A damaged and abandoned $82,000 Tesla Cybertruck transformed a Washington street a few months ago into an unexpected tourist attraction. The battery-powered truck met its fate on a Seattle street, immobilised by issues with its rear end and suspension, with fans of the electric vehicle quickly dubbing it the "CyberStuck."
Discarded by its owner as a "hunk of junk," the stranded Cybertruck ignited a strange online cult. Pilgrims travelled to pay respects to the fallen EV, leaving flowers and a makeshift gravestone. The incident even spawned a subreddit and a Google Maps marker.
A Roadside Sensation: The Cybertruck's Unlikely Fame
The Cybertruck's dramatic downfall turned out to be a less-than-epic tale - a fan discovered that a child had accidentally damaged the vehicle. The owner was still working with insurance to determine the next steps—fix it or have it towed.
"I went by there this evening on my way to dinner. The owner was outside and was not happy we were there," the Reddit user wrote. "He said a kid hit his CT a few weeks ago and was still trying to figure out the insurance to get it fixed."
"He said people having been harassing him and his wife the past few days and he didn't understand why. We told him his truck was all over Reddit and he got even madder. We left pretty quickly." The city officials swiftly intervened, slapping a towing notice on the Cybertruck's windshield.
The owner ignored the notice, and the Cybertruck was towed to an undisclosed location the night before September 10. A video posted on the r/CyberStuck sub Reddit showed the iconic EV being hauled away by a Lang Towing truck, with its hazard lights blinking.
A Flawed Design? The Mystery Behind The Breakdown
Another Reddit user posted a photo of the empty spot, confirming the Cybertruck's departure. One person commented: "Although I'm not in Seattle, I miss it already." Another wrote: "Stolen from us like a thief in the night."
Google removed the Google Maps pin after the truck was towed. The exact cause of the damage that led to the Cybertruck's breakdown remains unknown. However, some owners of the futuristic EV have reported unexpected issues, including suspension failures, suggesting potential design flaws, as reported by Driven Car Guide.
It looks like a suspension malfunction, causing the rear wheels to point inward, left this particular Cybertruck stranded on the side of the road in Seattle. Though a collision could have caused this, it's not confirmed. Given the undamaged body panels, a suspension malfunction, as reported by Driven Car Guide, seems more likely.
Since its November 2023 launch, the Tesla Cybertruck has faced several issues, including a June recall affecting over 11,000 vehicles. Reports of the accelerator pedal prompted the recall covers to slide off and become stuck on the carpet.
As Tesla continues to refine its products, it's crucial to address these concerns and ensure the reliability of its vehicles. The abandoned Cybertruck incident serves as a reminder that even the most innovative technologies can encounter setbacks, emphasising the importance of rigorous testing and quality assurance.
