Tesla Cybertruck Owners Are Reporting Increased Jackknifing Incidents & Blame The Truck’s Rear Wheel Steering – One Owner Says, “The 4-Wheel Steering is Great, but It Also Means You Can Jackknife a Trailer While Driving Forward”

Riley Bowers, a Cybertruck owner from California, says he recently jackknifed his truck while driving forward.

Riley shared that he damaged his Cybertruck’s rear bumper and blamed the truck’s rear wheel steering feature for causing the incident.

This is definitely not ideal, and the frustrated Cybertruck owner shared his story on the Cybertruck Owners Only group on Facebook.

He writes…

“The 4-wheel steering is a great feature, but it also means you can jackknife a trailer while driving forward. Oops.”

Below his post, Riley included two pictures of his Cybertruck following the incident.

As you can see, the truck’s plastic bumper is dented where the trailer made contact.

Since jackknifing a truck while driving forward is uncommon, fellow Cybertruck owners naturally had questions about the incident.

The first thing many wondered about was how Riley managed to jackknife his truck if he was driving straight ahead.

In response, Riley clarifies that he jackknifed the trailer not while driving straight ahead, but when making a turn.

Riley writes…

“I was turning while I was driving forward when this happened.”

This is understandable given the Cybertruck’s rear-wheel steering. When turning, not only do the front wheels turn, but the rear wheels also turn, which can cause the hitch to pivot too quickly, leading to instability and jackknifing.

In addition to Riley, multiple Cybertruck owners expressed their frustration with the rear-wheel steering system, citing issues not only when towing but also during reversing and parallel parking.

A fellow Cybertruck owner, Andrew Hall, writes…

“I jackknifed my trailer when I towed for the first time with the Cybertruck. Both sides. The damage wasn’t quite as bad as yours. There’s also a dead spot for alarms when towing. I don’t think you can turn quad steer off in reverse, can you? It would be a nice feature sometimes.”

Another Cybertruck owner, John Krenn, writes…

“Tesla needs to make a few changes. The receiver on the Cybertruck should be positioned about 4-6 inches further back than it currently is. The rear steering needs to be turned off when towing. Backing up with a trailer and rear steering is a pain.

And yes, I’ve been pulling trailers for nearly 40 years. I can’t parallel park the Cybertruck, but I can with any other car.”

A third Cybertruck owner, John Bailey, writes…

“Why doesn’t Tesla disable four-wheel steering while towing? Better press that right steering wheel button and say "File bug: disable all wheel steering during towing".

A fourth Cybertruck owner, Michael Bessette, writes…

“The all-wheel steering also confused me when parallel parking. I really pride myself on being able to park quickly, but relying on the truck to do it drives me crazy.

A fifth Cybertruck owner, John Krenn, writes…  · 

“Backing up the Cybertruck sucks. I wish there was an option to turn off rear steer when towing.”

A lot of Cybertruck owners seem dissatisfied with the 4-wheel steering feature; however, some owners pushed back, claiming it’s a skill issue. These owners say the Cybertruck’s 4-wheel steering makes parking, towing, and reversing easier.

A fellow Cybertruck owner, Kyle McMillin, writes…

“Really? What makes it so bad? I've pulled trailers my whole life. I can back one up nearly as well as I can pull it. But with the Cybertruck having four-wheel steering, it allows me to squeeze a trailer into just about anywhere. It's amazing.”

A second Cybertruck owner, John Kohler, writes…

“The rear steering actually helps with backing up and making corrections. I’ve been pulling 7x16 dump trailers and a 27’ camper like butter.”

A third Cybertruck owner, Timothy Waugh, writes…

“I like the 4-wheel steering for towing, but it takes some getting used to. The key is to watch your trailer.

I will say it would be nice to have tow mirrors with a large trailer.”

Overall, looking at the comments, Cybertruck owners seem divided about the 4-wheel steering feature. However, 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: Screenshot from Riley’s post on Facebook. Reposted under fair use copyright law.

For more information, check out: A Chevy Silverado 2500 Owner Says, “I’m Thinking About Getting a Tesla Cybertruck For My Construction Job; Maintenance & Fuel For the Chevy Is Getting Expensive”

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.