vehicle first, you're scratching it to hell. This thread was the first time I heard of such a practice. Do not take advice from anyone who would wipe down a painted vehicle without washing it first.
 

Gigahorse

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You mean like it damages paint? At least with the steel you can freshen it up quite easily if something does stain it (which, I do not believe bugs will do, that's a copy/paste cover their asses clause in the manual). With paint you have to do paint correction to remove the permanent marks in your clearcoat from bird crap if you don't clean it off asap.

I've never heard of anybody "wiping down a vehicle" after driving it. That's probably the worst thing you can do for a painted vehicle. You either wash it, or you don't touch the paint. If you wipe the paint without having washed the vehicle first, you're scratching it to hell. This thread was the first time I heard of such a practice. Do not take advice from anyone who would wipe down a painted vehicle without washing it first.
Yea I didn't know if it was a fancy car thing I was not aware of, but wiping down a vehicle after each drive seemed a little odd to me too.
Tesla Cybertruck Rust Spots/Corrosion is the Norm zimage7471
 

agordon117

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Yea I didn't know if it was a fancy car thing I was not aware of, but wiping down a vehicle after each drive seemed a little odd to me too.
zimage7471.png
Washing a vehicle after a road trip is good practice. "wiping it down" implies taking a rag or towel to the paint without a wash first. That's terrible practice.
 

Gigahorse

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Washing a vehicle after a road trip is good practice. "wiping it down" implies taking a rag or towel to the paint without a wash first. That's terrible practice.
Maybe I am just uneducated, but usually on a road trip by the time I arrive the last thing I am looking to do is wash my vehicle. Never heard of wiping it down so glad I didn't miss that one.
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