Small rock wedged between motor and crossmember has worn a hole in the aluminium casing causing an oil leak on 9,000-mile truck
https://www.carscoops.com/author/chris-chilton-cc/
by Chris Chilton
November 30, 2024 at 12:39
- A Cybertruck owner is facing a $7,655 bill for a new drive unit after discovering an oil leak.
- The 9,000-mile EV’s motor housing was worn down by a rock trapped above the crossmember.
- Owner claims the Tesla has never seen hard off-road use and his dealer won’t cover the cost of repair.
One of the benefits of owning an EV is that they consist of fewer moving parts so should be less expensive to service and maintain. But as one Tesla owner discovered, EV hardware isn’t invincible, and it’s still expensive when it breaks.
This reminder comes from Cybertruck owner Joey Arrowood, who is staring down the barrel of an $8k bill after finding an oil leak on his electric pickup. That’s right, an oil leak – EVs use oil, too. As he shared in a post on the Facebook Cybertruck group, as he returned to his truck one day, he noticed a pool of oil under the rear motor, closer inspection revealing that a small, sharp rock had ground a hole in the motor housing.
Related: Sixth Time The Charm? Tesla Cybertruck Recalled Over Loss Of Drive Power
“At some point a small rock bounced over the belly pans and covers and wedged itself between the rear subframe and gearbox wearing a small hole into the aluminum case,” Arrowood wrote on Facebook. “I find it absurd to comprehend that such a small rock can cause this kind of damage.”
The Tesla is coming up to 9,000 miles (14,500 km) and the owner says the little action its seen away from paved surfaces was restricted to some driving on local dirt roads. But Arrowood’s local service center in Clarkston, MI, claims the proper fix is a new drive unit at a cost of $7,660.55, and says it won’t cover the cost, and will only repair it if Arrowood pays up himself or files an insurance claim.
“I love the truck and driving it, but come on Tesla… a little help here is needed please,” the owner wrote.
Commenters on the thread don’t all agree on the correct course of action: some suggest fixing the hole with JB Weld; others claim a genuine aluminum welding job would be better. But none of them thinks Arrowood should shell out for a brand new motor and most believe this isn’t a warranty situation, just an unfortunate freak accident, possibly made worse by poor design and thin castings on Tesla’s part.
Who do you think should pay, and what kind of fix would you recommend? Leave a comment and let us know.
