There's an Unpleasant Surprise When Owners Peel the Vinyl Cover Off Their Cybertrucks

This is so ridiculous.

Etch-a-Truck

Tesla's Cybertruck has been an incredibly divisive vehicle ever since it went on sale just under a year ago.

Its stainless steel "exoskeleton" has proven especially controversial, since it's a material that's substantially more difficult to keep clean and blemish-free than what cars are typically made from.

Worse yet, as one owner found, removing vinyl adhesives after several months leaves plenty of evidence behind.

Aaron Cash, who runs a website called ABetterTheater.com, found that the vinyl letters he applied to the back of his Cyertruck eight months ago "etched" themselves into the stainless steel finish after he tried to remove them.

"Removed yesterday and detailed with Windex and microfiber," he wrote in a Cybertruck Owners Club post. "Not surprising the stainless is now etched."

Wax On, Wax Off

Even after "many" scrubs, the letters were still clearly visible on Cash's tailgate.

In response, Cash stepped up his game by picking up a Scotch-Brite sponge and Bar Keepers Friend, a popular cleaning agent that can take on rust, mineral deposits, and other hard-to-clean stains.

"Let the scrubbing begin," he wrote in a follow-up. It's still unclear if his last-ditch effort turned out to be a success.

Other owners have also warned that applying a protective vinyl coating to the Cybertruck's exterior could have plenty of undesired consequences — an ironic development, considering many owners resort to using these adhesives to protect the stainless steel.

As automotive coating company Sticker City explained in an August Cybertruck Owners Club post, "vinyl wraps can oxidize over time due to various environmental factors, material degradation, and improper maintenance."

"Additionally, if the vinyl is not removed within a proper timeframe, it can cause damage to the surface underneath," the company wrote.

UV exposure can oxidize vinyl, leaving behind a "chalky, white residue." Moisture and temperature fluctuations can also cause the vinyl to crack and expose the stainless steel below to oxidize more quickly.

In short, it's a bizarre problem to deal with, especially considering some owners have shelled out north of $100,000 for a Cybertruck.

To be clear, we've solved this issue many decades ago. Regular automotive paint applied to steel, plastic, or aluminum has historically done the trick just fine, no Bar Keepers Friend required.

More on the Cybertruck: Furious Driver Appears to Use Rented Cybertruck as Battering Ram to Attack Package Thief