Tesla’s long-hyped, Mad Max-meets-LEGO Cybertruck has been on the streets for a year now, and, predictably, the drama has already arrived with it. One owner is out here claiming their electric pickup fell victim to a mere pothole on the road, racking up an eye-watering repair bill of over $34,000. Yes, thirty-four grand. Yet he still thinks the EV is tough and capable.

In a Facebook post picked up by Reddit, the unnamed Cybertruck lover reveals images of the damage and a screenshot of the total repair bill, which came to $34,013 including tax.

Related: Cybertruck Wheels Snap Off Like Twigs In Bizarre TikTok Video

“I finally got my truck back after nearly four months,” he wrote. “It got worked over pretty hard, and many more things needed to be replaced than originally expected.”

Certainly more than would be expected from a typical hard pothole strike in a full-size truck, the kind of vehicle that’s usually one of the most resilient on the road. Just how big was this pothole? I’m imagining something the size of the sinkhole that opened up at the Corvette museum back in 2014 maybe?

“The rear suspension mounts broke and then punched through the frame, requiring the full rear frame replacement,” he explains. “Front and rear rack and pinion steering, suspension all the way around, front and rear bumpers, air suspension systems, and bed components, to name a few.”

Some Reddit commenters have openly questioned whether a pothole really would cause that much damage to a truck, regardless of whether its a traditional body-on-frame pickup or built around aluminum castings, like the Tesla.

One commenter claims (without offering proof) that the owner posted in August that the damage occurred when he jumped the truck 22 ft (6.7 m), and the owner’s slightly cryptic comments in this latest post only serve to fan the flames.

More: Eagle Cap Camper Snaps Ram 3500 Dually In Half, Mopar Refuses $17,000 Repair Bill

“Since the insurance paid for it I won’t comment on how it was driven, just that a very large pothole in our washed-out road caused all the dominoes to fall,” he says.

But despite suffering such a huge amount of damage and needing an equally huge amount of work and money to get it back in working order, the owner doesn’t think any less of his Tesla.

“This is not a commentary on the durability of the truck,” he says. “You would be astounded at how tough and capable this truck is. This is still the most amazing truck I’ve ever had!”

A pothole and $32,000 of repairs later he still loves the truck!
byu/IcerC inCyberStuck

Driving is an inherently dangerous task, but several modern tech features are supposed to increase safety. According to one family in California, one such tool, Tesla’s Autopilot, is actually to blame for the death of their loved one. He crashed into a parked fire truck around 4 a.m. on February 18, 2023, and didn’t survive. 

Carscoops covered the crash when it first happened. At the time, it was unclear whether or not the driver were using any semi-autonomous driving features. Now, we know that the driver, Genesis Giovanni Mendoza Martinez, 31, had engaged Autopilot when he crashed into the fire truck. 

More: Rogue Tesla Smashes Into Multiple Cars Before Plunging Off Parking Deck

According to the Independent, the complaint against Tesla on behalf of the Mendoza family says that Giovanni was using Autopilot for 12 minutes prior to the crash. Data reportedly shows that he “generally maintained contact with the steering wheel until the time of the crash.” Why he didn’t see the flashing emergency lights of the truck and slow down or move over is unclear. 

In any case, the complaint says that Autopilot itself is flawed and that Tesla “undertook a widespread campaign to conceal thousands of consumer reports about problems with [its] ‘Autopilot’ feature, including crashes, unintended braking, and unintended acceleration.” For Tesla’s part, it’s responded the way it has with so many cases like this. It argues that the crash and its results “were caused by misuse or improper maintenance of the subject product in a manner not reasonably foreseeable to Tesla.”

Slow down and move over when approaching emergency vehicles. Truck 1 was struck by a Tesla while blocking I-680 lanes from a previous accident. Driver pronounced dead on-scene; passenger was extricated & transported to hospital. Four firefighters also transported for evaluation. pic.twitter.com/YCGn8We1bK

— Con Fire PIO (@ContraCostaFire) February 18, 2023

There’s no question that this entire situation is sad. We all make mistakes and sometimes that includes misunderstanding what a product is or isn’t capable of. Tesla, no doubt, could make it more clear that Autopilot and FSD don’t actually provide genuine Level 5 autonomy – perhaps starting with their names, which may mislead consumers into thinking the cars can actually drive themselves without any human interference.

This seems to be the case here, according to the lawsuit: “Not only was he aware that the technology itself was called ‘Autopilot,’ he saw, heard, and/or read many of Tesla or Musk’s deceptive claims on Twitter, Tesla’s official blog, or in the news media,” the complaint states. “Giovanni believed those claims were true, and thus believed the ‘Autopilot’ feature with the ‘full self driving’ upgrade was safer than a human driver, and could be trusted to safely navigate public highways autonomously.”

At the same time, it seems that previous legal victories for the automaker make one thing clear: ultimately, the driver is responsible for always maintaining control of the vehicle. 

As we pointed out in our original coverage, countless such accidents happen every year involving all kinds of vehicles, not just Teslas. It’s why the NHTSA has created campaigns like “Slow Down, Move Over” to remind drivers what they should do when they encounter an emergency vehicle.

Image Credit: Contra Costa FD

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has confirmed it’s looking into a recent fatal crash involving a Tesla Cybertruck that killed three teenagers in California late last month.

The accident occurred in the early hours of November 27 in Piedmont. Local police officers quickly responded to the scene and found the Cybertruck engulfed in flames. A witness pulled the sole survivor from the truck. All four occupants were 2023 graduates of the Piedmont High School who had returned home to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Watch: Tesla Cybertruck Crash Leaves Three Dead After Catching Fire

While recently speaking with Business Insider, a spokesperson from the NHTSA said the agency “is aware of the crash and is gathering information from the manufacturer and law enforcement.” The official noted that no formal investigation has been launched at this stage.

In the immediate aftermath of the crash, both the Piedmont Police Department and California Highway Patrol said they were looking into the cause of the crash. Piedmont police chief Jeremy Bowers suggested that speed likely played a role.

“It’s safe to say that speed was a factor. Now, are there other factors associated? That is certainly possible, but speed is likely a contributing factor to this collision,” he said. Police added there were no immediate signs that mechanical problems with the Cybertruck had contributed to the crash.

The Tesla caught fire soon after colliding with a cement wall and getting wedged between it and a large tree, but it’s currently unknown whether its high-voltage battery pack was the cause. While Piedmont fire chief Dave Brannigan said that it resembled a “typical car fire”, Bowers commented that it was “too intense” and the police officers, who tried to extinguish it, couldn’t. Eventually, fire crews put out the blaze.

This was the second fatal accident involving a Tesla Cybertruck in the US. The first occurred in early August when a man driving his electric pickup crashed near Beach City in Chambers County, Texas, slamming into a concrete culvert and triggering a fire.

Lead screenshot ABC7/YouTube

Dashcam footage from a multi-story parking lot in New South Wales, Australia, has captured the shocking moment a Tesla Model S went rogue, careening into multiple vehicles before launching through a barrier and plummeting to the level below. If you’re expecting the usual “driver error” explanation, you might want to think again. This one’s still a mystery.

The crash occurred last Saturday at a DFO mall in New South Wales, Australia. A video shows the Model S initially slamming into the front of Toyota LandCruiser Prado, briefly lifting it into the air and spinning it around. The Tesla then continues to speed across the parking lot, hitting the car with the dashcam. Just two seconds later, it can be heard smashing into the barrier and falling to the pavement.

Read: Tesla Cybertruck Crash Leaves Three Dead After Catching Fire

Despite the severity of the multiple impacts, the 59-year-old driver and 68-year-old passenger were not seriously injured, although they were transported to hospital for treatment.

The damage to the Model S was extensive. The front end was nearly unrecognizable, the tailgate and rear window were shattered, and one of the wheels was ripped off entirely. It’s not every day you see a car come apart like that without some sort of catastrophic failure at play.

No official cause for the crash has been given at this stage, but officers from the New South Wales police force are investigating. The wrecked Model S has also been taken to a garage to have its electronics checked to determine the cause of the crash. It’s unclear if the 59-year-old male driver was in complete control of the car at the time or if it suffered some kind of mechanical and software-related failure.

Numerous crashes involving Teslas in the United States have been blamed on the carmaker’s Autopilot driver assistance systems, but it would be highly unusual if the driver had tried to enable the system in the parking lot. Nevertheless, the cause of this particular incident is still under investigation, and it’s important to determine whether it was related to the vehicle or driver to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

Few cars have ever divided opinions quite like the Tesla Cybertruck. Its polarizing design isn’t even up for debate—some love its sci-fi aesthetic, while others can’t stand its unpolished looks comparing it with a child’s drawing brought to life. Regardless of which side you’re on, there’s no denying that it has helped pave the way for other electric pickups. However, it’s also proven to be riddled with problems and videos recently shared to TikTok appear to suggest the wheels might be more fragile than expected.

Earlier in the year, Tesla had to fix the standard aero covers on the Cybertruck’s wheels after it was revealed they were chewing into the tire sidewall. However, this latest potential problem isn’t related to the wheel covers, but instead the alloy rims themselves. More specifically, the wheels of this Cybertruck have shattered in a rather bizarre way, leading to speculation that they may not be as durable as they should be.

Read: Sixth Time The Charm? Tesla Cybertruck Recalled Over Loss Of Drive Power

It’s unclear what exactly caused the wheels to snap off like that. Some believe it could have been caused by a pothole, though this type of damage seems unlikely to result from something so minor. Other viewers speculate that the impact may have been with the concrete wall visible in the videos, but one would have expected more damage to the side of the car if this was the case.

@jordan8tatum

Even in a crash the Cybertruck Rims shouldn’t crumble 🤷🏾‍♂️🤔 #cybertruck #JordanNTatum #fail

♬ original sound – Jordan & Tatum

What’s clear is the extent of the damage. Many of the spokes on the front wheel have broken off and cracks are visible around the central part that connects to the hub. The damage done to the rear wheel is even more extensive, as the entire rim has broken off from the hub, except for some material around the lug nuts.

It could be that the wheels of the Cybertruck are made from cast aluminum. Most cars on the market leave the factory with cast aluminum wheels as they are relatively inexpensive, but inconsistencies in the materials used during the manufacturing process can make them weak. More premium rims are forged and, in addition to being much stronger, are also significantly lighter.

Perhaps one of the reasons why the rims of this Cybertruck failed so spectacularly is because the electric pickup weighs over 6,600 lbs in its lightest configuration, or more than 3,000 kg, which puts extra stress on some components, such as the wheels and tires.

The person who posted the two videos on TikTok writes that the Tesla has a problem and should be recalled. However, without any more info, it’s impossible to determine whether this is a widespread issue impacting other Cybertrucks too or not.

@jordan8tatum

I seriously think the Cybertruck Rims need a recall! Have yall ever seen a rim snap off in a perfect circle? #cybertruck #fail #explore

♬ original sound – Jordan & Tatum

Image Credit: jordan8tatum / TikTok

A crash involving a Tesla Cybertruck has left three people dead and one seriously injured in the northern Californian city of Piedmont

The incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Police were first alerted to the accident when the iPhone of one of the occupants automatically sent out an SOS at 3:08 a.m., pinpointing the crash’s coordinates. Just two minutes later, officers arrived on the scene to find the electric truck completely engulfed in flames. Local fire crews were quick to respond, arriving at 3:16 a.m., but the damage was already catastrophic.

Read: Elon Musk Boasts About Tesla Cybertruck’s Strength After Devastating Crash

While speaking with the media, Piedmont fire chief Dave Brannigan said that a witness managed to pull the sole survivor from the wrecked Cybertruck before flames consumed the vehicle. The survivor was transported to the hospital, where they remain in critical condition after undergoing surgery. While the extent of their injuries has not been disclosed, their survival is nothing short of remarkable given the destruction at the scene.

The exact cause of the crash is still under investigation, but Piedmont police chief Jeremy Bowers hinted that speed likely played a central role.

“It’s safe to say that speed was a factor. Now, are there other factors associated? That is certainly possible, but speed is likely a contributing factor to this collision,” he said, adding there were currently no signs mechanical problems caused the crash.

“We’re very new into this investigation – the California Highway Patrol, us, the Piedmont Fire Department – so there’s no indication that there were mechanical effects that were the primary cause for the collision,” Bowers added. “All that is still very much under investigation at this point.”

The Cybertruck veered off the road, jumped a curb, and smashed into a cement wall before becoming wedged between the wall and a large tree. The impact was so severe that the vehicle caught fire shortly after. Despite initial speculation about Tesla’s lithium-ion battery packs being the cause, Brannigan noted that the blaze resembled a “typical car fire” and was extinguished quickly by local firefighters.

Police have not yet released the names of the victims, but local news outlets, including CBS News Bay Area, have reported that all four occupants were 2023 graduates of Piedmont High School. The group was home for Thanksgiving, visiting family and friends during the holiday break.

Lead screenshot ABC7/YouTube

A man in Portland is seeking $745,000 after his car was T-boned by a Tesla that was allegedly on self-driving mode and ran a stop sign on November 25, 2023. The incident is now spotlighting the contentious debate around the reliability of autonomous vehicle technology and the role of driver responsibility when using it.

According to the lawsuit seen by Oregon Live, while driving through the intersection of Oregon 212 and Southeast Sunnyside Road, Michael Ward’s 2021 Hyundai was hit by the Tesla, even though Ward was moving with the flow of traffic and had the right-of-way. The crash caused significant injuries, leaving Ward with facial and spinal fractures, along with extensive dental damage.

He has filed a lawsuit against the driver of the Tesla, Kgoc Phuong Anh Dinh, accusing her of negligence by “unreasonably relying upon autonomous vehicle technology.”

More: US Govt Investigating Tesla’s Full-Self Driving After Four Crashes, One Fatal

Ward’s Hyundai was totaled in the crash, and he was transported to OHSU Hospital for treatment of his injuries. In the lawsuit, he is seeking $100,000 to cover past and future medical expenses, $40,000 in lost income, $5,000 for personal property damaged in the crash, and a substantial $600,000 for pain and suffering.

Despite the Tesla allegedly being in self-driving mode, the carmaker is not named as a defendant in the case. Tesla explicitly states in its guidelines that drivers must remain alert and ready to take control when using Autopilot or Full Self-Driving (FSD) features, a point that complicates cases like this one.

Other Tesla Self-Driving Lawsuits in Oregon

Oregon Live notes that other self-driving-related lawsuits have been filed across the state. Earlier this year, a separate lawsuit was filed by another Oregon man after his Tesla Model 3, allegedly operating in Full Self-Driving mode, steered itself into a curb and damaged one of its wheels.

He sued Tesla for the cost of a replacement wheel, $713, and sought reimbursement for the $6,000 he had paid to purchase the FSD system. While the court ruled that Tesla must pay for the damaged wheel, it declined to order the company to refund the cost of the software.

In 2021, a man sued a Tesla driver and the car manufacturer after the car apparently switched into self-driving mode and slammed into him. The man had sought $342,000. The case was ultimately settled for an undisclosed amount, soon after it was revealed the insurance company for the Tesla had disposed of or lost the wrecked vehicle before it could be analyzed.

Related: Tesla Allegedly In “Self-Drive” Mode Slams Into Parked Police Car

In the same year, another Tesla owner filed a $250,000 lawsuit against Tesla alleging that his Model S, which was in Autopilot mode, misread road conditions and made a 180-degree turn, slamming into a barrier after it hydroplaned on standing water. The man, Ranjan Lamichhane, said that he stopped pursuing damages after Tesla managed to boot his lawsuit out of federal court and sent him into arbitration, where he felt out-powered.

The Tesla Cybertruck has been no stranger to controversy, but a crashed example that gained viral fame is now taking on a new role—as an auction lot. The battered EV will need some repairs, but it could return to the roads, provided someone is willing to foot the bill for the undoubtedly costly and lengthy repairs.

This particular Cybertruck first made headlines a few months ago when it was spotted abandoned on the side of a road in Seattle, sporting significant damage to its driver’s side rear wheel. What followed was a mix of digital and real-world antics: Reddit threads, a short-lived stint as a tourist attraction on Google Maps, and even local residents leaving flowers at its forlorn resting place.

Read: Sixth Time The Charm? Tesla Cybertruck Recalled Over Loss Of Drive Power

The viral moment ended in September when the vehicle was towed away, and now, as Jalopnik first uncovered, it’s landed at Copart’s North Seattle location, awaiting its next chapter.

What’s the Damage?

Details about the crash that sidelined this Cybertruck remain elusive, but the aftermath tells its own story. Evidently, one of the rear wheels has taken quite a hefty hit, and it’s been bent out of position, indicating there’s some serious suspension issues hidden from view. The accompanying fender has also been ripped from the car, leaving the charging port exposed.

Anyone interested in placing a bid on this Cybertruck would be wise to check it out in person beforehand. It’s possible that the vulnerable cast aluminum frame of the Tesla may have sustained structural compromise from the collision, and if that’s the case, it may be extremely costly to repair or replace.

Image Credit: Copart

A Growing Graveyard of Cybertrucks

Interestingly, this isn’t the only mangled Cybertruck up for grabs. Copart currently lists 11 other examples scattered across the U.S., many of which appear to have fared even worse than this Seattle star. Some of them appear to have more extensive damage than this one and yet are already attracting bids. One particular rough example (below) with severe structural compromise to the front, rear, and sides after a punishing crash had attracted a bid of over $20,000 at the time of writing.

Image Credit: Copart

Since customer deliveries of the Tesla Cybertruck started late last year, we’ve seen photos and videos of a number of examples involved in crashes. However, other than an incident from a few months ago when a Cybertruck crashed and caught fire, we haven’t seen one that’s been as badly damaged as this one. If you’ve ever wondered what a smashed Cybertruck looks like, well, this is it.

This Tesla was destroyed in Guadalajara, Mexico, over the weekend after reportedly crashing into a statue. No exact cause for the crash has been confirmed, although local media suggests that speeding was probably a factor. The extent of the damage speaks to this.

Read: Florida Man Smashes Porch Pirate’s Getaway Car With Rental Cybertruck

Photos shared to social media show the Cybertruck sitting on its roof in the middle of the road with extensive damage to the front and rear fascias, as well as both sides. It’s been so badly damaged that it’s almost unrecognizable and shockingly, three of the wheels and hubs have been torn from the truck, giving us some idea of the forces that must have been involved.

Even Tesla chief executive Elon Musk caught wind of the crash, and shared photos of the destroyed Tesla to X, proclaiming the “Cybertruck is tougher than a bag of nails.”

Cybertruck is tougher than a bag of nails https://t.co/vEHBjSpgE7

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 2, 2024

This Cybertruck is almost unrecognizable. It saved three people’s lives. pic.twitter.com/70jyNJQJ4s

— Nic Cruz Patane (@niccruzpatane) November 2, 2024

Local outlet Monclova reports that there were four people inside the Cybertruck at the time of the crash. One of them, an 18-year-old woman, was thrown from the Tesla and found lying on the pavement. She was taken to hospital in a critical condition. The three other occupants avoided serious injuries, but were also rushed to the hospital.

This isn’t the only recent Mexican crash involving the Cybertruck. A few days ago, a 23-year-old driving the futuristic-looking EV slammed into the wall of a property in San Miguel, Chapultepec. The force of the impact crumpled the front end of the Tesla. Fortunately, the driver did not suffer any significant injuries.

For those counting, that’s two major Mexican mishaps in as many weeks for Tesla’s toughest vehicle.

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Image Credit: LilHumansBigImpact@X

Florida’s state fire marshall Jimmy Patronis has described electric vehicles impacted by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton as “ticking time bombs” due to the risks of them catching fire after being exposed to salt water.

Patronis issued an important warning to owners of all vehicles equipped with lithium-ion battery packages in the wake of Hurricane Helene, just days before Hurricane Milton hit. He revealed that after Helene, authorities had been alerted to nearly 50 fires caused by lithium-ion batteries. Of these, 11 of these fires involved EVs.

Read: Tesla Bursts Into Flames After Hurricane Helene Floods Garage

“Floridians living on the coastline who own EVs are at risk of those EVs being inundated with saltwater storm surge which presents a dangerous fire threat to Florida families and their homes,” he said. “If you have one of these vehicles including cars, scooters, hover boards, golf carts or children’s toys that have been compromised by flooding, please unplug the vehicle or device, and move it safely away from your home or apartment into a clear open space.”

Owners of hybrid and fuel cell vehicles were also warned of potential fire hazards. Patronis also called on manufacturers of EVs to inform customers in storm surge areas to relocate their vehicles and provided several tips to owners of lithium-ion-powered cars and devices. For example, locals have been urged to leave all windows and/or doors open to allow any potentially flammable gases to vent from the passenger compartment.

Additionally, owners have been encouraged to move vehicles outside and to unplug them. Owners would also be wise to disconnect a vehicle’s 12-volt battery and avoid all contact with the high-voltage battery “if a vehicle is showing signs of a damaged or overheating HV battery.”

“As I’ve stated before, these compromised vehicles and devices are ticking time bombs, and my office will continue to coordinate with federal, state, and local officials to ensure consumers and first responders are aware of these fire hazards following Hurricane Milton,” the fire chief added.