--- title: "Warning! Do Not Expose Cybertrucks to Common Magnets" description: "Cybertruck owners are complaining that sticking cosmetic stickers onto the body of their vehicle is damaging the stainless steel." date: "2024-11-23" modified: "2024-11-23" authors: - name: "Frank Landymore" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/flandymore" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/cybertruck-magnets" categories: - "Advanced Transport" tags: - "cybertruck" - "tesla" - "the digest" --- # Warning! Do Not Expose Cybertrucks to Common Magnets ![]() *\Image: Cybertooth via Cybertruck Owner Club\* ## Stainful Steel The Cybertruck appears to be a magnet for just about every automotive embarrassment imaginable — literally. As [*Jalopnik* reports](), owners of the Tesla pickup are complaining that slapping cosmetic magnets onto the vehicle's shiny surface is damaging its stainless steel body. Maybe making a car out of the same kind of stuff as kitchen utensils was a bad idea after all. The complaints originate from a [thread]() on the Cybertruck Owners Club forum started by a user named "cybertooth," who shared photos of extremely noticeable stains on his vehicle. "I feel like an idiot..." the unfortunate Tesla owner wrote. "Decided to put advertising magnets on my CT. Happened to take them off to wash the truck after a month and my heart sunk... rust and corrosion." ## Opposites Detract The good news for the Tesla owner was that he was able to clean off *most* of the damage — but not all. "There are a couple of small white spots left that have a slight rough texture to them," cybertooth wrote. And remember, the oldest of these cars have only been on the road for about a year. His case doesn't appear to be a one-off. Several other owners chimed in to say they had the same issue as well. In the thread, the owners speculate that the damage is being caused through the contact of different metal surfaces — like steel and copper, for example. If there's moisture present, this can facilitate electrolysis, the same chemical reaction that takes place in batteries, causing corrosion. Probably not good, huh? It could also be the case that the magnet trapped water, grime, and dust underneath it, distressing the metal over time. ## Dull Decision Whatever the mechanism, it seems that the Cybertruck's stainless steel construction is at fault here. The vehicle has a track record of easily losing its luster. Just months after Tesla first started delivering the trucks last November, for example, owners were reporting that their body panels were [already showing signs of rust](). Others learned the hard way that putting a vinyl wrap on their Cybertruck could [also damage the exterior](). Stainless steel, as it turns out, takes a lot of work to maintain. And if the point of the vehicle is to look obnoxiously shiny, any blemish on its surface will be that much more noticeable. And so, our guess is that this won't be the last time that the [perenially-recalled]() Cybertruck will attract negative attention. **More on Tesla:** *[Embarrassed Teslas Drivers Buying Huge Numbers of Anti-Elon Bumper Stickers]()* ## Author At Futurism, my work has often centered on bringing a sense of clarity and insight to complex topics ranging from the regulation of emerging technologies to the esoteric ideologies of Silicon Valley executives, while striving not to lose the poetic sense of awe inspired by often-obscure fields like astrophysics and quantum computing. I broke the story of CNET using AI to produce articles that turned out to be riddled with factual errors and plagiarism — a dam-breaking inflection point, as I've reported, that's inspired copycats and endless discourse while beguiling stakeholders ranging from tech giants to purveyors of spam around the web. My work at Futurism has been cited by publications including CBS News, the Los Angeles Times, Vice, Gizmodo, Engadget, the Verge, and Vanity Fair. I grew up in locales ranging from India to China, and now live in the exotic suburbs of Virginia. In my free time, I'm an avid reader of weird sci-fi literature, an aficionado of East Asian cinema, and, regrettably, a relapsed gamer. Allegedly, I’m working on a debut novel, currently untitled. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()