Like it or not, the Cybertruck is still a truck. Right?

However, the answer to that question appears to depend on who you ask. While you can certainly put stuff in the back of the truck and tow things around, whether you’d want to is a different question. 

Considering the latter, several YouTubers have pointed out issues with the truck’s towing capacity, as well as citing problems that would make the car not particularly great for towing long-term.

But just putting things in the back? You should be fine. Well, unless those items slide around. Then, as some internet users are learning, you might end up breaking your car.

What’s Wrong With These Cybertrucks?

As noted by Facebook creator MolesRCool, a few viral internet posts are leading some to question whether you can actually put anything in the back of your Cybertruck.

“Putting a cooler in your trunk is all it takes to break the Cybertruck,” states MolesRCool. 

As evidence, he shares a story from a Cybertruck forum in which an owner accelerated with an unsecured cooler. The cooler hit the tailgate, causing it to warp and preventing it from fully closing.

MolesRCool then shares another story from the same Cybertruck forum thread. This driver says he was carrying decking boards in the back of his Cybertruck. While the weight limit was not exceeded, he says the load shifted against the tailgate, which was down during transit. This made the tailgate itself bend. That said, it still closes despite the bend.

“The Cybertruck apparently can’t even get the most basic truck stuff right,” summarizes MolesRCool.

Is This Normal?

Unsecured cargo can do a significant amount of damage, no matter what kind of truck you put it in. It can bang up your truck, it can bounce out and land on the road, or it can even fall out and hit another driver. That’s why it’s important to secure your cargo before heading out.

If you’re a Cybertruck owner, you might want to heed this advice a little more closely. That’s because numerous Cybertruck owners trying to do “truck stuff” have reported tailgate issues.

In addition to the aforementioned forum users, a Facebook post showing a deformed tailgate on a Cybertruck claims that even simply stepping on the tailgate was enough to cause the issue. Numerous commenters under this post alleged that their tailgates experienced a similar problem, typically after loading cargo.

“Same issue with mine. I took it in for service and they said the dreadful words for every Tesla – ‘it’s within spec,’” reads one comment. “I ask them what is spec then, and they have no response.”

“Happened to me also when I loaded my four wheeler in the bed,” offered another.

Can This Happen To Other Trucks?

Naturally, tailgate damage isn’t unique to the Cybertruck.

After these forum posts went viral, several users around the internet stated that they, too, had damaged their tailgates after not properly securing a load.

“I destroyed my tailgate in a Ranger doing stupid stuff like this. A loose load is no joke,” reads one Reddit comment. “It was my first truck and I didn’t know how well a load had to be secured. The straw that broke the camels back was when some cut wood beams. One bent the tailgate to the point it wouldn’t open.”

In fact, Google searches for any popular truck and “bent tailgate” will doubtless reveal multiple stories of people bending their tailgates from too much load. For example, there are anecdotes about people bending the tailgates on their Ford F-150s, Toyota Tacomas, GMC Sierras, and more.

Typically, this occurs because one puts too much load on the tailgate. For example, someone lowers their tailgate in order to move long, heavy wood boards; consequently, the tailgate warps under the weight. 

For the Cybertruck specifically, some internet users suggest that the vehicle’s increased torque and acceleration could also play a role in the damage mentioned above. As the Cybertruck accelerates faster than other cars, unsecured cargo could slam into the tailgate at higher speeds, making it more likely to cause damage.

No matter why this is happening, stories like these are a good reminder to Cybertruck owners to be mindful of the weight capacity of your tailgate and keep an eye out for possible warping issues.

We’ve reached out to Tesla and MolesRCool via email.