Body Panels Taking One Year To Replace

Key Takeaways

• Tesla Cybertruck’s robust bodywork faces issues with availability of replacement parts.
• A Cybertruck was involved in an accident due after alleged unintended acceleration and the brakes not working.
• The owner faces a year-long wait for parts and $30k in damages, with Tesla refusing to compensate.

The Tesla Cybertruck has shaken up the automotive industry in more ways than one, but the one you’ve likely heard of is the robustness of its stainless steel bodywork. When it’s not slicing owners, it’s capable of withstanding gunfire and hits from sledgehammers. But what happens when you’re involved in an accident and need to replace body panels? Well, as one owner has found out, this could turn into a nightmare. It’s not the cost of the replacement panels that’s the problem, as we’ve already discovered many of the body parts are relatively affordable. No, it’s the waiting time to get them that seems problematic, as a front-end collision has resulted in this owner being told there’s a 12-month lead time on the parts needed for the repairs.

A user on X (formerly Twitter) who goes by “Cobra1” claims that he waited for five years for the Cybertruck only to own it for four hours before it was crashed and left in a state of disrepair. The accident itself was seemingly not through human error either. In a series of posts on the social media platform, Cobra1 explains the harrowing ordeal that occurred two months ago. When setting off down the road from their house, Cobra1 alleges the truck accelerated on its own and did not respond to his application of the brakes or steering. As he rapidly approached his neighbor’s house and truck, the rear axle locked up, but the truck continued to accelerate despite the rear axle being locked up. Throughout this, the steering remained unresponsive, leading to a collision with his neighbor’s truck and deck.

“[The] worst part was my daughter was with me.”

Tesla Allegedly Refuses To Take Responsibility

The Cybertruck has had a rocky start to its life, with multiple recalls and halts on deliveries, including one for the accelerator pedal cover coming loose and potentially jamming the throttle. Yet it appears that isn’t to blame in this instance. At the time of the recall, Tesla had advised that in the event of unintended acceleration, applying the brakes simultaneously to the throttle would disengage the drivetrain. But despite Cobra1 braking and the rear axle locking up, the front wheels continued to accelerate.

According to Cobra1, Tesla explains that after reviewing the logs of the incident, “due to the terrain the accelerator may or may not disengage when the brake is depressed.” The brand is still investigating why the rear tires locked up, leaving, as Cobra1 describes it, “skid marks [that are] approximately 50 feet.” The video below shows the truck accelerating and the subsequent impact, and while the footage isn’t high quality enough for us to see details like whether the brake lights came on or not, it’s safe to assume that Tesla’s response above indicates the logs show the brakes were applied.

We have reached out to Tesla for comment on the matter and will update this article with a response.

$30k In Damages, But A Year-Long Wait For Parts

Whether the owner was to blame in any way or not is not on us to judge, not having all the information at hand. But what is interesting is the resulting cost of the damages and the estimated timeline for parts. While we know individual body panels are not that expensive, despite their unique stainless steel construction, the damages here are extensive, affecting the front fenders, wheel arch cladding, frunk lid, front fascia panel, windshield, front bumper, and side windows at the very least. As we found out before, the major parts alone aren’t that expensive, and from the damage we can see, replacing these costs in the region of $6,000.

Tesla claimed it was unwilling to compensate the owner in any way and that they should take it up with his insurance as a claim. In the most recent posts, the total repair costs are estimated at $30,000. But Cobra1 claims that the wait for all the parts is a year. It’s uncertain which part/s are causing the delay, but with Cybertruck production meant to be ramping up to meet demand, parts should be readily available.

We can only assume that Tesla hedged its bets on the panels being robust enough to survive most incidents, thinking that anything severe enough to cause irreparable damage would likely result in a vehicle being written off. Whatever the case, Cobra1’s Cybertruck is now nothing more than a 6,000-pound paperweight. Even though insurance seems willing to cover the costs of the repairs, without parts being made available, approval on the claim means little, and parts availability seems like yet another problem to add to the list of issues plaguing the Cybertruck.

CarBuzz has reached out to both Tesla and the truck’s owner for further details and this article will be updated with new information as we receive it.