Photo: bluetrevian via Reddit, Tesla
Many Tesla Cybertruck owners have complained that the windshield wiper motor has stopped working or never worked at all. Tesla has now halted deliveries to replace the gigawiper motors, with affected owners indicating at least one week of delays. The good news is that Tesla has found a solution and is now shipping new trucks with improved motors.
Although Tesla proudly advertises the Cybertruck as a rugged pickup truck that can withstand the most difficult conditions, it appears that it has at least one soft spot. Besides the delicate windshield, which can crack under pressure or small rock chips, there's another weak spot: the gigawiper. Many Cybertruck owners reported that the windshield wiper motors failed prematurely, sometimes during the delivery trip if it was on a rainy day.
The problem is that Tesla insisted on fitting the Cybertruck with only one wiper instead of at least two like most vehicles. The wiper arm needs to be unusually long to cover the huge windshield. It also needs to be strong, which is why it's so big, making many liken it to a katana. However, long and strong also means heavy, thus requiring a more powerful motor. Aerodynamics is also an issue, putting additional stress on the wiper when working at speed.
Tesla engineers probably didn't anticipate that all these forces would put an unbearable burden on the wiper assembly. Many Cybertruck owners reported that the wipers failed prematurely, sometimes during the first rainy days. For some, it appeared as if the wiper was dead on arrival because they found it broken the first time they tried it in the rain. And because you wouldn't need the wipers on a sunny day, it's easy to imagine that the wiper broke at the worst possible moment. This created a safety issue that Tesla needs to address as soon as possible.
There are many complaints about the Cybertruck's gigawiper failures, which started to surface a month ago as some regions experienced heavy rains. Even replaced motors failed, which prompted Tesla to stop replacing the failed wiper motors until they produced an improved component. At the time, I anticipated a recall might be in order, considering that this was a safety issue.
Although Tesla hasn't communicated officially, it has temporarily paused Cybertruck deliveries until a new wiper motor is installed. People scheduled to take deliveries of a Cybertruck were announced that their appointments were canceled at the last minute, sometimes when they arrived at the Delivery Center. The reason offered was to solve a safety issue with the Cybertruck's gigawiper, specifically the motor that powers it.
According to some estimates, the delivery pause is expected to last a week or more. However, one Cybertruck owner wrote in the Cybertruck Owners Club forum that this problem did not impact their VIN (169xx) and they could pick up the truck. It's unclear whether this means that Tesla already fits the upgraded motors from the factory or was among the first to have a replaced motor.
The problem is that Tesla insisted on fitting the Cybertruck with only one wiper instead of at least two like most vehicles. The wiper arm needs to be unusually long to cover the huge windshield. It also needs to be strong, which is why it's so big, making many liken it to a katana. However, long and strong also means heavy, thus requiring a more powerful motor. Aerodynamics is also an issue, putting additional stress on the wiper when working at speed.
Tesla engineers probably didn't anticipate that all these forces would put an unbearable burden on the wiper assembly. Many Cybertruck owners reported that the wipers failed prematurely, sometimes during the first rainy days. For some, it appeared as if the wiper was dead on arrival because they found it broken the first time they tried it in the rain. And because you wouldn't need the wipers on a sunny day, it's easy to imagine that the wiper broke at the worst possible moment. This created a safety issue that Tesla needs to address as soon as possible.
There are many complaints about the Cybertruck's gigawiper failures, which started to surface a month ago as some regions experienced heavy rains. Even replaced motors failed, which prompted Tesla to stop replacing the failed wiper motors until they produced an improved component. At the time, I anticipated a recall might be in order, considering that this was a safety issue.
Although Tesla hasn't communicated officially, it has temporarily paused Cybertruck deliveries until a new wiper motor is installed. People scheduled to take deliveries of a Cybertruck were announced that their appointments were canceled at the last minute, sometimes when they arrived at the Delivery Center. The reason offered was to solve a safety issue with the Cybertruck's gigawiper, specifically the motor that powers it.
According to some estimates, the delivery pause is expected to last a week or more. However, one Cybertruck owner wrote in the Cybertruck Owners Club forum that this problem did not impact their VIN (169xx) and they could pick up the truck. It's unclear whether this means that Tesla already fits the upgraded motors from the factory or was among the first to have a replaced motor.
Google News