Ernest S. Harbaugh, a Cybertruck owner from Ohio, states that 28 children laughed at his Cybertruck after a minor problem resulted in it being towed on a flatbed.
Ernest says the children were initially cheering the Cybertruck, but their enthusiasm turned to skepticism when the truck experienced an issue that rendered it undrivable.
The issue began when Ernest drove his 10-year-old son to a baseball match in his Cybertruck.
Ernest placed his son’s baseball gear in the front trunk (frunk); however, when they arrived at the field, the frunk wouldn’t open.
This is quite frustrating; however, the Cybertruck owner and father stated he was prepared to drive 40 minutes back home to fetch a replacement glove for his son.
Regrettably, despite his willingness to make this sacrifice to support his child, Ernest states that the Cybertruck detected an issue with the frunk and went into “Limp Mode.”
This is where the truck limits the top speed to 15 miles per hour, meaning that, besides repositioning the vehicle to be towed, there is nothing the owner can do.
At this point, Ernest says he was so frustrated that he briefly considered tying a rope around the frunk, connecting it to a tree, and yanking the frunk open.
The frustrated Cybertruck owner shared his story on the Tesla Cybertruck Owners group on Facebook.
He writes…
“Emergency, frunk won’t open!!!
Is there a way to manually open it???
Just about ready to loop a strap through the top corners and tie it to a tree, then back up and rip it off WhistlinDiesel style.
So pissed! My son’s baseball bag was in there, and the freaking latch decided to allow an inch or two of up-and-down movement but not actually unlatch.
I was going to make the 39-minute drive to get another glove back at the house, only to find that despite the frunk not being able to open, the truck was aware it was not fully closed and retracted.
So, while I had problems driving to the game, I was now only allowed a maximum speed of 15MPH.
Tesla service did end up getting in touch with me. After all the screen resets and power shutdown cycles, it was sent to the service center on a flatbed. I was stuck with a $50 Uber bill, and 28 ten-year-old kids went from thinking the Cybertruck was the coolest vehicle to pointing and laughing as it was towed away on a flatbed truck.”
This is definitely not ideal, and below his post, Ernest included a picture of his Cybertruck loaded onto a flatbed and next to a baseball field.
It’s an unusual contrast when you consider how differently some kids view the Cybertruck. In a completely unexpected twist from another Cybertruck story, one owner recently returned to his truck to find a handwritten note from an 8-year-old who was having a birthday party nearby. The boy said he loved the Cybertruck and wanted it to be part of his big day. It's a reminder that, for every group of laughing little leaguers, there's another group of young fans who see the Cybertruck as something futuristic and cool.
Looking at the comments, fellow Cybertruck owners offered suggestions on how Ernest might be able to unlock his frunk.
A fellow Cybertruck owner, Ron Shaw, writes…
“Use the physical button in front of the bumper!!!! That bypasses the Bluetooth controls.”
Another Cybertruck owner, Addam Kuzman, asks…
“Have you tried the app, touch screen, and push button?”
A third Cybertruck owner, Joshua Shea, suggests hooking up a 9-volt battery to open the frunk.
These are all good recommendations for a general issue with the frunk; they are especially useful if the Cybertruck is dead and the owner wants to open the frunk.
If a Cybertruck completely turns off, you can use the 48-volt battery to jump-start the vehicle.
However, the problem is that the jump-start leads for the low-voltage system are located under the Cybertruck frunk.
In this case, as Joshua pointed out, you can connect a 9-volt battery to open the frunk automatically.
However, in Ernest's case, the reason the Cyberturck’s frunk is not opening is not due to a lack of power; rather, it is because of an issue with the latch mechanism.
In this instance, the next course of action is to tow the truck to the nearest Tesla service center for a closer inspection.
What makes experiences like Ernest’s even more compelling is how they contrast with the generally smooth—yet still occasionally unexpected—challenges of owning other Tesla models. While some owners are contending with unusual mechanical quirks like a frunk that won’t open or a vehicle that suddenly enters limp mode, others are discovering that the costs of electric vehicle ownership can creep up in less visible ways. For instance, one Tesla Model Y owner reported a surprising 134% jump in their Edison electricity bill—even though they only charged after 11 p.m. Here’s what happened during their first month with a Model Y, and why it might give potential EV buyers something else to think about beyond just range and features.
Regrettably, as Ernest points out, seeing the Cybertruck loaded onto a flatbed made the kids, who were excited about the Cybertruck, point and laugh at the all-electric truck.
Please let me know what you think in the comments. Share your ideas by clicking the RED “Add new comment” button below. Also, be sure to visit our site, torquenews.com/Tesla, regularly for the latest updates.
Image 1: Screenshot from Abstract Ocean YouTube Channel
Image 2: Screenshot from Ernest S. Harbaugh’s Facebook post, reposted under the fair use copyright rule.
For more information, check out: Several Cybertruck Owners are Reporting That State Farm Insurance is Punishing Them for Driving a Tesla – They Add, “We’re Getting Significant Discounts for Our Gas Cars but Not for Our Teslas”
Tinsae Aregay has been following Tesla and the evolution of the EV space daily for several years. He covers everything about Tesla, from the cars to Elon Musk, the energy business, and autonomy. Follow Tinsae on Twitter at @TinsaeAregay for daily Tesla news.
Comments
Why is everyone calling this…
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Why is everyone calling this a truck? Can it haul anything? It looks like a space ship that a kindergartner put together. Again, why call it a truck? I have a 2007 GMC Sierra diesel and well it hauls ,runs and has 370k. Guarantee your "truck" won't last that long
Definitely not a truck! It's…
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In reply to Why is everyone calling this… by Carrie Riley (not verified)
Definitely not a truck! It's poorly designed and becoming more of a joke all the time!
It's an armored "truck" for…
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In reply to Why is everyone calling this… by Carrie Riley (not verified)
It's an armored "truck" for baseball equipment. Nobody can steal it!!!
Yes, this can tow quite a…
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In reply to Why is everyone calling this… by Carrie Riley (not verified)
Yes, this can tow quite a bit, more than your truck actually. I have one and use it for our 7k pound 33' camper and haven't experienced any issues so far. Trucks and cars all over the world experience fatal issues too but they seldomly make the news because of the high attention Tesla is getting. I'm so tired of people's unwelcomed opinions and ignorance
Tesla and Elon are trash.
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In reply to Yes, this can tow quite a… by Adam (not verified)
Tesla and Elon are trash.
But do those cars and trucks…
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In reply to Yes, this can tow quite a… by Adam (not verified)
But do those cars and trucks shut down and become undriveable just because of a stuck trunk latch?
towing doesn't make it a…
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In reply to Yes, this can tow quite a… by Adam (not verified)
towing doesn't make it a truck... 😒
i can tow with my challenger, doesn't make my car a truck 🤷♀️
My 93 Honda Del Sol could…
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In reply to Yes, this can tow quite a… by Adam (not verified)
My 93 Honda Del Sol could tow that. Stop faking that the wankpanzer is a truck. It really isn't. I hope you enjoy your rapidly depreciating paperweight.
I hate to break it to you…
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In reply to Yes, this can tow quite a… by Adam (not verified)
I hate to break it to you but a 2007 gmc sierra max towing capacity is 13k if it's the 6.0L but if it's the 6.6L more like 18k. While the testa is at most 11k. I wouldn't have mentioned it but complaining about people spouting ignorance while spouting ignorance, you needed a fact check.
But what roads are you…
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In reply to Yes, this can tow quite a… by Adam (not verified)
But what roads are you towing that trailer on? Cause a real truck needs to be and to be able to tow out stuck vehicles, and I have yet to see a cybertruck that can go up a dirt based hill that a truck or soccer mom style suv can do in 2 wheel drive.
Additionally, the only cyber trucks I've seen in person, have been on the shoulder of the paved roads around our big city or within ten minutes drive of the city limits on the shoulder of the highway, waiting for a tow truck and in optimal conditions (dry roads, no adverse weather, and daytime) and considering this is in Canada, I can't wait to see how many of those 'trucks' I see in the ditch the moment the first snowflake flies. But those trucks would get destroyed on the highways alone if they went past the lower third of the American border provinces, because of the lack of clearance they have and the potholes that semi's and the ground freezing and melting creates on the highways alone. And that's if they will even start after sitting in below freezing temps. I've never actually needed my block heater in my GMC/Chevrolet vehicles or even the Japanese imports like Mazda, Toyota, Yamaha, Kawasaki vehicles (trucks, cars, suvs and motorcycles) after sitting all night in -40. But keeping that much battery power unfrozen in a cybertruck? There is a reason Tesla doesn't sell past that lower 3rd of Alberta, and given the money the rig pigs spend on their trucks in Northern Alberta, it has nothing to do with affordability, and just quality.
And the best functionality of a truck is the bed for hauling bigger items that won't fit into a covered vehicle, like a king-sized mattress or the separation from the inside when hauling messy/dirty items, like square hay bales or muddy quads. I haven't seen a cyber truck that could haul a basic quad on it. So it can't off-road, can't haul anything big without an attaching trailer to hold it, and can't get itself, much less any other vehicle, out of a ditch in bad weather.
I rolled a stock (aside from exhaust from down pipe off of headers to the tail pipe) 87 4runner down a cliff last summer and that thing still ran well enough, after we rolled it off the roof and back onto it's tires, to tow a tundra out of deep mud and clay in the bush and continue to run for the rest of the year until winter hit and I started the repairs for the body damage and windows from rolling. That is a truck (Hilux truck turned into an suv, with hard top) so I can still haul big stuff and pull trailers, on top of getting itself and other trucks unstuck, and ideal for use in any type of inclement weather, driving surface, plus the tail gate party options too. When the cyber 'truck' can perform like any REAL truck out there, then they can use that title, but it is a stretch to call it anything more than a preschoolers drawing of an oversized DeLorean with less reliability and way worse on aero dynamics. The DeLorean may have topped out of speed, but at least you saw them on the road more than pulled over waiting for a flat deck on a beautiful summer afternoon, at the start of your drive. When the cyber 'not-truck' can actually do anything a real truck can, then maybe it can use that title, but when it can't even do the basic skills of technology that is 40 years outdated in the technological equivalent of the industrial Revolution, that is flat out false advertising calling it a truck.
Don't cry cyber baby. It's…
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In reply to Yes, this can tow quite a… by Adam (not verified)
Don't cry cyber baby. It's ok. Your cybertoy is really great and everyone thinks you are so cool . We love you. Hugs and kisses cyberbaby. Lol
Adam, you are a fckin idiot…
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In reply to Yes, this can tow quite a… by Adam (not verified)
Adam, you are a fckin idiot. A cyber truck does not pull more than a 3500/350 full size truck. You can suck my dlck, youre dellusional. You can haul a trailer around with a kia. Doesnt mean you should. Trucks all over the world have problems and people can fix them. Peices of shlt like you buy a tesla, treat it like a shopping cart and call it a truck. Go hunting and real 4x4ing. Put your life in your trucks hands. Learn to change a tire or oil on your car you inept c0cksucker. YOUR opinion is what noone wants, or to look at your stupid fckin, attention seeking, pathetic, "im soo special" stainless panel glued RC car. You people say you hate others opinions. Yet you buy these peices of shlt for the attention! You wanted it! Something you never got eneough of as a child.
You are a clown.
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In reply to Yes, this can tow quite a… by Adam (not verified)
You are a clown.
How far can it tow on a full…
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In reply to Yes, this can tow quite a… by Adam (not verified)
How far can it tow on a full charge. What do you do if you are out in the wilderness away from charging stations?
Jack Meoff? Really? That…
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In reply to Yes, this can tow quite a… by Adam (not verified)
Jack Meoff? Really? That comment is as much of a joke as this so-called truck. It's actually designed in a way that's very dangerous to other drivers and SHOULD ABSOLUTELY be required to have super liability insurance. Super sharp edges, no crumple to the metal, ridiculous acceleration! Shouldn't be allowed on the road, honestly!!!
Believe it or not 75% of…
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In reply to Why is everyone calling this… by Carrie Riley (not verified)
Believe it or not 75% of america think cyber trucks are really stupid and ugly. They don't envey the owners, they laugh at them and think that's poor money management.
I once wanted to get a license plate for my sports car that said "It's Hot" but my wife said why not just get "AssHole". She's right. It's funny how fancy car owners drive around the same popular street so they think people are looking at them, first of all people could care less about the cars and they can't see the driver's cuz tint so nobody can look at you anyway.
It's not just Americans. I…
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In reply to Believe it or not 75% of… by Pete (not verified)
It's not just Americans. I think North Americans are united in the belief, especially considering they have no functional ability outside of the most southern end of the bordering provinces. 😂
Easy Cowboys
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In reply to Why is everyone calling this… by Carrie Riley (not verified)
Easy Cowboys
That is a great question…
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In reply to Why is everyone calling this… by Carrie Riley (not verified)
That is a great question. What new name would you give it? Cybervehicle? The Wedge? Elon's Folly?
The funniest thing is I see this truck going the same way as the Delorean. It will be collectible someday.
It's a truck. I use it on…
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In reply to Why is everyone calling this… by Carrie Riley (not verified)
It's a truck. I use it on my farm down a 5 mile dirt road to haul feed, fence posts, hay bales. Never got stuck, never needs gas.
Get over yourself.
5 whole miles?! Whoa!
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In reply to It's a truck. I use it on… by Curt mayer (not verified)
5 whole miles?! Whoa!
I'm guessing this is a very…
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In reply to It's a truck. I use it on… by Curt mayer (not verified)
I'm guessing this is a very clever joke that is somehow going over my head, but in case you're actually serious I'll respond:
So you're actually admitting to spending 50K on a vehicle that you literally use for only 10 miles / day? What a brilliant investment. You must be such an Elon / Trump supporter that you're willing to lose like 30K when you try to sell this vehicle in 30 years (if you still have that many years left)
It's called a truck because…
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In reply to Why is everyone calling this… by Carrie Riley (not verified)
It's called a truck because it is by definition a truck. it just has a cover over it
Yes it's designed to haul…
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In reply to Why is everyone calling this… by Carrie Riley (not verified)
Yes it's designed to haul. It's an ugly truck but it's a truck.
I say it looks like a…
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In reply to Why is everyone calling this… by Carrie Riley (not verified)
I say it looks like a Garbage truck and a DeLorean had a baby !!!!
That's a VERY ACCURATE…
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In reply to I say it looks like a… by Krystal (not verified)
That's a VERY ACCURATE assessment.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I guess that is why only 10…
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In reply to Why is everyone calling this… by Carrie Riley (not verified)
I guess that is why only 10 and under think it's a good look vehicle. But even a 10 year old can't be fooled for long.
If you want to join my group…
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In reply to Why is everyone calling this… by Carrie Riley (not verified)
If you want to join my group, let me know. We are murdering Cybertruck owners to try and save this planet and you would be a great fit for our group!
3 dead Cybertruck owners and going!
Would you like to join our revolution?
The battery of this truck…
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In reply to Why is everyone calling this… by Carrie Riley (not verified)
The battery of this truck can last up to 400,000 and will still have 75% of is original battery. So it can last a long time. It has a lot of power because this thing weighs over 6,000 lbs. Towing shouldn't be an issue. The beast model can go from 0-60 mph in under 2.6 seconds which is insane for a truck. That beats a lot of sports car.
What makes EVs attractive is of course no emissions so you never have to get your car inspected again. No more oil changes, transmission, timing belt, alternator, or engine changes. Not really any maintenance except for adding windshield wiper fluid and tires.
We didn't choose Tesla, but once you go electric you don't want to go back to gas. Ask anyone who owns an EV, 90% of them will tell you the same.
What makes the Cybertruck attractive is that is a big car spacious if you're into that. I like that it comes with a 14-50 amp port to power your entire house in case of a blackout. You would need to install a generator inlet to the house. You wouldn't need a generator anymore plus they're noisy. All EV are smart cars, just like your phone. It has GPS so you can see where the car is in the app just in case if it ever gets stolen. You can use your phone as the key. The have nice touchscreen to control your vehicle. The Cybertruck model have the self driving feature, which ours doesn't. It can park itself and drop you off of you can summon the car if it's rainy or parked far away.
That's what makes Tesla EVs different from the other competitors. Plus it's made in the US. The world is changing and EVs are the future whether you like it or not. The young people are into new gadgets the are better and more reliable. If you don't change, you will be like the older generations who don't know how to use smartphones and or computers.
Wow! Us older people…
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In reply to The battery of this truck… by Tiffany (not verified)
Wow! Us older people developed that handheld computer u call a smartphone and most if us dont really use computers so much since our smartphones pretty much do it all. So before u start insulting us "old" people u better fact check! And the cybertruck sucks!!!
Pagination