Tesla’s lead Cybertruck engineer, Wes Morrill, recommends that Starlink users avoid mounting their Starlink dishes inside the Cybertruck’s glass roof.
Wes explains that the glass roof has a metallic layer designed to reflect sunlight, which will interfere with the Starlink signal.
Wes made this statement in response to a Cybertruck owner and Starlink user on X.
The Cybertruck owner explains he has tried multiple times but can’t get the Starlink terminal to communicate with satellites when mounted inside the glass roof.
This user mentions that he set up a quick internet connection for his Cybertruck by attaching the Starlink terminal to the glass roof with a suction cup and powering it via the vehicle’s onboard system.
The setup was straightforward, but despite his best efforts, he couldn’t connect the Starlink dish to the satellites above.
The Cybertruck owner confirmed that the issue is related to the glass roof, as the Starlink connection started working fine when he placed the terminal behind the windshield.
He took his all-electric truck to Tesla service; however, he says he wasn’t able to find a solution.
He is now considering replacing his glass roof, but before doing so, he reached out to the lead Cybertruck engineer to ask what might be causing the problem.
The Cybertruck owner writes…
“Wes Morrill, Hey man! I’m having issues with my Cybertruck and Starlink connectivity, and I don’t know who else to go to.
I have it mounted on the glass roof using a suction cup.
The same mount I use on my Model Y, and the connection works perfectly.
I have the Starlink terminal mounted above the back middle seat, plugged into a USB-C port. It can’t get a satellite connection.
Is this a glass roof issue?
Once I put the Starlink terminal on the dash, it works, but that’s a worse spot to have it. Any suggestions? Service doesn’t think we should swap the roof. I feel that is probably the only solution.”
Understandably, placing a Starlink terminal on the Cybertruck dashboard isn't ideal.
However, Tesla’s lead Cybertruck engineer, Wes Morrill, states that the issue with the Starlink connection is not a defect but is caused by the Cybertruck’s design.
Wes explains that the Cybertruck's glass roof has a metallic layer designed to reflect sunlight and keep the vehicle’s interior cooler, and this metallic layer appears to interfere with the signal between the Starlink terminal and the overhead satellites.
Wes states that replacing the glass roof would not help and that the Cybertruck owner should seek alternative solutions.
Wes writes…
“The roof glass has a metallic layer to reflect some of the solar load. Being metallic, this layer will interfere with starlink connection.
The Windshield has higher visible light transmission requirements and does not have this coating. Swapping the roof glass will not change it.”
This definitely explains the problem; however, interestingly, a lot of Cybertruck owners have mounted their Starlink terminals inside the glass roof without experiencing connectivity issues.
A fellow Cybertruck owner, William Pitre, shares…
“I have my Starlink dish mounted in a similar location and have never had issues.”
Another owner, Tim, comments…
“No problems with Starlink through the roof glass here. Been working for months without issue. Can even maintain a VOIP call under mild tree cover.”
Here, there seems to be a mismatch between some Cybertruck owners' experiences, and the apparent cause is that Tesla recently increased the amount of metal in the glass roof to better reflect sunlight.
This means older Cybertruck models don’t have an issue with Starlink terminals mounted inside the glass roof, but newer Cybertruck owners will encounter problems.
Another owner, Ron McMinn, confirms this theory, writing…
“Confirmed. I had the same issue with my Starlink until I moved it to the front dash.
Apparently, Tesla changed the roof glass recently because older model Cybertruck do not have this issue.
I’m considering moving the Starlin terminal to the bed of the truck with an L-track pole, but the problem is the vault needs to be partially open.”
Overall, the main issue appears to be Tesla increasing the amount of metal in the glass roof. 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.
For more information, check out: Now That The $60,000 Cybertruck Is Attracting A Lot Of Buyers, Current Cybertruck Owners Are Demanding That Tesla Treat The All-Electric Truck “Like A Fully Supported Vehicle”
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.
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