I Used My Cybertruck's Tailgate As a Step While Moving Tile, Now It's Permanently Deformed After Just One Use

Despite its appearance, my Cybertruck's tailgate proved surprisingly fragile. A single use as a step while moving tile resulted in irreversible damage.

There’s something uniquely, almost poetically American about fixing a $100,000 electric truck with a hammer. Not a diagnostic tool. Not a software update. A hammer. It’s the kind of crude yet effective logic that would make your grandfather grin behind a Pall Mall while nodding at your gumption. But this isn't 1972, and we're not talking about a rusted-out C10; we're talking about the Tesla Cybertruck, Silicon Valley’s stainless steel fantasy turned daily-driver meme. And in 2025, that hammer isn’t a metaphor. It’s a legitimate repair strategy.

This saga unfolded in the digital wilderness of a Facebook group for Cybertruck owners, some ecstatic, some disillusioned, all watching the experimental stainless safari unfold in real time. One new owner posted, 

“Very first problem ever with the Cybertruck.

I transported a couple hundred pounds of tile in the back and had to hop in and out, but now the tailgate is deformed.” 

A few hundred pounds of tile. That’s it. The kind of load that would barely rattle a leaf-sprung Ram from the Clinton administration. The Cybertruck? It puckered like a soda can under a toddler’s heel.

The Enduring Spirit of Tough, Dependable Trucks

In America, the pickup truck is an extension of the human spine. We use them for everything: construction sites, Costco runs, school drop-offs, hauling mulch, and moving dead refrigerators across county lines. Europeans?

They lean on compact vans and sedans, turning their noses up at the idea of parallel parking a crew cab in a medieval village square. But here, trucks are expected to take abuse. 

Tesla Cybertruck Overview: Cutting-Edge Design, Performance, & Innovation

• The Tesla Cybertruck features a distinctive, angular design constructed from ultra-hard 30X cold-rolled stainless steel, providing exceptional durability and resistance to dents and corrosion. This exoskeleton approach not only enhances structural integrity but also contributes to the vehicle's futuristic aesthetic.​
• The Cybertruck offers multiple configurations to cater to diverse performance needs. The dual-motor all-wheel Drive variant delivers approximately 600 horsepower, achieving 0-60 mph acceleration in 4.1 seconds and a towing capacity of 11,000 pounds. The high-performance "Cyberbeast" model boasts an impressive 834 horsepower, accelerating from 0-60 mph in just 2.6 seconds while maintaining the same towing capacity. ​
• Designed with practicality in mind, the Cybertruck includes a 6-foot-long cargo bed with a power-retractable tonneau cover, providing ample storage space. Additionally, it is equipped with 120-volt and 240-volt power outlets in both the bed and cabin, capable of supplying up to 11.5 kilowatts of power, enabling the operation of tools, charging of other electric vehicles, or even providing backup power to a home.

They don’t ask questions. They don’t make excuses. And they don’t crumple from a Home Depot run. But that’s exactly what’s happening. And the repair advice? Straight out of a Mad Max sequel. As one Facebook user, Drew Michael Robinson, helpfully suggested:

“Ignore the red circles in the image. Take a hammer and smack the tailgate latch strikers (both sides) a few times to bring the tailgate back into flush when closed. Try to hit it close to the edge so you bring it back straight. If you take some paint off of it, you can use a sharpie or touch up paint to make it pretty again.”

That’s not satire. That’s field-tested wisdom, apparently. Tesla’s supposed truck of the future, fixed with a household hammer and an arts-and-crafts marker.

Tesla Cybertruck Recalls: Addressing Safety and Quality Concerns

What’s astonishing is that this isn’t an isolated incident. Other Cybertruck owners are reporting misaligned panels, malfunctioning tonneau covers, and parts that simply fall off like dollar-store LEGOs.

One user admitted their tailgate warped after accelerating “faster than they should” with lumber in the bed. These aren’t torture tests. This is routine truck stuff. If your “exoskeleton” can’t handle a trip to the lumber yard, maybe it belongs on a movie set, not a job site.

Cybertruck Quality Challenges: Real-World Durability vs. Futuristic Promise

• Tesla issued a voluntary recall for certain 2024 Cybertruck models produced between November 6, 2023, and July 30, 2024. The recall addressed an issue with the drive inverter's metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), which could potentially lead to vehicle performance concerns. Owners were advised to check their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to determine if their vehicle was affected. ​
• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced a recall affecting 3,878 Cybertrucks due to a defect where the accelerator pedal pad could dislodge and become trapped in the interior trim, posing a risk of unintended acceleration. Tesla promptly addressed the issue by notifying owners and providing necessary repairs. ​
• Tesla recalled over 46,000 Cybertrucks from the 2024 and 2025 model years after discovering that a stainless steel body panel along the windshield could detach while driving, creating a potential road hazard. The issue was attributed to the use of incorrect adhesive during manufacturing. Tesla offered free repairs to affected owners, reinforcing the panels with more reliable solutions, including additional reinforcements.

This isn’t a takedown of electric trucks. Ford’s F-150 Lightning has proven itself more than capable under load. Rivian’s R1T is a legitimate off-road and tow vehicle wrapped in thoughtful design. The problem is that Tesla tried to reinvent the wheel, literally, with no apparent understanding of what makes a real truck work. There’s no substitute for structure, no software patch for tailgate integrity. When a 1995 Silverado can shrug off decades of abuse and still latch like a bank vault and a Cybertruck folds after a few tiles, what are we even doing?

The Cybertruck Paradox: Futuristic Spectacle Meets Practical Durability

Look, we get it. The Cybertruck is a spectacle. A dystopian fever dream of geometry and marketing swagger. And in the right light, it looks like progress. But in the real world, the world of gravel driveways, muddy boots, and tile-hauling Saturdays, it’s showing cracks, both literal and philosophical. Trucks aren’t about image. They’re about dependability. You shouldn’t have to pray every time your tailgate stops closing.

So here we are, hammer in hand, staring at a stainless steel monument to over-engineering and under-testing. Tesla promised us a truck that could survive on Mars. But if a few tiles can buckle the tailgate and your fix involves blunt force trauma and a Sharpie, maybe, just maybe, it wasn’t built for Earth either.

Image Sources: Cybertruck Owners Only Facebook Group, Tesla Media Center

Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.