A Cybertruck owner from Michigan shares his surprise when he found his all-electric truck leaking oil. He communicated the incident with Tesla and was told that he needed to pay $7,665 for a motor replacement.
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Joey Arrowood is a Cybertruck owner from Hartland, Michigan and says he was surprised to find a puddle of oil under his truck.
Joe shared his experience on the Tesla Cybertruck group on Facebook.
Here is what he wrote…
“I took delivery of the truck last June. Since then, I've put just shy of 9,000 miles on it. The only off-road it's ever done is my local dirt roads. The other day, I came out to the truck and found a puddle of oil under the rear motor.”
Given the Cybertruck’s lack of a conventional internal combustion engine and the oil circulating and storing mechanism associated with it, some might find this fact surprising.
Tesla, for example, says, “Unlike gasoline cars, Tesla vehicles require no traditional oil changes, fuel system maintenance, spark plug replacements, or emission checks. Even brake pad replacements are rare because regenerative braking returns energy to the battery, significantly reducing brake wear.”
So, what’s going on with Joey’s Cybertruck?
He continues to explain…
“At some point, a small rock bounced over the belly pans and covers and wedged itself between the rear subframe and gearbox, wearing a small hole into the aluminum case. I find it absurd to comprehend that such a small rock can cause this kind of damage.”
Together with his post, Joey included a couple of pictures of his Cybertruck showing oil dripping out of a small opening on the rear motor casing.
Although electric vehicles don’t need conventional oil changes, there is still oil used to lubricate the motors as they rotate. And it appears that the rear motor housing on Joey’s Cybertruck has been punctured by a small rock causing the oil to leak.
This is unfortunate, however, as with any standard Tesla vehicle issue, the problem is further exacerbated by Tesla’s subpar service experience.
Continuing his post, Joey writes…
“The service center is saying the entire rear drive unit has to be replaced because of this pinhole to the song of $7,660.55. So far, the service center in Clarkston, Michigan, has not been helpful. They will not repair it unless I pay them or file an insurance claim.”
Finally, Joey ends his post by reaffirming his love for the Cybertruck, writing, “I love the truck and driving it, but come on, Tesla... A little help here is needed, please…”
Looking at the comments, given how small the hole is, people suggested that Joey get his Cybertruck’s rear motor housing welded, top of the oil, and call it a day.
In theory, this definitely beats having to spend $7,665 to replace the entire rear drive unit; however, as with all-electric vehicles, although the Cybertruck might be easy to maintain, the truck is exceedingly difficult to fix once something goes wrong.
This is why it’s a running joke among Cybertruck owners to see a truck involved in a small fender bender and make an absurd guess, like estimating it’ll cost tens of thousands of dollars to fix.
In response to the suggestion that he get the hole on his Cybertruck welded, Joey responds, “I highly doubt any welder is going to touch this with everything still assembled.”
Given the complexity of electric vehicles, with their huge battery packs and everything that goes with them, working on EVs outside the manufacturer-approved shops is not practical.
In theory, this might not be too much of an issue; however, as I’ve mentioned above, Tesla’s service experience is abysmal.
You can read in a previous article about another Cybertruck owner who experienced a catastrophic failure, with his high-voltage battery, rear motor, and 48-volt system failing simultaneously. Rather frustratingly, this individual was told by Tesla that “he chose the worst day to bring his Cybertyruck in for service.”
Overall, it is surprising to see how seemingly small problems on the Cybertruck cost thousands of dollars to fix. Please let me know what could be done to address this issue. Share your ideas by clicking the red “Add new comment” button below. Also, visit our site, torquenews.com/Tesla, regularly for the latest updates.
Image: Screenshot from Lamar MK YouTube channel
For more information, check out: Tesla Cybertruck Owners Say They’ve “No RegrAts” about Buying the Truck, Several Share They’re Even Looking to Get a Second Cybertruck
Tinsae Aregay has been following Tesla and the evolution of the EV space daily for several years. He covers everything about Tesla, from the cars to Elon Musk, the energy business, and autonomy. Follow Tinsae on Twitter at @TinsaeAregay for daily Tesla news.
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JB WELD after oil match and…
JB WELD after oil match and top off, if amount #'s are known and capacity is confirmed.
Why don't they wait till…
Why don't they wait till they find out what the hell these people do to get these things fixed before they print a story so you get the whole enchilada instead of leaving you out there hanging??
Anyone that is a welder…
Anyone that is a welder knows that welding cast aluminum isn't the "be all fix" people are claiming it to be. There is a lot of pre- and post-heat required, grinding and welding (and more grinding and more welding) in hope that it will work. Since cast metals have lots of tiny air pockets, you never know if you are going to fix it or make it worse.
All that work requires the motor to be out of the truck to get done and is very labor intensive.
Is reporting on social media…
Is reporting on social media a real job? Hasn't it already been reported? Thanks for regurgitating shit.
It is too bad people trusted…
It is too bad people trusted Tesla and Musk laying down $100k+ for the Cybermonstrosity. Everyone knows you shouldn't buy a vehicle in the 1st year it's produced (in Tesla's case, many year after its introduced). Sounds like a case of "sorry bout your luck".
Tesla has become a cult. No…
Tesla has become a cult. No mater what goes wrong, or how bad it is, owners refuse to admit the car is the problem. "My Tesla killed my wife and children, but I still love it," they'd say.
Bring it to a decent…
Bring it to a decent independent mechanic, have them remove the drive motor , weld the housing and refill the oil. I don't it would be over $1000 unless there bending you over because Tesla. Or honestly even jb weld or epoxy if you can find a way to get the oil in. This type of housing isn't going to experience some crazy high pressure. Yeah, Tesla can be a nightmare to fix when it comes to integrated systems, but this is honestly a simple mechanical repair unless Tesla looks out motors that have been removed or opened or something which would be despicable.
I would try a tube of two…
I would try a tube of two-part epoxy before I spend 7 thousand dollars. If it works, it works.
Drill it out, tap it and put…
Drill it out, tap it and put a plug in it. That or a little JB weld-seriously
Go to hardware store and…
Go to hardware store and purchase JB weld. I’ve seen transmission casings repaired with this epoxy cement . Top off your oil and apply . This should fix your problem forever for less than $10 .
Try some silicone gasket…
Try some silicone gasket sealer . But I don't know how to refill.the oil , could u. Drill the hole to 1/4 inch tap.itn2 recieve a pipe plug and refill.thru same.hole. a regular mechanic shop.could no doubt do something .
I would drill and tap a hole…
I would drill and tap a hole to thread a plug into hole... There would be no welding required
What's the big surprise here…
What's the big surprise here? ANY sort of mechanism, when it generates internal friction, needs lubrication, and that requires oil or grease.
Drill the pin hole to a…
Drill the pin hole to a standard size, tap and die it and screw in a plug. Use lock tite.
There is a simple and cost…
There is a simple and cost effective repair which is "permanent" for this cybertruck. It is the world's best epoxy (used by the U.S. military) which is even significantly better than JB weld and is used for military "in service field repairs". An epoxy so strong and durable its considered permanent. It is used on miliary equipment including Tanks for exhausts/engine blocks and internals and even crankshaft repairs where all common domestic products dare not venture. It's called Belzona.("far" pricier than JB weld...but.... still by far the best option) Look up youtube Belzona 1111 video. Amazing stuff.
Only repair requirement would be to utilize an appropriately shaped and fabricated hole plug backing plate...(thin aluminum)... placed and wedged in the deepest part of the hole first to prevent the material from entering the housing.
Welding the hole closed has its own set of drawback including the heat expansion of the Aluminum motor/gear housing (distortion) setting it up possibly for a shorter service life or an early failure. Get the Belzona and be done in less than an hour. Make sure to clean(lightly flush) the repair area with CRC "green" spray brake cleaner(autozone) and let dry before applying Belzona to be 100% sure....... Good and strong as New!
And they called me an idiot…
And they called me an idiot for taking myTesla to Jiffy Lube for an oil change...
Use JB Weld epoxy to fix the…
Use JB Weld epoxy to fix the small hole. Top off the oil and forget about it.
It's simple fix. Use $1…
It's simple fix. Use $1 bubblegum. May be good for 3 months, so you will be spending $4 per year.
OR:
SELL Tesla and buy a Rivian.🤔
By the way family got one Cyber truck and other teslas.
Try JB Weld and maybe a…
Try JB Weld and maybe a small piece of patch metal if the oil isn't under pressure. Done this 3 times on aluminum gear boxes. On has held up for 11 years!