A Tesla Cybertruck Owner Says There is a Strange Odor Inside the Truck’s Cabin – Adds, “It Smells Like Melting Electric Wires”

Kevin, a Cybertruck owner from Snohomish County, Washington, reports that he has recently noticed a concerning odor inside his Cybertruck cabin.

According to Kevin, the burning plastic smell began a few days ago when he charged his Cybertruck above 80% for the first time.

Kevin says that after charging to 94%, he immediately started a 200-mile road trip. At first, he didn’t notice any smell; however, about 60 miles into the trip, he noticed an odor that resembled melting electrical insulation.

Kevin says the odor is faint; however, four people were inside the Cybertruck when the odor appeared, and two of them reported smelling it while the other two said they didn't.

The smell of melting wire insulation is certainly concerning in an electric vehicle, and the worried Cybertruck owner shared his experience with fellow group members in the Cybertruck Owners Club forum.

He writes…

“Strange smell inside the Cybertruck Cab: has anyone experienced this?

I recently noticed a smell in the Cybertruck cab while driving. It's a melting or burning plastic odor, which I know I should be concerned about. However, it would be helpful when scheduling a service appointment if I had a clearer idea of what's going on.

Here are some details:

• I'm an older Cybertruck owner with a 2024 VIN (0418XX). I took delivery on October 23, 2024.

• It's a non-Foundation Series Cybertruck AWD, with 2,750 miles on it.

• I have always charged it using a level 2, (240VAC, 24A) charger.

• I always charged to 80% state of charge, right up to when the smell began. For that journey, I charged to 94% and immediately embarked on a 200-mile trip.

• I didn’t notice the smell until I had driven about 60 miles (freeway speeds ~75 mph). Could have been sooner; but didn't notice.

• There were four of us in the truck. Two of us could smell it; the other two could not. So, the smell is faint at this time.

• When I turned off the AC system, the smell became more noticeable. However, when I ran it on medium fan, the odor seemed to vanish. Therefore, it's not an outside smell.

• Since that trip, I have driven my Cybertruck down to 5% SOC and then recharged it back to 80%. The smell is still there, unchanged in strength compared to before.

• No noticeable change on power. Although I drive in "Chill" mode.

• The smell is different from that of the under-storage area. It reminds me of melting wire insulation.

Finally Kevin concludes his post asking fellow Cybertruck owners if they have experienced similar issues.

He continues to write…

“Has anyone experienced anything like this? Any theories on what might be going on?”

Looking at the comments fellow Cybertruck owners had, several theories of what might be causing the smell and how to fix the issue.

A fellow Cybertruck owner REM recommends several ways to pinpoint where the smell is coming from.

He writes…

“1) Check every outlet in your truck (USB and 110v).

2) Pay a small child $10 to crawl around and pinpoint the smell

3) if you don't have a thermal camera, find a friend or somewhere to rent one (unless the service center can check it out faster than you can).”

I’m not sure how advisable it is to pay a little child to crawl around a Cybertruck to find a burning electric wire.

That said, some Cybertruck owners suggest that the burning smell might actually be coming from the road rather than the Cybertruck itself.

A fellow Cybertruck owner, Trentf from West Yellowstone, Montana writes…

“What’s your location? Road sand and salt create a burning rubber smell when heated. Several cars I owned did this, and I initially thought it was tires rubbing on ice, but I learned that the road treatment causes that smell.”

This is an interesting perspective; however, other Cybertruck owners suggest that even if there is a burning plastic smell inside Kevin’s truck, he shouldn’t worry.

A fellow Cybertruck owner, Crissa, writes…

"Often, there are glues or resins in computer systems that heat up and outgas at inopportune moments in vehicles (both EV and ICE). Additionally, bugs and dust can contribute to this issue."

Unfortunately, while this can be a sign of something bad happening, more likely it's... just annoying.

If you can determine where along the dash or seats there's a hotspot or stinky area, you might be able to locate it; however, it's often impossible to find and will just need a breather.

The battery pack is outside the cabin, and only the 'low' voltage systems are inside the cabin, so you shouldn't have to worry about that.

Still, if possible, have the service center examine it. If something goes wrong, the date you report a symptom is what matters legally, not when they make a diagnosis."

Overall, these are some interesting suggestions. However, please let me know what you think in the comments. Share your ideas by clicking the “Add new comment” button below. Also, visit our site, torquenews.com/Tesla, regularly for the latest updates.

For more information, check out: A Tesla Fan Says He Wants to Give Direct Financial Assistance to the EV Maker by Accepting a Lousy Trade-in Offer – Adds, “I’m Super Happy Tesla Will Pocket the Difference”

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.