Update: Aero Wheel Cover Recall reason = making contact with tire sidewall, wearing down rubber

[hridge2020]

Watching the video, has anyone commented on the fact it looks like the rim has chips / damage at the top of each spoke? Is that from the aero covers? I'm kind of shocked he didn't mention that at all, or at least show if it's dirty vs chipped.

Edit- added pictures

Clamp marks from aero covers

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[ED_SFO]

This is the reason why I wouldn't want a first Gen vehicle...although this is a minor issue....imagine others that are not as apparent. End of 2025 is when I was my Cybertruck....by then all the gremlins should be worked out.

 

[T Sportline]

Watching the video, has anyone commented on the fact it looks like the rim has chips / damage at the top of each spoke? Is that from the aero covers? I'm kind of shocked he didn't mention that at all, or at least show if it's dirty vs chipped.

Edit- added pictures

Gang,

A few things:

1 - Someone above mentioned 1/4" (.250); to be clear, no - we haven't seen anything deeper than .120" at this point - and nothing into the cords. We've had around 25 trucks come through, varying mileage, varying degee of scuffing (tire inflation and vehicle loading plays a factor too)

2 - Spoke damage from aero covers - It's mostly grime / dirt. Scuffed a bit?, sure. But not as bad as it looked here. Check the photos below, before/after wiping off the road grime. That said, aero covers scuffing/scratching the underlying wheel is nothing new, nor exclusive to Tesla. We see this on Rivians, and all prior Tesla models (3, Y, S). Aero covers are generally going to cause scuffs on the wheels if they are the press on / pull off design and the clamps go on spokes or the contact patch sits on the face of the spoke.

I'd take your covers off for now. Tesla will have a revised cover I am sure. Won't be a big deal moving forward - the issue is already contained to just the initial limited deliveries.

Thanks!

 

[cvalue13]

Couldn't they line up the cover with the sidewall groove a little better haha

that is a miss-matched aero

those are the aero’s for the all season Pirelli

 

[valleyCPAP]

that is a miss-matched aero

those are the aero’s for the all season Pirelli

Yes, of course. I was just thinking if the arrows could be matched it would look better

 

[bdesign]

Thank you!

Okay
Although I’m nowhere near a delivery date (order placed 01/18), I don’t like the wheel covers WHATSOEVER, so I couldn’t help but order these and they came in today.

The center caps surprised me; although they’re plastic, they have a metal overlay. They look and feel great.

The lug covers are a hard, cheap feeling shiny plastic.

I may look into a flexible vinyl type I’ve used before.

Thanks @a-lam for finding these!

 

[a-lam]

Okay
Although I’m nowhere near a delivery date (order placed 01/18), I don’t like the wheel covers WHATSOEVER, so I couldn’t help but order these and they came in today.

The center caps surprised me; although they’re plastic, they have a metal overlay. They look and feel great.

The lug covers are a hard, cheap feeling shiny plastic.

I may look into a flexible vinyl type I’ve used before.

Thanks @a-lam for finding these!

Sure thing!

Yeah, the lug nut covers aren't perfect but they've stayed on so far and they come in a 24-pack. @Eddyrelik shared these in a different thread that might fit the matte aesthetic better but require buying two sets: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071PD23MW/

 

[rudedawg78]

This is the reason why I wouldn't want a first Gen vehicle...although this is a minor issue....imagine others that are not as apparent. End of 2025 is when I was my Cybertruck....by then all the gremlins should be worked out.

Same! 2025 Cybertruckers!

 

[cybertruckgg]

Congratulations! I’m a bit jealous but not too much. I ordered mine on day one. Of course it wasn’t called a CyberBeast back then. I ordered a tri-motor with all the bells and whistles on it, including FSD. So far I have heard only crickets from Tesla. I’m in Idaho now, but didn’t designate a location when I ordered. I have since installed solar with two Tesla Power Walls and a charging port so I’m all set, just no CyberTruck in the garage. I even have my personalized plates already picked out and delivered. (See pic) :-( My order confirmation number is 11291####. I’m not in a rush. We could stand a few more months of time to save, with the price hike and all.

Gang,

A few things:

1 - Someone above mentioned 1/4" (.250); to be clear, no - we haven't seen anything deeper than .120" at this point - and nothing into the cords. We've had around 25 trucks come through, varying mileage, varying degee of scuffing (tire inflation and vehicle loading plays a factor too)

2 - Spoke damage from aero covers - It's mostly grime / dirt. Scuffed a bit?, sure. But not as bad as it looked here. Check the photos below, before/after wiping off the road grime. That said, aero covers scuffing/scratching the underlying wheel is nothing new, nor exclusive to Tesla. We see this on Rivians, and all prior Tesla models (3, Y, S). Aero covers are generally going to cause scuffs on the wheels if they are the press on / pull off design and the clamps go on spokes or the contact patch sits on the face of the spoke.

I'd take your covers off for now. Tesla will have a revised cover I am sure. Won't be a big deal moving forward - the issue is already contained to just the initial limited deliveries.

Thanks!

Really appreciate this, definitely clears up that it's not as bad as it looked. Given that you have experience seeing cover wear on other vehicles, and the Cybertruck has some at 2k miles, do you anticipate then it's on par with the others, and would still be acceptable after 10k, 25k, 50k, etc.? I've never owned a vehicle with covers/caps personally.

 

[WHIZZARD OF OZ]

UPDATED 2/1/24 WITH EXPLANATION / REASON FOR RECALL:

Original post:

Well - another issue just popped up. I was delivered my CT on the 24th without covers. No explanation other than they would be sending a tech to install the caps on the 1st.

Tomorrow is the 1st and I just received another message that they won’t be delivering becuase they are investigating all the covers and they won’t be delivering the caps until March.

this sounds a bit like nightmare you can’t make up. I get they are only the finish wheel hubs, but seems insane.

Anyone else having this issue?

If you really want the 'aero' from day one, get ahold of the smaller diameter 'caps' if they're compatible.

 

[T Sportline]

Really appreciate this, definitely clears up that it's not as bad as it looked. Given that you have experience seeing cover wear on other vehicles, and the Cybertruck has some at 2k miles, do you anticipate then it's on par with the others, and would still be acceptable after 10k, 25k, 50k, etc.? I've never owned a vehicle with covers/caps personally.

My thought is the aero cover tips are subject to wear into the tire sidewall up to a limited depth, but they will not keep wearing indefinitely (eventually they will have worn a "clearance grove" into the sidewall). If the tire pressure drops (leak, extreme cold, or etc), wear can worsen because the contact patch 'bulge' will widen as the tire is deflated. And yes, maximizing inflation will reduce wear due to minimizing the contact patch bulge. Realistically, you'll get 10-20k out of the OEM Goodyear tires before the tire treads wear out (aftermarket Goodyear tires use a slightly different rubber and will last longer BTW, TBD but over 20k is very possible). Other things can impact wear too...variations in parts (+/-), turning frequency will affect wear (tire / body roll increases or decreases contact), vehicle load will affect wear (more load = more contact patch bulge), rain or dry will affect wear (wet is effectively a lube and reduces wear, heat expands materials and could increase wear), covers could be missinstalled and angled in/out slightly....lots of factors.

For me personally, I wouldn't sweat it - pull them off for now or trim the rubber tips back to increase clearance to the tire (but that will alter the look). Tesla is going to have an alternative cover in short order. If you have these original covers, awesome - they will be rare soon enough! Pop them on at shows, pop them off when driving. Give it a few years and they will likely be worth $$$ on ebay!

 

[cvalue13]

How can you tell if you have OEM or aftermarket Goodyear Cybertruck tires? ONLY the OEM Cybertruck tires say "Territory RT" on the backside

first off, thanks - I had no idea the OEM Goodyear sidewalls were asymmetrical, such that one could flip the tire on the wheel to have a “normal” wrangler sidewall

separately….

Granted it’s too early in the morning and I’ve not had my jitter juice yet

but I don’t quite understand the part of “how to tell OEM vs Aftermarket”

if we’re talking about the Cybertruck-specific Goodyear, can’t you just look at the tire? (Glancing under the truck if needed, in the case someone has flipped the OEMs on their wheels?)


separately…

Again could be lack of jitter-juice, but

Don’t these asymmetrical sidewalks mean that tire rotation options are going to be limited?

And god help the mathematician that tries to work into the rotation a matching spare

 

[Jackson0810]

Since there is no real timeline on when the new aero covers will be released, I think at the very least Tesla should have provided lug nut and center cap covers.

 

[T Sportline]

first off, thanks - I had no idea the OEM Goodyear sidewalls were asymmetrical, such that one could flip the tire on the wheel to have a “normal” wrangler sidewall

separately….

Granted it’s too early in the morning and I’ve not had my jitter juice yet

but I don’t quite understand the part of “how to tell OEM vs Aftermarket”

if we’re talking about the Cybertruck-specific Goodyear, can’t you just look at the tire? (Glancing under the truck if needed, in the case someone has flipped the OEMs on their wheels?)


separately…

Again could be lack of jitter-juice, but

Don’t these asymmetrical sidewalks mean that tire rotation options are going to be limited?

And god help the mathematician that tries to work into the rotation a matching spare

Sorry mispoke there, the OEM tires say 'territory rt' on them. I understand 'territory rt' is only used on their OEM tires. Goodyear aftermarket only tires wont have 'territory rt' on them. Doesn't really matter here, since the Goodyear Cybetruck tire is OEM, they will all have 'territory rt' on them.

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